8 DIY Zombie Costume Ideas for Every Age
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So many things go into dressing up like a zombie for Halloween — there's the scary Halloween masks, the unruly hair and most importantly, the costume makeup. But that doesn't mean making your own zombie costume has to be complicated.
Dressing up as a zombie is super easy and can be a lot of fun when you get creative with it, because with zombie costumes, there's no right or wrong. Below you'll find zombie-themed homemade costume ideas you can recreate at the very last minute for children and adults. Also included are famous zombie characters you can emulate from your favorite movies (like Disney's Zombies) and TV shows (like The Walking Dead).
DIY Simple Zombie Outfit
YouTuber Kate Nichole shows how she made a complete zombie outfit in under seven minutes. She breaks down her process, explaining how a craft knife and some food coloring can go a long way in creating a horrifying ensemble. Some comments also suggested using tea bags to stain your t-shirt, which is pretty smart (just know that the stains likely won't come out).
DIY Disney's Zombies Costume
The characters in the Disney hit movie Zombies are great sources to draw inspiration from when recreating zombie costumes for kids. Here, actor Milo Manhiem wears a faded gray vest, red trucker pants and green hair dye. He also has burgundy eyeshadow dusted on his eyelids. Check Disney's Youtube for the full tutorial.
DIY The Walking Dead Zombie Costume
For an epic trio group costume, two friends can be the zombies and one can be Michonne Hawthorne. For Michonne, make sure you have your sword, and for the zombies, pick up an inexpensive t-shirt and cut it up. Don't forget the makeup, of course!
DIY Zombie Costume for Kids
For kids, you want the costume and makeup light and not too scary. For girls, any clothing that's faded, dark or patterned will work. Bonus: You can make this a fun activity for you and your daughter to do together by tie-dyeing a white dress or shirt with blue or green dye.
For hair, tease it up and make it as unruly as you'd like.
Or they can wear pajamas they might already have in their closet. Use white or green face paint to cover their entire face, plus gray and red marks for a more zombie effect. Just make sure to not get paint too close to the eyes, face or mouth.
DIY Zombie Costume for Teens
Older kids can start experimenting with more intricate makeup and hair dye, if desired. Many temporary hair colors rinse out within just a few washes and won't cause as much damage as more permanent dyes. Some teens might forego the actual outfit, but if you still want the full look, tatter and stain a worn dress with food coloring or fabric dye. Fun accessory ideas include a faded rose hair clip, a rag doll and maybe some fake fangs.
DIY Zombie Costume for Couples
Dressing up as a zombie with your significant other can be fun too — a classic idea is portraying a zombie bride and groom.
Any dress and suit can be dressed up isntantly if you already have a face mask or makeup in play. You can also opt for zombie t-shirts that look realistically horrifying, or fabric dye clothing you no longer care about.
DIY Zombie Costume Makeup
If you're just starting with face paint and character makeup, you can purchase costume makeup kits that include the supplementary items and instructions you need to create basic costume makeup looks, complete with skin prosthetics, hair color and brushes.
You can also attempt painting your own face with bright colors, the way this creator did here. It does take some skill and a lot of patience, but the results will be so worth it.
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