Whatever the occasion, it’s quite common for new parents to take hundreds of pictures of their babies, and some of the cutest portraits are done in costume. But, why should the kids get to have all the fun in costume? Why not design your own matching themed costumes to make parties more fun and portraits that much cuter? If you have an adorable bundle of joy and you want to get dressed up in a special duo costume with him or her, here are some fun ideas for Mom and baby costumes.
Cowgirl and Cow
Go rustic with a farm-themed outfit. You can have fun dressing up as a cowgirl while your baby will be absolutely adorable as a tiny black-and-white bovine. This costume is especially easy for Mom, since you can just pair some jeans with a checkered shirt and add on boots and a hat. If Dad wants in on the fun, the cowboy look is easy for him to adopt too. Matching bandanas isn’t going too far.
Pirate and Parrot
Crawl the plank, matey! With this costume idea, Mom or Dad gets to live out his or her dream of being captain of the ship while Junior can have an adorable parrot costume. With a colorful fitted hood that has a beak-like yellow brim, your baby will win hearts before you can say, “Want a cracker?”
For your own outfit, skip the eye patch and stubble, as this might frighten very young children, and focus on the more fun parts of the pirate’s costume: loose, belted blouses, capri pants and a cutlass.
Football Player and Football
Sports fans can show appreciation for their favorite teams and introduce their child to a lifetime of fandom with athletic-themed costumes. Mom can don a football jersey and leggings, while baby can come as the ball itself. This costume could be a super-easy onesie; alternatively, simply dress your little one in brown clothes, and decorate the bassinet or a car seat like a football instead.
Not a football fan? This idea will work for most sports, including soccer, basketball and tennis.
Firefighter and Dalmatian
Pay your respects to local emergency services with some public-safety themed costumes. Mom could dress like a firefighter who never goes anywhere without her loyal Dalmatian. Dog costumes for children are easy to find, and you can always decorate a white pre-made costume with your own black dots if you can’t find a specifically Dalmatian one.
If you think you’d look better as an officer of the law, dress your baby as badge or put him or her in a tiny judge’s robes, complete with a gavel-shaped rattle. You could make the rattle by putting dried beans into two sections of cardboard roll and covering it with brown construction paper.
All Dressed Up … Now Where Do We Go!?
Once you’ve got your costumes sorted out, you’ll need somewhere to wear them. This would be a great time to organize a party along the theme of your costumes, or to set up an appointment with photographer who specializes in children’s portraits.
If you choose to have a party, make sure that you clue in the other guests a few weeks in advance, so they have time to make their own costumes if they’d like to. Setting the date in the future also gives you time to make sure that the party decorations and snacks comply with your theme.
If you’re not sure about how to choose a photographer to help you get good portraits of you and your child in costume, ask for recommendations from your child’s daycare or from other parents in the playgroup. Ask to see past portraits the photographer has done. Someone with a good affinity for working with children will be able to capture just how much fun you’re having with your son or daughter.
Baby in Cow Costume Image Photo credit: KoKo Krispy / Foter.com CC BY
About the Author: Bobbi Jo Hemmerman owns a daycare. She loves any time that mothers and their kids can celebrate something together. When dress-up time rolls around, her clients enjoy browsing styles at http://www.totallycostumes.com/.
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cute! I love the idea of the pirate & parrot.