Halloween is rapidly approaching and those of us who haven’t settled on a costume yet may be starting to stress out a bit in their quest to find something unique and original. Are you in need of a costume for yourself or your kids? Do you have lots of spare cardboard around? Then look no further, because we’ve got nine of the best cardboard-based halloween costumes you can make, in order of increasing difficulty.
1. Silly Pun
Difficulty: Minimal-to-moderate (depending on pun chosen)
Like last year’s “Ginger Bread Man” pictured above, there are many hilarious costumes that can be made from a handmade cardboard sign and minimal costume effort. Other puns worth exploring include “French Kiss,” “Whirled Peas,” “Face Book,” and “Fantasy Football.”
2. Naked Sim
Difficulty: Easy
Or, if you’ve never played “The Sims” before, you could just ditch the difficult-to-make emerald jewel and just go as a censored naked person. All it takes is two cardboard sheets and a little paint.
3. Lego Block
Difficulty: Medium
This one will take only a few hours with minimal supplies. Detailed instructions can be found here. If you would like to try making a harder Lego-themed costume, go for a Lego Minifigure.
4. iPod
Difficulty: Medium
Although the iPod Classic is quickly becoming as outdated as the walkman or creating your own mix-tape, it still makes a cheap and easy costume. Detailed instructions can be found here. My recommendation? Make the costume easier and more up-to-date by making it an iPhone 5S.
5. Severed head in a freezer
Difficulty: Moderate
Not only is this a fairly easy and creative costume, it also has great prank potential. Full instructions on how to create this costume can be found here. Remember, it’s the little details like the crayon drawing and the magnets that really make this costume work.
6. Spongebob Squarepants
Difficulty: Moderate
Can you believe that this show first premiered 14 years ago? This fun costume only requires one box and some paint skills. Simply paint Spongebob on the box and accessorize with socks and you’re good to go! Found on Pinterest.
7. Marvel Minimates
Difficulty: Hard
If you want a unique costume that will show off your artistic skills, try creating a Marvel superhero out of cardboard. Marvel Minimates are fairly popular among toy collectors, but even casual observers will think your costume is magnificent.
8. The loader from “Aliens”
Difficulty: Very Hard (also requires a baby)
Here’s another costume that will require quite a bit of boxes and some engineering and painting skills. Also, you’ll need to find a baby to pilot the thing once it’s finished. But if you can manage it, you may end up with the craziest costume in your neighborhood.
9. Cardboard Robocop
Difficulty: Insane
Is making a Marvel Minimate too pedestrian for you? Do you want to show off your insane cardboard cutting skills? Do you have $117 in Epson ink cartridges and a huge amount of free time? Then maybe you should try to recreate the Robocop suit like this fan did. Yes, the costume above is made entirely of cardboard. Check out Gizmodo’s write-up on it here.
Halloween is rapidly approaching and those of us who haven’t settled on a costume yet may be starting to stress out a bit in their quest to find something unique and original. Are you in need of a costume for yourself or your kids? Do you have lots of spare cardboard around? Then look no further, because we’ve got nine of the best cardboard-based halloween costumes you can make, in order of increasing difficulty.
1. Silly Pun
Difficulty: Minimal-to-moderate (depending on pun chosen)
Like last year’s “Ginger Bread Man” pictured above, there are many hilarious costumes that can be made from a handmade cardboard sign and minimal costume effort. Other puns worth exploring include “French Kiss,” “Whirled Peas,” “Face Book,” and “Fantasy Football.”
2. Naked Sim
Difficulty: Easy
Or, if you’ve never played “The Sims” before, you could just ditch the difficult-to-make emerald jewel and just go as a censored naked person. All it takes is two cardboard sheets and a little paint.
3. Lego Block
Difficulty: Medium
This one will take only a few hours with minimal supplies. Detailed instructions can be found here. If you would like to try making a harder Lego-themed costume, go for a Lego Minifigure.
4. iPod
Difficulty: Medium
Although the iPod Classic is quickly becoming as outdated as the walkman or creating your own mix-tape, it still makes a cheap and easy costume. Detailed instructions can be found here. My recommendation? Make the costume easier and more up-to-date by making it an iPhone 5S.
5. Severed head in a freezer
Difficulty: Moderate
Not only is this a fairly easy and creative costume, it also has great prank potential. Full instructions on how to create this costume can be found here. Remember, it’s the little details like the crayon drawing and the magnets that really make this costume work.
6. Spongebob Squarepants
Difficulty: Moderate
Can you believe that this show first premiered 14 years ago? This fun costume only requires one box and some paint skills. Simply paint Spongebob on the box and accessorize with socks and you’re good to go! Found on Pinterest.
7. Marvel Minimates
Difficulty: Hard
If you want a unique costume that will show off your artistic skills, try creating a Marvel superhero out of cardboard. Marvel Minimates are fairly popular among toy collectors, but even casual observers will think your costume is magnificent.
8. The loader from “Aliens”
Difficulty: Very Hard (also requires a baby)
Here’s another costume that will require quite a bit of boxes and some engineering and painting skills. Also, you’ll need to find a baby to pilot the thing once it’s finished. But if you can manage it, you may end up with the craziest costume in your neighborhood.
9. Cardboard Robocop
Difficulty: Insane
Is making a Marvel Minimate too pedestrian for you? Do you want to show off your insane cardboard cutting skills? Do you have $117 in Epson ink cartridges and a huge amount of free time? Then maybe you should try to recreate the Robocop suit like this fan did. Yes, the costume above is made entirely of cardboard. Check out Gizmodo’s write-up on it here.