Halloween can often sneak up, leaving you scrambling for costume ideas. While Christmas prep might be meticulously planned, Halloween sometimes feels like a last-minute dash for costumes, candy, and decorations. But fear not, this year can be different! Inspired by a desire to create a memorable costume for my daughter, I landed on the perfect theme: Elton John. And let me tell you, even if your own outfit is thrown together at the eleventh hour (because let’s face it, Halloween is really all about the kids), crafting an adorable Elton John Costume for your toddler is surprisingly achievable.
Toddler in a DIY Elton John costume featuring a blue jacket with feather and bead embellishments, flared pants, and star-shaped sunglasses
Creating Your Own Toddler Elton John Costume
Making this iconic Elton John costume for your toddler is easier than you might think. The key is a little pre-planning to gather your supplies. To simplify things, I opted to buy a base jacket and then customize it with a hot glue gun and a sewing machine for the rest of the outfit. However, if sewing isn’t your forte, you can definitely explore toddler dance costumes or 70s-inspired clothing as a foundation for the look.
Materials You’ll Need
To get started, gather these essential items:
- A jacket (preferably in a vibrant color like blue, pink, or white)
- Feathers (various colors for a flamboyant touch)
- Beads or sequins (for extra sparkle and detail)
- Fabric for pants and top (stretchy fabric is ideal for comfort and ease of movement)
- Elastic band (for the pants waistband)
- Star-shaped sunglasses
- Sequins or rhinestones for sunglasses embellishment
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- E6000 glue (stronger adhesive for sunglasses sequins)
- Sewing machine (optional, for pants and top)
- Fabric scissors
- Pins
- Flat-end eyebrow tweezers (for applying small sequins)
Crafting the Iconic Jacket
Close-up of a toddler Elton John costume jacket with feather and bead detailing
The jacket is the centerpiece of this Elton John costume. I purchased a jacket and then went to town embellishing it! Gluing on the feathers seemed like it might be complicated, but it turned out to be surprisingly simple. A hot glue gun made feather placement and adhesion quick and secure. For the beads, I created loops and swirls, securing them in place with hot glue. In retrospect, I wish I had bought even more beads to create even more layers of sparkle – but even with what I used, it was plenty of bling for my 19-month-old!
Creating the Flared Pants and Top
For the under outfit, I used a pair of my daughter Marina’s pants as a template. I traced around them on the fabric, adding extra width to both the inner and outer leg seams to create that classic flared 70s look. Honestly, I wish I had exaggerated the flare even more for extra silliness! I also added an extra inch at the waistband to fold over and insert a thin elastic band. The key to toddler costumes, I’ve learned, is speed and ease. The more complicated you make it, the more likely things are to go awry (toddler costume Murphy’s Law!). Keep it simple and quick!
For the top, I folded the remaining fabric in half, cut a neck hole and armholes along the fold, and then sewed up the sides. I eyeballed the shape – stretchy fabric is very forgiving and doesn’t require perfect precision. I made the top long enough to tuck into the pants, ensuring it stayed in place and allowed her to move freely all night.
Toddler wearing a handmade Elton John costume with flared pants and a sparkly jacket, dancing in excitement
Accessorizing with Star Sunglasses
No Elton John costume is complete without his signature, flamboyant sunglasses. When I found these star-shaped sunglasses online, I knew they were perfect! Basic craft store sequins took them to the next level of Elton-esque glamour. I used E6000 glue because it’s super strong, and a flat-end eyebrow tweezer makes applying tiny rhinestones and sequins much faster and easier.
In the end, this DIY Elton John costume was a huge hit! Marina received so many smiles and laughs. While the sunglasses didn’t stay on for the entire night, they were fantastic for photos. Marina adored the outfit so much that we had try-on sessions almost daily leading up to Halloween. Every time we put the jacket on her, she would break into excited dances around the living room. That’s a win-win in my book!
Toddler in full Elton John costume, including star sunglasses, posing outdoors
Toddler from the waist up wearing an Elton John Halloween costume, smiling brightly
