DIY Halloween Costumes for Teens and Tweens

Happy Halloween! The big day is here and we’re excited to show you our newest DIY Halloween costumes for teens and tweens. We love creating homemade Halloween costumes and sharing tutorials with you.

Since our girls are getting older, we made pretty costumes that are perfect for tweens and teens. My daughter Olivia, who is dressed as a brown bear, is 11 years old. Susan’s daughter Sophia, dressed as a Panda bear, is also 11 years old. Susan’s oldest daughter Julia is 13 years old and she’s wearing an easy to make black cat costume.

The planning goes on for months. My daughter, Olivia, and my nieces, Julia and Sophia are so obsessed with their DIY Halloween costumes, that before they have even finished trick or treating they are already discussing their ideas for next year’s Halloween costumes.

But I don’t mind. I love the excuse to get creative and sew Halloween costumes.

I have so much fun with the girls this time of year, sketching out their costume designs concepts, scouring the local fabric stores for the perfect materials, sewing the costumes, and having our annual costume photo shoot. I think it may be my favourite time of year.

For the last few years, the girls have wanted their costumes to be “pretty” and animal-themed.

And since it can be cold here in Vancouver on Halloween, to keep them warm and cozy in their fancy attire, I have also made faux fur shawls or capelets to finish off their outfits.

Two years ago, Olivia was a Fall Flower Fairy while Julia and Sophia were fawns. Last year, Olivia was a unicorn, Julia was a fox and Sophia was a bunny. Three years ago, we made black cat costumes perfect for younger girls.

This year, Julia is a black cat again, but this version we designed to be an easy DIY halloween costume for teens. Olivia’s brown bear costume and Sophia’s panda bear costume are also great for girls of all ages. We will be publishing detailed posts about how to make each of their costumes, but here is a quick look at our DIY Halloween Costumes for Teens…

DIY Black Cat Costume for Teens and Tweens

For Julia’s black cat costume we used a gorgeous, super soft faux fur to make cat ears, fingerless gloves to keep her paws warm, leg warmers which we used as boot cuffs, and a black tail.

Julia loved the organza bubble skirt I made her last year for her fox costume and wanted something similar this year.

So I made this ribbon-trimmed black half circle skirt with a bubble overlay in soft crinoline. Since I used organza for her fox costume skirt, I wanted to use a different fabric this year.

We found this soft crinoline that had a soft hand and a bit of a sheen. Once again, I added pintucks at the bottom of the bubble skirt to add some lift and create more volume. The crinoline worked beautifully and we all loved how it turned out.

DIY Brown Bear Costume for Teens and Tweens

Olivia wanted some serious brown fur to create her brown bear look. It took us a little while to find the perfect fur and I almost gave up and ordered some online. But then, in the clearance bin at one of our local Fabricland stores, we found this piece of brown faux fur.

We were able to make adorable brown fur ears and a super warm capelet. To make sure the capelet was extra soft and comfy, I lined the inside with brown chenille minky fabric. It is so warm and wonderful.

I also made an A-line dress with a brown knit fabric and trimmed the neckline and sleeves with the same brown chenille minky fabric that I used to line the capelet.

Finally, I made an organza bubble skirt, with small pin-tucks to allow for more volume in the skirt and a ribbon trimmed waistband, that Olivia wore on top of the A-line dress.

I loved Olivia’s bear costume so much that I actually borrowed it and wore it to a Halloween party myself on the weekend. She has grown up so much this past year that we now wear similar sizes. Since the costume fit me too, I couldn’t resist wearing it myself. Thankfully, Olivia was happy to share.

DIY Panda Bear Costume for Teens and Tweens

How adorable is our panda bear Sophia!?!

I am so in love with this costume! I am just thrilled with how well it turned out.

For this panda costume, we made a chenille minky hoodie in panda black and white with black fur ears, a black tulle no-sew tutu, black faux fur fingerless gloves and leg warmers, and a black fur capelet, lined with black chenille minky.

The Panda Bear costume we made for Sophia is definitely the costume that will get the most wear this year since the minky hoodie we made is so super soft and cozy, Sophia will be using it all winter long. (I think I will have to make myself a minky hoodie too.)

Wishing You a Happy Halloween!

We hope you have a safe and fabulous Halloween!

Thank you for reading and sharing. We really appreciate you.

Please share with us in the comments your links to your Halloween posts and photos. We would love to see your costumes too.

And now we are heading out to trick or treat… May your skies be clear and your candy be sweet…

 
Written and photographed by Janice Croze, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom and Janice Croze Photography.

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