As far as holidays go, Halloween will always hold an extra special place in my heart.
That’s because growing up, Halloween was about much more than trick-or-treating and piles of candy. It was about family. Togetherness. Creativity. Self expression.
The minute the leaves started to turn, my siblings and I would begin brainstorming what elaborate costume we wanted to attempt
that year. And no matter how crazy our requests, our parents were always ready and willing to tackle them (I asked to be a tooth with a cavity one year, and they delivered… I kid you not). No ask was too big. We’d all spend hours together mapping out what we’d need to achieve our vision. We’d hit the craft store together then set to work sewing, paper macheting, painting… whatever it took to make our costume dreams a reality. On the days leading up to Halloween, we’d rush off the school bus and hurry home to put the finishing touches on our creations. And by the time the big day rolled around, amid a sea of funky smelling masks and scratchy pre-made princess gowns, there we were… proud to show off our one-of-a-kind masterpieces.
When I think back to those days, I can’t help but smile. They are full of memories I will cherish forever.
So of course now that I have a son of my own, I want to keep the tradition alive. I want him to have the same meaningful experiences I did. I want to sit beside him as he mulls over what he wants to be each Halloween and do whatever I can to help him bring his vision to life.
And although those days are a little ways off for us (Ben is just two months old), I am lucky that Brenda also sees the value in these moments. So, we let her almost-two-year-old, Joelle, choose what she and Ben would dress up as this year. After much deliberation, she settled on the Disney characters Cruella de Vil and a Dalmatian from the classic movie 101 Dalmatians.
After mapping out what we’d need to get started, we immediately jumped online to visit the website of our favorite kids’ clothing company, Primary.
If you aren’t familiar with Primary, you need to check it out. The New York based company was founded by two moms (and former 
Diapers.com/Quidsi execs), who pride themselves on offering stylish, colorful clothing for babies and children that go with everything, are affordable and perhaps most importantly for me, are easy to get on and off. (Many of their infant onesies even have snaps at the neck/shoulder area which might sound silly to mention but at 2 a.m., anything that makes a diaper change easier is a lifesaver.)
And, since Primary provides high quality, affordable basics – you won’t find any flashy sequins, logos, slogans, frills or patterns – their classic clothes aren’t just great for everyday adventures, they also lend themselves quite well to DIY Halloween costumes.
That’s right: Customers have long turned to Primary to provide the foundation for adorable Halloween costumes. From superheroes to animals, kids and parents have worked side by side to create original costumes proving that packaged princess garb and rubber masks aren’t the only options out there.
And the best part is, once your littles are done trick-or-treating, they can actually wear the pieces again.
Here’s how we created our kids’ Halloween costumes, thanks in large part, to Primary.
The Dalmatian
You’ll Need:
1 white hat or bonnet
Black felt for the spots (we purchased the kind that comes with a sticky back to save time. You can find this on Amazon).
Red felt for the collar (again, get the sticky-back kind… it’s so much easier).
White felt for the spots on ears
1 pair of black toddler socks for the ears
1 or 2 pairs of white socks for the paws
To Make It:
1. Cut a variety of spots out of the black felt and attach them to the onesie and bonnet.
2. Cut a collar out of the red felt and attach to the neckline of the onesie.
3. Stuff the black socks with tissues to add some volume. Then, using safety pins or a sewing needle, affix the black socks to the bonnet where the ears should be.
4. Optional: Draw paw lines on the white socks, which will serve as feet.
Cruella de Vil
You’ll Need:
Primary’s cardi sweater in white
Black shoes
White and black temporary hair dye (we used spray)
White face paint
Black eyebrow pencil
Red lipstick
To Make It:
1. Cut spots out of black felt and attach to cardigan.
2. When it’s time for your little to get dressed, dress her first, put a robe over the costume, then apply face paint and hair dye.
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