I need ideas for the girls' dressing up box

[lucysmam]

Things I can run up quickly as opposed to the princess dresses I have been making.

The box has been out most of the day but a lot of it's been ignored so I think they could do with some new bits.

Any ideas?

a long wraparound skirt - skirt or a cape for superwoman
Pirate bandana, eye patch, raggedy trousers,waistcoat
Tutu
Well these are the curent favourites in our house anyway :)

We also have a sari length which has in turn been a sari, the wrappings for a mummy, a chrysalis for a butterfly and the skin of a snake.....

Actually, you only need really simple things like lengths of fabric etc- encourage them to use their own imagination rather than follow a theme...
How old are they?

They're 8 and 5yo.

They already have - raggedy trousers/eye patches/pirate princess dress/sherrif badge and gun/ space alien gun and a couple of them bobbly headband things that bounce around/tutu/hi viz vests/couple of handbags/few lengths of random fabric and probably more I have forgotten.

They've ignored everything except the princess/sherrif/alien bits today though.

Maybe I'll leave it out for a few days and then have another think.

Dd1 isn't the best at imaginative play, she needs some sort of prop to get going iyswim whereas dd2 is quite creative with her outfits (currently wearing a pirate ish outfit & waving a stick around as a wand )

I've just spied cape and waistcoat! They're good ideas, I have some random fabrics about I could turn into capes. Waistcoat...I'll scour charity shops in town, there's bound to be something.

How about turning a white shirt into a doctor's coat and team with a few bandages, stethoscope, Dr's bag?

Definitely a sari or long length of floaty bright fabric too.

Hats too!

Ours is filled with stuff from 50p and £1 rails in charity shops. As my children have got older they've taken to chopping things up and redesigning dresses.

jumble sales

Norbert, I like the Dr idea. We're off wandering tomorrow so will see if the charity shop up the road has a white shirt we could turn into a Dr's overcoat.

I wonder if they'd like to chop up some bits and re-style them themselves too. I have fabric paints/pens and various sparkly bits and bobs about too that we could use.

There's a sari shop on the way to the cinema (ish) that we could have a nip into for a look around (buying depends on price).

Thank you all for the ideas so far

there was a fab idea on pinterest for easy superhero tabards.

also if kids are into it can make v easy care bear costumes (again pinterest)

can u tell im addicted to pinterest?!?

Care Bears are a favourite here! I'll head to Pinterest to find those, thank you

aww, I'm liking the care bears costumes! Will find out which are favourites - dd1 may be less keen than 2 but we'll see in the morning.

Tabards. Like this or this

If you can bear the mess I made an easy space helmet for DD2 when she Buzz Armstrong don't ask for Brownies.

Blow up v. large balloon. Attach a cardboard collar made from cereal boxes.

Paper Mache balloon and cardboard . Allow to dry. Paint with white emulsion. Bottom edge of collar will go a little soggy/bend under a bit, so make deep enough to cut down later.

Pop balloon. Put DC head to mark out where hole for face should be. Cut circle. Use a clean tin foil pie dish to edge the rim of the face hole. Staple in place.

I had a silver coloured gift bag, which I cut into long strips and trimmed the neck edge of the helmet. Again stapled in place.

We made 3. It should have been 2 but a neighbours girl popped in just as DD2 and her follow Brownie astronaut got started. Be prepared for three days of mess and drying times.

Well, dd1 wasn't keen on the Care Bear idea but dd2 was She is deciding which one she would like.

Dd1 did suggest mermaid tails though so I'll find some cheap sparkly something to make those from

fortified, I almost daren't think about making space helmets

It'll keep us busy over the next half term though, and saves me trying to come up with cheap things to do, so thank you!

Hello Lucysmam - the thing that gets the most wear here is a cape, I used a pattern, Burda 9472, and bought a remnant of velvet, lined it in floral cotton and sewed beads/sequins on it. You could use an old curtain and leave it unlined. It is now three years old and still gets worn a lot (as in almost every day). I will try to find a photo later on, I made the largest size (14 from memory).

Other things that are worn the most - Tudor and Victorian costumes. The aprons/hats and the Tudor shift can be made from an old sheet.

Other than that - my old hats (wedding type hats). Simple elastic waisted skirts in shiny satin. Very simple cloaks - just big satin squares with one of those fancy cord type fasteners.

Photos of the thing most used in the Lavender house. I can see it going on for years although DD has gone off the letter or the flower or something I can't remember.

I am always in awe of your attention to detail on your costumes Lucysmam, I adopt a churn them out approach generally to costumes .

Actually two years old come to think of it, not three.

Aw, thanks lavender

I'm on my way to town so will load up mobile to have a look at pic later.

I did make capes for Book Day - will have to find them out to go in!

I will have a load of old sheets and bedding soon - am in the process of decorating the house and sorting from top to bottom - I'll have a look for victorian/tudor style patterns to use on ebay. Will be a bonus if I can find something cheap and uncut.

You don't need a pattern for tudor/victorian costumes Lucysmam.

I went to a workshop on 'proper' tudor costumes - we just drew around the person laying on the floor seriously. There are loads and loads of free ideas online. The hats are so easy - victorian a massive circle and a coif very similar but with a band at the front.

Really? I shall have a google in that case when I get home & get planning.