Turning everyday clothes into Mardi Gras costumes
This year, Mardi Gras takes place on February 17, 2026. As tradition dictates, many children will be dressing up. And unlike Halloween, when the emphasis is on scary costumes, there’s no specific theme for this carnival day.
So you can imagine princess costumes, superhero costumes, animal costumes…
Here are a few ideas for easily transforming the clothes kids have in their closets (and no longer wear) into original costumes!
Animal costumes
Animal costumes are a Mardi Gras classic. You can make a lion costume from scratch, using brown faux fur or beautiful hand-assembled bird feathers.
But it’s also possible to make life easier by simply adding a few touches reminiscent of the animal’s colors to an existing outfit.
To evoke the lion, you can choose an outfit in shades of brown. The idea is to choose a garment on which it will be easy to sew elements, like leggings and a hoodie.
On the bottom of the leggings and on the bottom of the sleeves, sew a strip of brown bouclette fabric. On the back of the pants, simply assemble a thin strip of bouclette fabric to make the tail (you can fold it in half, assemble it and turn it inside out for a cleaner result).
To make it more realistic, you can add white wool threads at the end.
To continue bringing this little lion to life, we assemble a mane (still using the bouclette fabric) and two ears on the hoodie’s hood. This principle can be used for many animals, simply by changing the fiber and outfit color.
For example, you could use zebra fabric to make a zebra, or brown and white faux fur to make a cute fox.
Superhero costumes
If your child wants to dress up as a superhero, you can buy a few pieces of satin fabric (sold at very low prices in fabric stores) in bright colors: yellow, blue, red.
Then simply use the appliqué technique on a neutral outfit, like black or blue leggings and a matching long-sleeved t-shirt.
Cut out the Superman S, for example, and apply it to a blue outfit. Sewing on a cape (in this case, in bright red) is also a quick and inexpensive way to add an interesting finish to an outfit.
Marmaï’s pattern also lets you sew a superhero costume to complement an everyday outfit. The idea is to sew cuffs, a mask and a cape. For these three elements, you can recycle an item of clothing that’s no longer in use: an old wool coat, a blanket, a fleece throw…
A princess dress
Sewing a princess dress from scratch is no mean feat. But it is possible to use an outfit with no particular sparkle as a base and add elements to make it magical.
Start by finding a fairly simple dress, preferably plain, in the children’s closets that is no longer worn. A skater shape will be ideal for this transformation.
The idea is to sew a skirt from tulle(a very economical fabric) and layer it over the existing dress. To do this, you’ll need a piece of tulle in the color of your choice: pink, blue, mauve… and an elastic band long enough to go around the waist of the child who will be wearing the costume.
To sew the skirt, go to Butinette’s free tutorial.
We then add the little details that make all the difference: satin or shiny ribbons at the neckline and bottom sleeves of the dress and, of course, a pointed hat.
For the latter, you can make it with thick felt to match the skirt. It’s a very simple project: just roll a square of fabric on itself until you get a cone. You can follow this free tutorial on how to achieve the desired result.
For a consistent look, you can attach a small piece of the same tulle used for the skirt and a few lengths of ribbon to the top of the hat.
And if you’re looking for more elaborate children’s costumes, I’ve got something for everyone on Coudre.Shop.
