Creative novelty costumes for Halloween, school pageants or masquerade parties don’t have to be elaborate. You can make a simple pineapple costume from fabric, foam, or even cardboard if your sewing skills are lacking. Some fruit costumes can be achieved with simple accessories, while others require more time and money to create.
An easy way to make a pineapple costume is to sew a two-sided sack with a large hole at the bottom for the feet, and neck and arm holes. Yellow or orange felt is often used because it doesn’t need to be hemmed, and is stiff enough to hold its shape. A pineapple is wider at the bottom than the top, and a cardboard template may help keep sides even. Use fabric paint to draw fruit scales on the costume. You can find patterns for costumes online or at the library in holiday or sewing books, or make your own design.
Alternately, foam or cardboard can be used to make a pineapple costume by cutting, shaping, and decorating appropriately. Regardless of the material used, a child’s costume should allow easy movement and not be too difficult to put on or remove. Strings and straps are not recommended, as they can pose a strangulation hazard. A headpiece can be made from a cap with the bill cut off, or from a headband with foam leaves glued on, sticking up to mimic the fruit’s crown.
Accessories for your costume can include dark green or black tights, so the legs sticking out of the bottom will look like stems. A green or black matching long-sleeved shirt worn under the pineapple costume body can give your outfit a cohesive look. Colored ballet flats are a good choice for footwear, or simple shoe covers can be made to fit over sneakers. A green or black domino mask can act add to the disguise. Younger children should wear face paint instead of masks that can block their breathing or vision.
Adults who like to dress up for masquerade parties often spend a great deal of money and time on their outfits. For a more elaborate pineapple costume, you can make a wire frame in the shape of the fruit and cover it with fabric, foam or even papier maché. The latter might be a bit heavy, but you will be able to achieve a lifelike texture with the sculpting material and perhaps a bit of sparkly embellishment with sequins or beads. Ladies may opt to wear a tight yellow and green dress with a leafy headband for an easy pineapple costume as well.
