DIY Maleficent Costume
This is one of those posts where I get so super excited about hitting the publish button. Even giddy!
At first, I was dragging my feet with a costume for our daughter this year because I just didn’t know what she could handle. If you have ever dealt with a kid with sensory issues who are especially struggling with clothing (HERE, HERE, and HERE to read about her) then you know that store-bought Halloween costumes are especially awful for them. The texture, the seams, the tags, and velcro.
DIY Maleficent Costume
This post may contain affiliate links from which I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. View my full disclosure policy.
Last year she wore the sugar skull costume and she wore a plain mumu-like dress. We also used a plain white dress for her sad clown costume and a plain black dress for her dark angel costume.
I managed to come up with an idea for this year where she can wear the same dress again but the look is completely different.
Thankfully she doesn’t mind wearing things on her head most of the time. And since last year she has loved being something a little scarier. She used to only want to be a princess or fairy and I’m so glad she loves playing along with different characters now.
Materials need for the maleficent costume:
- cape (HERE)
- dress (HERE)
- face paint HERE
- face paint brushes (HERE)
- black Duck Tape
- a stick to wrap with duct tape and a green ball for the top or you can just buy a finished wand (HERE)
So here is what we did. And sorry for the cellphone pictures but that’s how I roll when I’m DIYing 😉
Steps to make the DIY maleficent costume
- I used cut-up grocery bags to line her head, so the tape doesn’t stick to her hair. Be very careful! I taped the shape of her skull over the grocery bags.
- I took it off her head and cut out the front triangle piece/widow’s peak. (Later I taped a piece of alligator printed craft felt onto that peak for a little added detail.) I also cut around the edges to get rid of the overlapping grocery bags.
- Then I put another grocery bag on her head (always tell your kids to not do this on their own) and put the cap back on. This is to be able to tape more on the bottom back part of her head and over her ears.
- To ensure being able to easily take the piece off and on, I cut a slit in the back of it
- It’s time for horns! Use aluminum foil to shape the horns and taped them to her cap.
- Make sure that they are both bent the same way.
- I used two toilet paper rolls for the bottom of the horns but you don’t have to. It works just fine with only aluminum foil. I then kept taping around the horns until they were all covered and felt solid.
- And viola a finished costume.
I know, I know sorry you want to know how I made her stick, right? I used one of those Squishy Ball*
things that my kids had. It blinks. I cut it open, and removed the blinking gadget. I had some green thin upholstery foam that I used to wrap the blinking gadget and then I taped everything to a stick that I found in the woods. Now if she taps the stick on the ground it blinks 😉 She loves it.
The makeup was very easy to do too. And the cape is an adult-sized short vampire cape. You can, of course, add more detail to that as well but I think it looks fine just the way it is. Don’t you agree?
I only had to buy the felt and 2 rolls of tape. Not bad!
In the photos above she is wearing the same type of dress 😉
It’s unbelievable how much she likes to model though. She gets right into character and has an awesome time with me taking photos. I’m sure you can tell that she enjoyed herself!
RELATED: I recently used duct tape again to make the base shape for my scary burlap sack mask that I made. I love how it turned out. I wore a basic black outfit and cape just like this for the costume.
Before we started she sketched a picture for me. So cute 😉
I couldn’t find any crows. They were sold out everywhere!
Also if you are wondering, our son went for a store-bought headless horseman this year. I’m glad I got this out of the way and both kiddos are happy.
Also, check out some black and white costume ideas for adults and 4 easy sensory-friendly Halloween costumes.
Tschüß,
This is awesome!!
Thank you Theresa
Ok…this is just amazing my friend! The pics are flawless too!! Great job!xoxo
She is awesome! She looks so, so cute and I’m glad that you could figure out something she could wear comfortably. It’s an amazing costume, as well as the make up, and photos turned out great!
xo
Pat
Wow! Amazing job! And she looks thrilled about it! I stress about Halloween costumes every year; it’s such a relief to have them finally finished (especially when they turn out as fabulous as this one did!)
you are AMAZING!!!!! she looks awesome!
Wow! Love it! Also, she looks so beautiful-scary in a few of those… definitely frame-worthy!
This is so awesome!
This looks so good Julia, I love how into it she is! Such a pretty little girl!
Her modeling is absolutely perfect! My favorite is when she’s looking over her collar. Such a creative costume and execution… especially when preventing the duct tape from sticking to her hair! Off to go pin!
You are the absolute BEST with Halloween costumes! (And decor!) So happy that she loves it!
Whoa. This is crazy good! And she is seriously beautiful! Like child model beautiful!
This is amazing! It looks like your daughter is having lots of fun with it. What a fun idea!
WOW! I pinned first before reading at all because I knew the post was going to be awesome 🙂 I’m blown away at how amazing this costume is! And I’m so glad you guys were able to figure out something she could wear – it looks like she is having a blast!
This is amazing! Your daughter really knows how to work the Malificent look too – she’s adorable!
OMG you are winning as best costume mom EVER!!! I love it Julila. This is so perfect! I can’t wait to see this hit the intewebs everywhere. This is epic!!!
Amazing!! SO good!
Simply amazing! Good job mom! You daughter looks fabulous!
Thank you Sandra
Beautiful pictures Julia! It looks like she really loves it.
I love love her costume!! It’s so fun and creative!! DIY costumes are the best! I can’t wait to get started on Avery’s costume!
It´s incredible!!
the costume resulted fantastic
You´re a great artist and you daughter looks fantastic!
Congratulations
Thank you so much!
Wow…this is fantastic! Your daughter really takes to the camera! She looks terrific! 😉
Thanks, she loves taking pictures 😉
Julia! This is amazing! I’m so happy she’s happy and has something to wear. You’re such a great mom 🙂
This is incredible Julia! I can’t stop staring at it and the pictures are out of this world! She is a doll!
Julia, this costume is UNBELIEVABLY creative and awesome!!!!!!! Also your daughter is such a cutie, I love her smile, and I wonder if she enjoys this so much maybe she would like acting? She is such a natural!
This is incredible! Great job. And she’s such a little model! I love it.
This is so totally amazing! My daughter wants to be Maleficent for Halloween this year and I’ve been really trying to think how I was going to make those horns. Thanks for the inspiration!
Phone acting ridiculous… Every detail. And your daughter is do previous and beautiful. Her facial expressions are priceless! Great work, mama!
Thanks so so much Robyn.
This is so incredible! I was actually at the Disney store the other day and a lady asked if they had any Maleficent costumes. I hope she googles it and finds this tutorial!! I love how quickly your daughter gets into character! Amazing!
This costume ROCKS!! My son HATES Halloween, so I have to live vicariously through other peoples children:)
Holy cow!!!! AMAZING. Look at her work the camera!
this is really cool 🙂
happy Halloween!
Sabine
http://www.alrightlove.com
SO AWESOME!!!! She looks so cute and I love how she sketched out a plan for you 🙂
just perfect…she plays the part well doesn’t she? so beautiful…xo
I am not sure if you got my other message or if it deleted it when I logged in, sorry if this is double. We have a Maleficent too this year. We are just wondering what you used for the make-up? It looks great!
Thanks!
Sorry, no I didn’t get a message from you before. I used Snazaroo and there is a link to the paint up above. I love the paint. Hope that helps.
Thank You! I found some at a local craft store. Everything I had tried was too sheer & didn’t look right. I don’t know how I missed that link before, I thought I read through it 3 times. You might have saved our Halloween!
Hope it works for you as good as it works for me. There is a huge difference between that paint and the store bought face paint. So much better for sure.
So awesome!
Followed your instructions and my daughter’s Maleficent headpiece turned out perfect! Thanks for a cheap, easy custom fit headpiece!
Oh I’m so glad it turned out well and that you are telling me about it too. I don’t get many comments like that!!!
How did you attach the horns?
Thanks.
With duct tape which was the only tape used for the entire costume.
Thank you!!! Using this tutorial for my daughters Malifecint costume this year!!
Question- did her head get hot? We are utilizing this costume twice – once for Halloween, but before that we are also using it for a school Haloween ball. I’m nervous right her head will be hot because of the plastic bag.
Thanks!!
Hi Teresa that’s awesome that you are using my tutorial. Thanks! I just asked her if her head was hot and she said no. That said though we only used it for Halloween night outside and it was cold. So I’m not a big help in answering this question for you. I’m so sorry. Have a great Sunday.
Thank you! We did this one this year and it turned out great! My daughter said it was her favorite costume ever! We couldnt find a crow so we did the crow the same way as the horns-tinfoil and duct tape. It was fabulous. And her head DID get hot, but she let it cool a few minutes and was fine. Thanks so much!
I’m so glad it worked out for you and your daughter. And thanks so much for the update!
I just wanted to thank you for this post! I found it a few weeks ago when I was doing a search on how to make the costume without sewing (honestly, really thinking this would be the year and I would finally break and store buy). We got SO many compliments, and my daughter was just thrilled. I don’t think I can add a photo here, but trust that even though ours wasn’t quite as refined, your method was still a huge hit in my neighborhood, and everyone was impressed we did it ourselves. Happy Halloween!
Oh thanks so much! I’m glad it worked out for you. I love hearing that so much.