Quick, Easy, Affordable Halloween Costumes: Cowboy or Cowgirl

"Mommy, Mommyyyyyyy!" Your 10 year old is yelling from the second floor. Apparently the costume she picked out is not what she thought and she does not want to wear it to school. She thinks everyone will laugh. What do you do now? How about making her a quick, easy, ultra-affordable costume? How are you going to do that when she has to be at school in less than an hour? Easy. This simple cowboy or cowgirl costume can be made by using your child's own clothes and just a few accessories that are probably around the house.

For this super simple Halloween costume, all you need is a pair of your child's jeans, a dress shirt, some cowboy boots, a cowboy hat, and a handkerchief. The items are the same whether you'll be creating a costume for a cowboy or a cowgirl. A belt with a huge buckle can add to the look. For a girl, you may also want to add an extra handkerchief to cut up for hair ties. You'll see a few options for that shortly.

The first item to put on is the dress shirt. It should be one with a button-up style. One with metal buttons can sometimes have even more effect, as can one made with corduroy or blue jean material. Next are the blue jeans. The blue jeans can be any style. However, those with more slender legs work best. Tuck the dress shirt into the blue jeans and pull out the shirt slightly on the sides, still leaving it tucked in.

Once the jeans and shirt are on correctly, pull on the boots. The jeans should be tucked into the cowboy or cowgirl boots. After tucking in the boots, it is time to add the accessories for your last minute cowboy or cowgirl Halloween costume. Tie the handkerchief around the child's neck and allow the child to put on the belt, securing the buckle in the front. The bigger, the better, as far as the cowboy or cowgirl belt buckle is concerned.

If you are dressing up your little girl as a cowgirl, you may want to accessorize the hair somehow. You can use the handkerchief as a headband, securing it around the child's head and tucking it under the hair in back. Another hairstyle option could be to create two braids and cut pieces of the handkerchief to act as ties for the ends of the hair. One more hairstyle option for this Halloween costume is to make a single French braid in the back. Secure the end by tying a piece of a handkerchief to the bottom.

The last step to creating a last minute cowboy or cowgirl Halloween costume is placing the cowboy hat atop your child's head. Some may prefer to also tie a handkerchief to the cowboy hat as a hat band. Great cowboy hats can often be found at thrift stores. Thrift store cowboy hats work well because they are often the real thing, versus a cheap Halloween accessory. The boots and belt buckles can also be found at thrift stores. Also, don't forget to ask friends and relatives about these items. If you don't have any of them on hand, chances are that someone you know might.

If you and your child will be out at night, don't forget the glow sticks or flashlights. Have a safe and happy Halloween.

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