Last-Minute Dress-Up Day Heroes: Costumes You Can Create on a Budget

There are two types of parents in the world. The ones who remember dress-up day a week in advance and lovingly craft a masterpiece (or order it online). And the rest of us, who discover at 7.42 a.m. that today is Saxon Day, World Book Day or Comic Relief and must conjure a costume out of thin air, panic and the laundry pile.

The good news is that you can make brilliant costumes in minutes without spending a fortune. With a few clever hacks and a little (well, maybe a lot of) imagination, your child can head into school or nursery looking fantastic and feeling confident. Here are my tried-and-tested tricks that really work, even on the most chaotic mornings.

1. The Magic of the Plain White T-shirt

If you have a plain white T-shirt, you already have half a costume. Turn it into virtually anything by drawing on it with washable felt tips or the ever-brilliant Frixion pens. Frixion ink disappears under heat, which means you can iron or tumble dry it afterwards and the shirt looks good-as-new. Think striped pirate T-shirts, knight’s chain mail or writing words and definitions to create a walking dictionary.

2. The Adult-Clothes Transformation

Adult clothes are absolute gold for costumes. Turn a grown-up T-shirt inside out to hide the logos, add a simple string belt and suddenly you have a Saxon tunic. Oversized jumpers make excellent cloaks (tuck the sleeves in or use them to tie it on) and an old check shirt works for anything from a farm character to a Victorian child. Rolling up sleeves and adding a belt can turn something baggy into something surprisingly costume-like

3. One Sheet, Endless Possibilities

If you have a single bed sheet, you have an entire dressing-up box. With a bit of draping and several safety pins, a sheet becomes an instant toga for Egyptian, Greek or Roman days. Simply drape it over one shoulder and pop a belt around the waist. Fold it in half and tie it to make an angel dress. Bedsheets are forgiving, reusable and brilliant for creating dramatic silhouettes.

4. Belts, Legs and Little Details

A simple belt can save almost any costume. It adds structure, creates shape and instantly makes makeshift outfits look intentional. For book characters, a colourful scarf works wonders. And don’t forget legs. Plain leggings or tights lift any outfit out of “bodged” territory and into “I tried”.

5. Stick, Staple and Go

If sewing isn’t your thing, the Pritt Stick is your friend. It temporarily sticks fabric to fabric and washes straight out, perfect for adding trims or fake hems. If you need something stronger for a one-off outfit, a stapler works well. Just avoid using it on anything precious.

And remember the easy win characters. Where’s Wally (red and white stripes), Harry and His Bucketful of Dinosaurs, Matilda, The Smartest Giant in Town, superheroes, Disney favourites, sports stars repurposing their football kit or even dressing up as you, their hero. Pyjamas and onesies are also gold. We have an elf, Peter Rabbit and Maui from Moana in rotation.

6. Accessories Make the Magic

Headbands turn into crowns with cardboard and a staple. Alice bands become alien eyes or animal ears. A brown sock stuffed with newspaper makes an animal tail. Red noses, cardboard shields and paper masks take minutes but create huge impact. Toys can help too, as long as you don’t send anything precious. And please don’t send weapons. One Saxon Day I had to run a sword amnesty to prevent lunchtime battles.

Face paint transforms a look. Add scars, sparkles or warts. If you don’t have face paint, eyeliner and eyeshadow work surprisingly well.

7. And If You Do Forget...

Try not to panic. Most schools have a decent stash of costumes for nativity performances, and it’s amazing how many historical eras conveniently featured shepherds, kings and other versatile characters. I have definitely climbed into the cobwebby eaves more than once to rescue a child who forgot it was dress-up day.

With a few simple items and a bit of creativity, last-minute costumes can be fun, stress-free and wonderfully memorable.