I know, I know, Halloween isn’t for a few weeks yet; but I need to get planning. My cousin is getting married on the 31st to a full blown Gothic/Halloween theme, and I need to decide on a costume pronto.

And though I want to make my own to save money and waste (I avoid fancy dress as often as I can, and won’t wear it again…), I do have to admit my upcycling limits. So I have spent more hours than I care to imagine searching for DIY Halloween costume ideas which are cheap, quick and easy to make. Here are my favorite ideas so far, which can be easily “halloween-ified” with some blood or fangs:

Plastic bag mermaid costume 

What a way to use up any old plastic bags and look the star of the show with this sunning mermaid costume! You only need an old bra, leggings and some loo roll to live out your childhood dream and become Ariel (though I’d be inclined to make it a zombie Ariel!)

Check out instructions to make here.

Card board box Robot costume 

Aww this one works for adults and children alike! A great way to use up anything shiny left lying around the house, such as old CDs, wires and electricals. And if, like me, you wash and save used cooking foil; finally you can dig it out of that kitchen draw and put it to good use!

Broken Umbrella bat costume 

One of my cousins wedding guests drew my attention to this awesome bat costume, as this is their chosen attire! Such a simple and effective addition to any black outfit and is especially apt for anyone living in the UK, where there are multiple broken brollys hanging around the home!

Newspaper witches hat 

I’m sure I’m not alone in remembering the genius, low budget bin bag withes costume, our parents made us wear as children. Not only were these little gems quick and cheap to make (especially when you had “forgotten” it was fancy dress at school), they continue to be an outfit of choice as an adult! All that’s missing is a more professional looking hat, which can be achieved with a bunch of old newspaper; check out the easy instructions here.

Regal waste lady costume 

This is my ultimate favorite and definitely inspiration for my final outfit. This stunning and creative regal costume uses a whole host of waste products; from magazines and luggage tags, to batteries and laundry bottles! I am going use this frugal use of scrap as inspiration for my witchy bin bag costume for the wedding!

Have you made your own DIY waste costume before or have ideas to share? Please let me know, the easier and cheaper the better!!