Susanne Seidman
Style Editor

Every year while candy corn is rolling out on shelves and pumpkins hitting farm stands, mothers everywhere are pulling out the glue guns, firing up sewing machines and getting ready to burn the midnight oil all in an effort to turn our little angels and devils (it depends on the moment) into the costumed characters of their dreams.

Which makes me wonder, is all the costume making a trick or a treat? What is it about Halloween that makes some of us feel nothing less than Supermom will do?

Speaking as a girl who wore her mother’s actual wedding veil to march down the elementary school walk as a bride at the tender age of 3rd grade in the annual Halloween parade, perhaps I deserve the somewhat unrealistic expectations I have set for myself. My mother sewed the age appropriate white eyelet dress happily; at least that’s how I remember it.  Was she exhausted? Was she regretting the choice as she pinned and hemmed and fitted a fresh comb to the veil?

I take this to heart as I whip up a yellow jumper sufficient to bring to life bossy bunny sister Ruby’s calico dress. I finally settle upon stick on felt cut into flower shapes to the pattern akin enough to the actual Ruby.  I attempt to use fabric paint and masking tape to create pesky little bunny brother Max’s yellow and orange stripe shirt to complement his just so blue overalls already pieced together free-hand without a pattern. I silently pray they will both fit over the plush bunny costumes procured at Marshall’s, confirming I may pull a rabbit out my hat from time to time but I would NEVER be foolish enough to attempt a making my own rabbit suit.

The hour is late and my mind crammed with all the pressing tasks left undone, columns to write, bills to pay and never-ending laundry piled up.  Still, I press on.  Learning from previous procrastinated efforts, I am actually ahead of schedule. Is this why I keep convincing myself Halloween is actually next weekend, when in reality, I have closer to nearly two weeks to go? When I mention this scenario on the playground, I get the usual chorus of why don’t I just go to Target and give myself a break. Target, I muse even has a dog costume to turn your small pooch into an actual hot dog, including the mustard squiggle.

Last year, I took that so called break, hitting the Disney store for Mickey Mouse. I’ll admit I couldn’t have come close to that cuteness in forty Octobers.  Minnie, on the other hand, looked cheap that season, and I had to stalk an EBay auction to find a previous year’s costume that wasn’t made of stretch sequin and reminiscent of Jean Benet Ramsey pageant-like glitz. The last thing I wanted to do was sit at the sewing machine cranking out a Halloween miracle having barely buried my mother. Nor was the prospect of dangly skeletons and R.I.P. signs remotely appealing. It was fine going store bought, albeit pricey. Actually, the children were thrilled. The pictures were darling.  All in all, a Halloween hit.

So what was I missing? Creativity, that’s what. The magic of Halloween is letting your imagination run wild. No, I am not haunted by the ghost of perfect costumes of Halloween past. Nor am I afraid of the ghost of Halloween future in a year where I just might not have the physical or emotional fortitude to pull out the glue gun and Singer.  There is just something about taking my own two hands and showing my children how to make a dream materialize. So much of our work as parents is in the abstract, good decision making, good manners…good grief. Gimme something I can see now!

Halloween offers instant gratification for trick or treaters who excitedly collect and dump that candy loot. What did you like to sink your teeth into first? For me, it was the Resee’s Peanut Butter Cups and Milk Duds.  I’ll confess to helping myself to a few goodies after my minis are tucked safely into bed.  But the real joy is seeing the unadulterated happiness as they slip into those imperfectly created yet perfectly darling costumes I’ve created and feeling the pride of knowing looks from my fellow costume makers, who share the creative impulse and are wearing the concealer to prove it.

This Halloween why not put your own creative instinct to work? Here are a few easy to execute options for a homemade, old school Halloween. You don’t have to sew. You can piece together a cool costume by purchasing a few clothing items and doctoring them up.

Cowboy or Cowgirl
Denim jeans or skirt. Western Wear shirt. Dress up cowboy hat. Hobby horse from the playroom. Cowboy boots (do try Target!) Glue on fringe from a fabric store.

Olympic Gymnast
Plain leotard. Sew or glue on sequins, patches or a flag. Add a gold medal from the party store straight out of the favors aisle.

Old Fashioned Robot
Cut arm and leg holes out of a box. Cover in aluminum foil adhered with spray adhesive or packing tape. Embellish with Solo cups, bottle caps, anything that screams buttons, bells, and whistles. Gray long sleeve t-shirt or sweatshirt and leggings or sweatpants underneath. Practice your best “I am a robot voice.”

You can reach Susanne Seidman with all your ghoulish questions at SSeidman@LoalKicks.com Trick or Treat!