Georgia's First Three Halloween Costumes

Halloween is our favorite holiday. We love a theme and we love an excuse to get dressed up!! As this Halloween quickly approaches we wanted to take a second and reflect on the Ghosts of Halloweens past! Georgia is three years old now and has a definite opinion! Since this holiday is really about the kids, we are accepting the fact that our influence on the Halloween costumes has come to an end. We might try to sneak in one last family costume for our building’s Halloween Party, so stay tuned!

Georgia’s 1^st Halloween: Our Georgia Peach

She was 9 months old, a master crawler, and beginning to figure out how to walk. Her interests were just developing so we went with a costume that highlighted her name. Our Georgia Peach! Yes, we more often call her “Georgia Pie” but my sewing skills were more apt for creating a peach.

I sewed the costume out of silky peach fabric. I love sewing. I grew up around my grandmother, a true seamstress. She made many, if not all, of the costumes for my brother and myself. She taught me the basics. Then in my twenties I took a week-long intensive class in the Garment District one summer. This was obviously pre-kids. Even with this education my sewing style is best described as “Winging It” and “Good Enough.” I would love to include a tutorial on how I made this costume but, honestly, I just winged it. I pictured a ball in my mind, thought of it like a beach ball, and sewed four segments together. I did an inner ball and an outer ball so I could stuff it with filling. I left room for her head and cut out arm holes. I used some elastic to make a hat and sewed on some felt leaves to complete the outfit.

Because we love a theme, I got some overalls, a floppy hat, and went as the proudest Peach Farmer in Brooklyn. My husband Chad, not as into a theme, kinda dressed as a tree at the last minute for some fun photos at our friends’ home.

Georgia’s 2^nd Halloween: Janitor Georgia

For her second Halloween we wanted to play up something she was truly into and at 1 year and 9 months – this kid was OBSESSED with keys! So, obviously, a janitor was the perfect costume for her. After looking online and at several stores for a one-piece janitor outfit – The Gap came to the rescue!! I must have looked like I won the lottery when I found it. I was so excited.

We then had a local embroidery lady sew a patch that said Georgia. I then hand stitched it onto the Gap jumpsuit. Chad sent an email to his co-workers to gather up some old keys we could use. We wanted to jazz them up, so we took a page from P.S. I Made This and used sparkly nail polish to make them truly special.

If you’ve been around an almost 2 year old you know that they are non-stop, so I gave myself a pass this year on getting into the fun. I guess you can say I went as a janitor wrangler cause I spend the whole day chasing her everywhere.

Georgia’s 3^rd Halloween: Lady Liberty

Year three – our almost three-year-old was really into the American Flag. She could literally spot them out everywhere…flying at schools, post offices, and in windows. I quickly learned we live in a neighborhood very proud of our country! Chad is from the South where our flag is more affectionately know as “Old Glory”!! So while strolling through Brooklyn, I’d see that little hand point and say “Hey Mom, there’s Old Glory!” We had to celebrate this in our Halloween costume! But how do you dress up as the American Flag?....so we went with the next best thing - The Statue of Liberty! As soon as I suggested it, Georgia was onboard.

I got a silky bluish-green fabric from our local store and did what I do best – winged it. I folded the fabric in half, held it up to Georgia, and cut it to the right width and length. I then cut a hole for the head and cut out a triangle (so it looked like a snow angel) for each arm. I then sewed the sides up so she now had the bottom of the dress and sleeves.

I next made two sashes and hand sewed them to the dress. For the crown I cut and hot-glued foam to form the shape. I then laid fabric over it, cut and sewed so that it was completely covered. For the tablet, I simply used one of our books that was a good size and sewed a quick cover. I used a sharpie to write on the fabric. For the torch I used a lightweight flashlight. I sewed a simple sleeve to slip it into – using a ribbon to keep it tight. I then scotch-taped some tissue paper to the top to make the flames!

That year I had the energy to join in on the costume theme. Conroy went as Uncle Sam. My mom had bought a stars and stripes outfit around the Fourth of July that fit perfectly. I used felt to sew him a top hat and even attached a white felt beard to it.

Conroy was only 2 months old so he was so young he just wore the hat. It was so cute! At the last minute I decided to go as Rosie the Riveter. I cut some red fabric to put in my hair as a bandana and wore a button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. I had this dream of getting Chad an Abraham Lincoln get-up, but with two kids (and a husband who isn’t super into dressing up) it just didn’t happen.

With an almost three-year-old who is in many activities, this costume was well worn: dance class, school party, neighborhood activities, play dates, friend parties, and trick-or-treating …by the end, Georgia had that pose mastered!

And that brings us to this year…I have something in mind that again plays off the interest of both kids and our family of four. It does include Chad dressing up, so you will have to wait and see.   Georgia also has a couple ideas of her own, so we might have two costumes!! Regardless – I better start sewing now!!