Help! Budget outfit for school project!

[ilovediznee]

MONEY is tight, tight, tight right now. EVERYTHING is within the next seven days and I don't know what to do about this. DD (9) is doing a project on Martha Washington and has to dress up as her next Thursday - just found out of course. I have no idea how to dress her or what to use that I might already have. I can't and won't spend money that needs to be used on other things to go buy her a bunch of stuff for this project.

Any ideas?:

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Do you have a lacy shirt that is long enough to be a dress for her? I think of lace and white hair when I think of Martha. Maybe baby powder in her hair tied into a bun? I would look through my closet and see if there were any shirt that could be belted as a dress for her..maybe buy a yard of lace and baste it to the sleeves? You can also hit the thrift shops, Goodwill stuff is usually under $3.

I need to go find a picture of old Martha.

found one:

You could use a shower cap for that bonnet thingie on her head.

 

[hffmnheidi]

Definitely check out Goodwill for the long lacy shirts...you could even get a long adults jumper(the kind that go to the ankles or shorter, depending on your daughter's height) and pair it with a long sleeved shirt and put her hair in a bun with bobby pins.

I did these projects when I was in grade school and money was tight for my parents and we didn't have Goodwill back then. Gee, dating myself here! And we had to use whatever we could find in the house for these projects. I would brace your daughter for the kids whose parents spent hundreds of dollars on their costumes compared to hers in case there's a little bit of upset. Kids are pretty sensitive about who has the better costume and whatnot at that age.

I would think teachers and schools would be more sensitive to money issues for these 'costumes' with the economy these days and eliminate these projects. There can be better ways to do these history projects without it costing money for already cash strapped families.

 

[MEM]

I usually enjoy these types of challenges! One day DD came home and said she needed a Molly Pitcher costume for the next day - I made a mob cap out of a piece of white sheet (I don't sew - I basted a circle on the piece of sheet and gathered it). I made an apron out of the same sheet and dressed her in a long black skirt and my black leather boots. I put a shawl on top over a basic blouse and she looked great! I even added some "burn holes" from the flying cannonballs and such.

For Martha, I would start just by googling MW costumes and see what you can collect from your own closet and Goodwill to assemble something appropriate. I noticed some of the costumes seem very basic - long dark skirt and dark tunic top with large bell-shaped lace cuffs sewn on. Martha didn't always wear fancy dresses. You could use some of the same lace to make a shawl collar (no sew)and anchor with a cameo pin or similar brooch. In my experience, the tighter my budget for these things, the more my creativity flows.

 

[miknsusn]

I agree with all the above ideas and wanted to add this. Ask your friends with kids-especially kids who were in this class last year-you would be amazed how much people have stuffed in their closets-they would probably happily give it to you.

 

[tommya60]

Hmm do you or someone you know have a boatneck t-shirt? Preferably long sleeves? I'd take that, then take a rectanle of fabric and gather the ends, pin in front with some kind of broach or a ribbon bow. Add a skirt/mob cap from a sheet, you are done. If you don't sew, hit Goodwill or some other donation shop (I've found better prices at a local thrift shop). If necessary, cut the skirt from a dress, cover the raw edge with a ribbon sash. I bought an adult XS gathered denim skirt once--it's been in a lot of school activities.

 

[jemgumby]

If your daughter has a basic black dress or skirt that should work. I would then put a shawl over top of that...I would put her hair in a bun too. The baby powder idea sounds great but don't know how messy that would be.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

If your daughter has a basic black dress or skirt that should work. I would then put a shawl over top of that...I would put her hair in a bun too. The baby powder idea sounds great but don't know how messy that would be.

That was my idea, and oh yes, I bet would be a mess! Especially when the other kids realize that when they tap OP's DD on the head and puffs of "smoke" come flying out! Might want to rethink that idea..