My little girl absolutely loves the Pippi Longstocking books, so when it came time this year to come up with her Halloween costume, she didn’t hesitate to choose that beloved character. Today, I’m sharing all about how we put together this DIY Pippi Longstocking costume for less than $10 and with just a few minutes of time. Complete with a face dusted with freckles, bright, funky socks, and (best of all) those famous peppy pigtails we all know and love, this Pippi costume is perfect for kids (and adults) of all ages!
This post is brought to you by Michaels in conjunction with the Michaels Makers. All opinions are entirely my own.
What I love about this costume idea is how much of the components we already had on hand. I started by finding my daughter’s denim skirt and a striped t-shirt (hers happens to be navy and white, but any color will do). I also rounded up two hair bands and my brown eyeliner. Oh, and my hot glue gun. Of course. 🙂
I then went to Michaels and picked up the rest of my supplies:
- 1 package of glittered 5/8″ elastic
- 1 package of metal badge clips (found in the jewelry findings aisle)
- 2 spools of brightly colored ribbon
- 1 pair of striped socks
- 1 package chenille pipe cleaners (I chose a color as close to my daughter’s hair color as possible)
From there, this costume was seriously as easy as can be!
I started by making some spunky suspenders. I folded the section of elastic in half and used scissors to cut it into pieces. I threaded the ends of the elastic through the top portion of the metal badge clips, and then added a dab of hot glue on the end of the elastic piece and folded it over the metal portion of the clip to secure.
Voila!–a pair of sparkly suspenders!
Next, it was time to master the art of those quintessential Pippi pigtails. I started by parting the hair down the middle as I would for typical pigtails. I then created two sets of four pipe cleaners twisted together, folding the ends over into a loop to get rid of any jagged ends. These were the “framework” to hold the braids up.
Helpful Hints: My daughter has long, thick hair, so four pipe cleaners were necessary to get the desired lift in the finished hair-do. If your child has less hair, 2-3 pipe cleaners twisted together might do the trick. Also, the pipe cleaner sections should be roughly the same length as the finished braids will be, so for shorter hair, you will likely need to trim the sections down by a few inches before proceeding to the next step.
I separated each parted section into three sections, as I would for a typical braid. I placed one of the twisted pipe cleaner sections on top of the center section…
…and then started braiding as normal, incorporating the pipe cleaner piece into the braid along with the hair.
When I reached the end of the braid, I secured it with an elastic band and gently curved the braid upward to make that pigtail stick out in true Pippi fashion!
I repeated with the other section of hair to create another braid in the same way. With both braids finished, I tied a kicky ribbon bow at the end of each braid. The end result? A perfect Pippi ‘do! After that, all that was left was to add a dusting of “freckles” on my daughter’s nose and cheeks with my eye liner.
In no time at all, Pippi Longstocking herself stood before me!
My daughter adores her Pippi Longstocking costume, and I have to say that I do, too!
I am writing this post as a part of the DIY Halloween costume challenge with the Michaels Makers. If you’re on the lookout for even more costume inspiration, be sure to check out all of the fabulous ideas below!
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Having grown up in a home brimming with sewing notions and paintbrushes, Amy has a deep love for all things creative. On any given day, you’ll find her knee-deep in her latest creative endeavor, with projects ranging from sewing and crafts to home decor and kid-friendly ideas. Amy believes that everyone, regardless of skill level or experience, possesses the ability to create something beautiful, and Positively Splendid was born of her passion for helping others harness their innate creative potential.