Pumpkin Halloween Costumes: From Frumpy to Fabulous!

So, you've decided to be a pumpkin for Halloween. How...original. But don't despair - there are lots of creative interpretations for this costume theme, and whether you choose to go traditional or alternative, a pumpkin costume doesn't have to be plain. Here are some fun ways to dress up your pumpkin costume!

Traditional
For those who want a truly low-maintenance approach, all Halloween costume shops will carry a variety of pumpkin costumes for children and adults alike - just choose your favorite. However, making your own pumpkin costume is easy and inexpensive, especially if you stick with a traditional look. For the simplest of pumpkin costumes, wear an oversized orange sweatshirt and stuff it with crumpled newspapers to create a rounded shape. Draw facial features on the sweatshirt with a black marker to create a jack o'lantern look, or cut out the facial features and wear a yellow shirt underneath to simulate a candlelit jack o'lantern. If you're willing to do a little sewing or crafting, great pumpkin costumes can be made out of orange felt and hot glue, using easy-to-follow patterns. Orange pumpkin wigs, orange facial makeup, pumpkin hair barrettes or pumpkin striped tights complete the look.

Creative
Instead of going as a pumpkin for Halloween, why not go as a pumpkin patch? Wear a dark brown or black outfit for the base of your costume, and dress it up with the following accessories. Create a green vine out of felt or cord, and attach leaves and/or pumpkin flowers made of felt or construction paper. Wrap the vine around yourself, pinning it to your clothes in several places to secure it. Blow up orange balloons and draw pumpkin lines and veins on them, then attach the balloons to the vine or your clothing, being careful not to pop them. Carry a pumpkin-shaped trick-or-treat bag to add another pumpkin to the patch!

Whimsical
I went as a "pumpkin" for Halloween a few years ago, but I wasn't interested in looking like a big orange blob. So, I based my costume on a pumpkin that no one has ever seen - the "Great Pumpkin" from the old Halloween cartoon special,It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. I wore a beautiful orange taffeta formal gown, a glittery orange mask (that I made myself out of a plain black mask, glue and orange glitter) and a cute little pumpkin stem headband to top it all off. However, my best costume accessory was my boyfriend, who came dressed as Linus, the Great Pumpkin's biggest fan - complete with striped shirt and blue blanket (sorry, he's not for sale!).

So you see, wearing a pumpkin costume for Halloween doesn't have to be boring or unoriginal! With just a little effort and creativity, the basic pumpkin idea can be built upon to make a pumpkin costume that's uniquely you.