A DIY cupcake costume could be more beautiful and eye-catching than even the best Halloween sweets. You don't even need to take out a needle and thread; this type of disguise can be entirely made with glue and staples. You could make one for your kids for when they go trick-or-treating, or for you to wear to a costume party. So here's how to create this cute sweet costume at home.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Part 1: Building the Cupcake Base
Step 1. Cut the bottom of a laundry basket
Use a utility knife and a large enough round plastic basket.
- If the basket is too tight for the wearer to fit, you will need to cut a straight line down the back. The basket will retain its original shape, but you will be able to spread it out enough that you can slide it in if needed.
- If you can't get hold of a laundry basket, you might as well use a large plastic toy bucket.
Step 2. Attach the straps to the basket
Attach two white straps to the top of the basket and adjust them so that they go over the shoulders of the wearer.
- You can also tie two ropes or thick webbing to the basket instead of the actual straps.
- If you are using a toy bucket that has a harder consistency, use hot glue to secure the braces in place.
Step 3. Accordion fold a large piece of construction paper
Each fold should be about 5-7.5cm wide.
- Measure the height and circumference of the basket before proceeding. The cardboard you use should be at least as high as the basket and three times longer than its circumference. If you are using standard cardstock, you may need to use 5 or 6 sheets.
- Pin the cards together as you fold them. Try to hide the paper clips inside the folds as much as possible.
- You can also use thick wrapping paper instead of cardstock.
- Make an accordion fold by grabbing the first section of the cardboard and folding this over the remaining cardboard. This creates another section that is of equal width, but folding the edge in the opposite direction, so that the end of the card is still visible. Continue like this until you have folded the entire card into an accordion.
Step 4. Cover the basket with freshly folded cardboard
Use a hot glue gun to make it stick and to fix it. Draw a line of glue inside each fold and apply light pressure on the basket to secure everything.
Instead of using glue, you could also attach the card by making small holes about 5cm away from the top and bottom of the card. Try to punch it on the inside folds to hide the holes. Tie pipe cleaners or wire into these holes and around the basket
Method 2 of 3: Part 2: Making the Icing
Step 1. Cut out the legs of two pairs of tights
Use adult size tights.
- The color depends on the type of "frosting" you want to apply to your cupcake costume. Use white stockings for the vanilla flavor, brown tights for the chocolate and pink tights for the strawberry.
- Cut the legs in a straight line, not angled.
- For taller children and adults it may be necessary to use three pairs of tights.
Step 2. Stuff the tights
Insert polyfill filling into each cutout leg. Finally knot the open ends.
Fill the tights so they are full, but not so heavy that they become stiff and non-malleable
Step 3. Glue the legs together
Use a hot glue gun to join the sealed ends of the padded tights together, placing them facing each other.
- You should end up with a sort of long, snake-shaped tube made up of the padded tights.
- Let the glue dry.
Step 4. Add the "icing" to the basket
Spread a line of hot glue about 5-10cm from the top edge of the basket. Secure one end of the padded tights here. Wrap the rest of the tube formed by the tights around the entire circumference of the basket, trying to create the shape of several layers of icing.
- Apply the glue as you go. For every 10cm or so of your "icing", apply a generous amount of hot glue. Apply finger pressure to firmly secure the section before continuing.
- Create a kind of spiral with the tights. When it comes to overlapping the tights, apply hot glue directly to the top of the bottom layer.
- Try to shape each layer of frosting slowly, giving the costume the look of a real cupcake. The top layer must adhere to the wearer's body, while still allowing the costume to be removed easily.
Method 3 of 3: Part 3 Retouching
Step 1. Add sprinkles
Cut out small rectangles out of felt or cut into pipe cleaners or plastic straws.
- To obtain colored sprinkles, use multicolored materials or, to obtain the effect of chocolate grains, use brown-colored materials.
- Fix the sprinkles obtained with hot glue.
- Place the sprinkles scattered across the surface of the icing and not all in the same direction, otherwise your costume won't look like a real cupcake.
Step 2. Complete your outfit with a "cherry"
Wear a red hat and use hot glue to attach a red pipe cleaner to the top as a tip.
Slightly bend the pipe cleaner, so that it looks just like the stem of a cherry
Step 3. Put on some clothes to complete your cupcake costume
Opt for tights and a sweatshirt.
- The tights and sweatshirt must match the color of the icing. If you have chosen to make white icing, then your clothes will be white; if you made some chocolate icing, wear brown clothing.
- Alternatively, you can wear nude tights instead of colored tights. Wear sports shorts over your tights, making sure they don't protrude from the bottom edge of your swimsuit.
- Instead of a sweatshirt you can also use a top or a tank top.
Step 4. Avoid shoes that are too showy
Wear shoes of the same color as the tights if possible.
- Wear plain sandals or ballet flats. Avoid overly decorated shoes.
- If you can't match shoes with tights, just use shoes that are as simple as possible.
