Need some quick creative help for my son's halloween costume

So I was browsing the internet hoping for some inspiration for an easy cheap halloween costume for one of my kids and came across this awesome idea for a paratrooper costume



We've been able to get all the bits and pieces of the apparel from second hand stores and today I went out to assemble the "parachute". The mom in the above costume used 4 "1" shaped balloons and taped them together....so I was going to do the same thing. The problem was those "1" shaped balloons here are $14 each plus $2 to fill...making a total of $64 just for the balloons alone!! Way more than I was planning to spend, plus I need to fill them twice...once for school party and second for halloween night. The "cheap" part of the costume was just blown out of the water LOL.

My second idea standing in the balloon store was to buy a bunch of those long sausage shaped balloons (not the animal making ones clown use but the fatter longer ones) and tape those together. The man in the store informed you can not fill these with helium (?) And besides he had none there. So now i'm just stuck without any idea of how to proceed. I've considered a few different things like cut up pool noodles kept aloft with dowel or something...but that seems a little wonky and easy to break or fall apart.

I know everyone here is pretty creative and was hoping someone could offer me some suggestions? His school party is on Friday so I'm a little desperate at this point..and having already put in several $'s to get him the outfit I don't want to scrap it and start over. I guess as a last resort he can just go as a soldier but then the uniqueness and creativity is pretty much lost at that point...

Thanks guys

Michelle

Have him go as an economic debt slave. That's scary isn't it?

zombies are pretty easy and cheap to do.. some make up, old ripped clothes.. job done..

with the balloons its simple get regular cheap balloons and use paper to make a 1 shape with glue or tape and just put the balloons inside.

reply to post by Michelle129th


I was thinking of going as Alex Jones... holding a sign that says...


THE END IS NEAR
PLEASE DONATE NOW
MUST CREATE MORE INFO-WARRIORS

On second rapture thought... NOT!!!

Mr X-ULTRA/BOO... going as a Shadow Person... because the MIB thing is over played... not to mention... "I" don't have to worry about all the details in my costume... It just comes in a one piece Shadow color suit ...

My first idea,

Get two pieces of long and wide cloth and make the parachute out of that, sewing the two pieces together all the way around, cut a slit in the middle of the bottom piece and find two or three smaller balloons to put inside the chute, or perhaps just use one of those big balloons you already looked at put that in the middle of the chute. Then just tape or velcro the slit in the middle to hold the balloon/smaller balloons inside.

I don't know why you couldn't buy a bag of the long, tube type balloons similar to the ones they make balloon animals with. Any party store will sell a canister of helium for around $30 here in my area, check around where you are. Also, if you know anyone who works at a car dealership they likely have helium for balloons, they may let you fill some free of charge.

The reason the guy told you that you couldn't fill the balloons with helium is that regular balloons will leak the helium out slowly and will only be good for about 6 hours. Less if they are in direct sunlight.

You could always make a casing to be the parachute from cloth or trash bags or something and go to the dollar tree/dollar store and buy a few balloons and stick them in the casing so it floats. Even if it's just 1 flat oval balloon like this or a square one like this that you tape a 2nd string or balloon onto and have a very light but maybe dark cloth drape over so it arcs a bit. Or you could get a hula hoop and cut it in halves so he can hold up the "parachute" although his arms might get a little tired depending on how long he trick or treats.

Originally posted by Misterlondon
zombies are pretty easy and cheap to do.. some make up, old ripped clothes.. job done..

... Why not go as a part Man/part Lion... that uses a Orgone Blaster

for a weapon

Originally posted by PunchingBag80
Have him go as an economic debt slave. That's scary isn't it?

edit on 23-10-2011 by PunchingBag80 because: (no reason given)

... Maybe one up me too... And instead of the whole uniform... Just get a BIG HAND

costume with just a TSA badge(fake of course) on it... i was thinking of that old cartoon that said; I'm just a bill... and sat on Capital Hill... when I wrote this

reply to post by Michelle129th


You can still use the long fat balloons with Helium, just have them injected with a squirt of Silicon jell/liquid(?). That will seal the balloons so they hold the Helium longer. I do it to all the balloons I get, unless they are Mylar (they don't need it). I go to Diddims, I'm sure other balloon places will do it too.

Anyway, that is a cool idea for a costume. When I was a kid, my mother got an old cargo-drop parachute (at some surplus store) to use.

Another idea, is to use paper-mache. You can start with cereal boxes. Open them up, them cut & tape into a rough frame of the creature head or whatever. Then paper-mache over it to get he final shape. Dry, then paint. You can add action, by hinging pieces together. Then add a string running from your arm/wrist, Then when you move your arm the action occurs. Won lots of costume contests as a kid with my brother too. He had a bird head (Raven) with a beak that moved when he flapped his arms. Moving mouths are the easiest to do.

Have fun and good luck.

1. Freaking AWESOME idea for a Halloween costume

2. to get that balloon look for less, let's see...

You could pick up several of those cheap regular balloons and tape tin foil around them, it would cost less and give you the same effect.

Check a different party store...$14 for each balloon is pretty damn pricey... I'm sure a store would have some cheaper options...but yeah, helium balloons aren't exactly cheap, but they shouldn't be $14 a pop either. There are latex balloons rated for helium also, and most larger party stores should have these.

Seems like a very impractical costume though (ceiling fans, doors, etc.).

Go as a zombie soldier instead...same outfit, minus the chute, and zombified.

Simple. DON'T.

Do the zombie soldier thing and ditch the balloons. They are a fabulous idea but not very practical to cart about for two outings.