halloween costumes
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Easy DIY Candy Costumes for the Whole Family


Everyone knows that out of all the holidays of the year, Halloween is THE time for all things candy. From trick-or-treating to Halloween parties, whether you’ve got kids in tow or are enjoying a grownup version of this spooky-sweet holiday, there’s no end to the opportunities to indulge this October 31.

One way to amp up the sweetness? Candy-themed costumes! And if you love a good DIY project, even better. This Halloween, you don’t have to wait for the doorbell to ring to get your candy on. With these easy DIY candy costumes we’ve put together, you can wear the sweetness too.

So without further ado, check out these seven easy DIY candy costumes that work for any age.

1. Cotton Candy

DIY cotton candy costume
Image courtesy of Angela Chau XO

Most versions of a cotton candy costume require you to do nothing more than attach a bunch of cotton stuffing to a shirt or dress and call it a day. If that’s not easy, nothing is.

The tricky part is getting the color right. Since poly-fil (cotton-like stuffing) is generally white, you’ll need to spray paint it pink or blue to give it a cotton candy appearance. Check out this kid-friendly version of the costume to learn how to safely color and attach the poly-fil to pink or blue clothes.

For a final touch, create a long white cone-shaped hat or headband to act as the “stick” in a stick of cotton candy.

2. Nerds

Who doesn’t love a good wordplay costume? One popular way to make a Nerds candy costume is to first dress like a stereotypical “nerd,” complete with oversized glasses and suspenders. Feel free to get creative with your interpretation of this part!

Then, you’ll need to create a “box” of Nerds candy using cardboard or poster board. If you can print the Nerds logo, great, but you can also put your art skills to work and use spray paint or markers to recreate the box. In this adorable version of the costume, an actual oversized box is worn over clothes using shoulder straps.

homemade halloween costumes
Image courtesy of Hello Wonderful

3. Hershey’s Kiss

There are lots of ways to interpret this classic DIY candy costume, but no matter what, you’ll need to wrap yourself in some shimmery silver fabric OR straight-up aluminum foil.

Whether you craft a dress, shirt, or cone-shaped garment to go over your clothes, it’s really up to you, your skills, and your budget.

The one crucial element of the Hershey Kiss costume, though, is the foil hat. Some suggest attaching foil-covered cardboard to a headband. You can also cover a cone-shaped birthday hat in foil, or use fabric instead of aluminum foil.

Then, of course, attach a white ribbon with the word “KISSES” printed in blue to the point of the hat. There you have it – a costume that works for individuals, groups, adults, and kids alike!

4. Gumball Machine

This costume is easier than it seems, we promise. To get that signature look, all you need is red bottoms (a skirt or shorts work fine) and a TON of those little colored pom poms you can find at any craft store.

Attach the multi-colored pom poms (or “gumballs”) all over a plain tank top, including the straps. Completely cover it so you can’t see the shirt underneath – that way, it looks like the machine is “full.”

Then, just print out a price, like “25 cents,” attach it to the front of your skirt or shorts where the dispenser would go, and you’re done!

5. Bag of Jellybeans

We LOVE this creative yet super easy DIY candy costume for a Bag of Jellybeans because it works so well for adults or kids. You’ll be amazed how easy it is to transform yourself into a literal bag of “Jellybeans.”

First, grab a clear plastic trash bag and cut leg and armholes. You’ll wear the bag over your clothes, sort of like a leotard, with the opening of the bag tied around your neck.

Next, the labels: Print out nutritional information to attach to the bag of the bag, and the Jellybeans logo to attach to the front.

Finally, fill the bag with multi-colored balloons and tie the bag around your neck with ribbon. Then just make sure to avoid any sharp objects all night… Hopefully, your best friend isn’t planning to dress like Edward Scissorhands!

6. Skittles or M&Ms: Group Costume

You can make this concept work with either Skittles or M&Ms, since the idea basically boils down to wearing a solid-colored T-shirt, tank top, or dress with a single letter logo (either “S” or “M”) attached to the front.

If you want to go full DIY, hot glue the letters onto plain shirts yourself (though you may be able to find shirts with the letters already printed on). It doesn’t get much easier than that! You and your group can then plan to wear matching shoes, socks, shorts, skirts, and/or headbands to tie the group costume together.

DIY candy costumes
Image courtesy of Hello Wonderful

7. Skittles or M&Ms: Individual Costume

Don’t have enough people who want to dress up as candy with you? Once you’re done telling them it’s totally their loss, you can get right to work on this individual DIY candy costume concept.

First, grab a T-shirt in the color of your chosen candy package (red for Skittles, yellow for M&Ms).

Then, create individual “Skittles” or “M&Ms” by crafting several uniformly sized paper circles in solid colors. Add a white “S” or “M” to each, and hot glue them randomly all over your shirt. Voila! You’re a bag of Skittles/M&Ms. Still need to stock up on candy for your Halloween bash? Check out the yummy gourmet options available at Candy Club, and have a spooky-sweet time!