How to Create a Little Red Riding Costume for Halloween
- 1). Look through the clothing of the child who will wear the costume. Search for existing items that can be easily incorporated into the costume. Look for a red, white, or red and white dress or skirt and blouse that can be used as the base of the costume. If one isn’t readily available, trying borrowing something from a friend who is the same size as the child or shop thrift or discount department stores for the needed pieces. Be sure to find white ruffled socks or plain white ones that can be embellished with a bit of white ruffled lace. Search for black Mary Jane shoes. If these are not available, figure out a way to work with what the child has on hand. If possible, add a white petticoat or tutu underneath the skirt to make the costume flair out more at the bottom.
- 2). Purchase a pre-made red cape or make one from red fabric such as felt, velvet or cotton. Pre-made red capes are easy to find around Halloween since they are used for devils and other costumes. They can also be found at times in thrift shops. It is also possible to purchase fairly inexpensive red fabric to make a cape, following a pattern that can be found from Simplicity, McCalls, Butterick, or some other pattern brand.
- 3). Sew or alter the red cape’s length to fit the child who will wear it. The bottom of the cape should fall even with the skirt or just slightly below it. In any case, it should not fall longer than mid-calf or it could make it difficult for the child to move about easily.
- 4). Adjust the cape’s hood so that it will remain on the child’s head. If necessary, sew small pleats around the hood to make it fit tighter to the face. Do not, however, make the hood difficult to remove. It should be snug but easy to abandon if need be.
- 5). Add a white apron to the dress or skirt and blouse combo for even more authentic detail. Sew some ruffled lace around the apron skirt that matches that used on the socks. For further detailing, embroider or iron on a pre-made letter "R", in red, on the apron pocket to represent “Red.”
- 6). Fill the purchased basket with faux “goodies” for Grandma. Tie or glue a small bouquet of silk or dried flowers onto the basket handle along with red ribbon. It the costume is being used just for Halloween, it is acceptable to simply allow the candy to represent Grandma’s goodies.
- 7). Add a red mask cut from the same fabric as the cape to complete the costume. Make sure that the mask doesn't block the child's vision in any way.
