Santa’s helpers are already little, so it’s logical that there are child elf costumes available for kiddies. However, you may need some help securing or creating the right one for your son or daughter. Here are some tips to help you make your child’s next Christmas outfit special:

1. Consider buying one for convenience
Even if you’re in a creative spirit, sometimes there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day. In that situation, one of the best options is to buy child elf costumes. Such ensembles typically include a hat, tights or pants, and an oversized shirt or fancy dress. To add a finishing touch, you can sometimes even find outfits with matching pointy elf ears!

As you might guess, the first place to look for elf outfits is a costume shop. They sell a wide variety of costumes and they do it year-round, so there’s an excellent chance that they’ll have an elf getup.

2. Save money by renting
If you’re on a shoestring budget or are worried that your child would quickly grow out of an elfin costume, then another option is to rent an outfit from a costume rental store. As with the costume shops, you’re likely to find elf outfits at such rental establishments.

However, keep in mind that if your child can wear a costume on several occasions throughout the year, then it may be economical to buy rather than rent.

3. Make your own child elf costumes
If you’re in the spirit of creativity, then this is your best option. However, keep in mind that making your own costume doesn’t have to be extremely time-consuming. For instance, instead of making your own hat, you could simply buy a Santa hat for your tot.

A bright green or red sweatsuit is an excellent option if you want to avoid doing a lot of cutting and sewing. Just make sure that the top is oversized. Another option would be an oversized shirt and either pants or tights. Again, make sure that the colors are red or bright green.

For shoes, you can find a pattern to create a pair made of felt. However, remember to exclude soles for the shoes if your child will be wearing the outfit outdoors. Felt isn’t very durable on various outdoor surfaces.

4.  Accessorize, accessorize (and embellish)
Whether you buy elf costumes or create your own, add some basic accessories and embellishments to the outfit. Needless to say, embellishments should be avoided when renting an outfit. Add a pom-pom or jingle bell at the tip of elf shoes. Speaking of bells, add one to the end of the elf hat.

Include some bric-a-brac to the base hem of shirts, to create an attractive effect. When adding accessories and embellishments, make sure to be creative. This will make the outfit for your kiddie unique.

When creating child elf costumes these tips will help to make extra special outfits for your extra special child. Remember that you don’t have to spend a fortune to make the outfit look like you did!

Just as we never outgrow Christmas, so we never outgrow wearing adult Elf costumes. Whether you’re planning to wear one at a Halloween party, Xmas party, or on the morning of December 25th, this can be one of most fun costumes you can wear. Here are some crucial components for any costume inspired by Santa’s helpers:

1. Elf hat
This is a key part of adult Elf costumes yet can be easier to make then you might expect. You’ll need to cut out six felt triangles (with sides of equal lengths) that are eight inches tall and with a base that’s four inches wide. Connect all the triangles by sewing them together into a single cone. Then sew a pom-pom at the top of the cone. Voila! You have an elf hat!

2. Elf shirts
You’ll need an oversized t-shirt and turtleneck. One of the shirts should be green, and the other one should be red. It doesn’t matter which one is which. You can buy these shirts cheaply at your friendly neighborhood department store. And if you’re on a shoestring budget then you could also secure the shirts at a thrift store.

You’ll need the oversized t-shirt to create a vest. Make sure to cut a zigzag pattern around each sleeve of the shirt. This will help to make your costume more elfish.

3. Elf tights
Whether you’re creating an outfit for adult or child, no elf costume is complete without this crucial component. Elf costumes are simply less “elfish” without them. The color of the tights should be red or bright green. While men may feel uneasy about wearing tights, remember that you want the getup to be as realistic as possible.

The holiday only happens once a year so put on those tights and get into the spirit of the season! You can easily find these tights at online and offline costume shops. Finally, you can buy them as part of adult Elf costumes or as individual items.

4. Elf shoes
Trace your feet’s soles on a sheet of paper. Then create a point at the foot’s toe by lengthening it. The paper will serve as a pattern for the elf shoe. If you’re planning to wear the shoe indoors, then felt is an excellent material to use. However, if you’ll be wearing the shoes outdoors, then make a shoe without sole, so this part of adult Elf costumes won’t become damaged whenever you step outside.

5. Elf embellishments
No elf ensemble would be complete without them. Whether it’s ribbon around the belt, bric-a-brac along the vest’s front, or a bell at the end of each elf shoe–it’s important to include some embellishments to make your outfit more elfish. Get ideas from costume magazines and websites about which embellishments go where. Ultimately, it will help to create the impression that you just arrived from the North Pole!

When creating adult Elf costumes, these are some of the most crucial elements that you should include in the ensemble. Just as we never outgrow Christmas we can always find ways to make our elf costumes more magical!

If you’re looking for a somewhat unique type of costume for a Halloween party, Christmas party, or other function, then consider Peter Pan costumes. Based on the character that novelist J.M. Barrie created, Peter Pan is the naughty flying boy who never grows up.

Since Peter Pan first appeared in print in 1902, the character has inspired plays, movies, and yes—outfits. If you’re considering a Peter Pan costume, then here are some tips to secure a magical one:

1. Consider the versatility of the costume
One of the major benefits of Peter Pan costumes is that there’s one for virtually everyone. There are outfits for toddlers, older children, and adults. You can even find “sexy” Peter Pan outfits that include a provocative fancy dress and matching hat.

Besides the wide array of designs available, you can also find Peter Pan outfits in online and offline costume supply shops. It’s somewhat difficult to try on costumes via the Internet, so that’s certainly one of the perks of shopping at brick-and-mortar stores. However, if you have a limited amount of time, then shopping for a costume online is a more practical option. You can easily sift through the various costumes available, to find a particular design and price tag.

3. Choosing a quality costume won’t involve magic
Whether you buy or create your Peter Pan ensemble, it’s important that the finished product has some important key features. Of course, the overall construction of the outfit should be solid. It won’t have to last a lifetime, but you probably also don’t want it to disintegrate after wearing it once.

Also, the size of Peter Pan costumes matters. Make sure that the hat fits better on your head than on your check. Also, the shirt, pants (or tights) and shoes should also fit well. Wearing a costume that fits well is as important as wearing one that looks good.

3. Create a quality hat
No Peter Pan outfit is complete without a hat. If you’re short on time and aren’t in the mood to be creative, then you can simply buy a Peter Pan hat at the majority of online and offline costume supply shops.

However, if you’re in a creative mood or you’re on a budget—then consider making your own Peter Pan hat. First, take a measurement of your head’s circumference. Then use some green felt to outline a triangle whose base has a length that’s equal to your head’s circumference.

Meanwhile, hat’s height should be roughly half of the base’s length.
Next, cut out the triangle’s outline and fold it so its length is halved. When creating this component of Peter Pan costumes you must then glue together the side edges. Leave a small hole at the top of the hat, so you can glue small (red) feather there.

Finally, secure a costume that you can put on and remove easily.
If you’re considering Peter Pan costumes for a particular function, these tips will help you to pick one that will look magical to anyone who sees it.