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What would Halloween be without a few skeletons coming out of the closet? This basic costume is popular every year for trick or treat. Many variations of skeleton suits are available commercially and some are complicated works of art. Other styles keep it simple with minimal attention to detail. Whether you opt for a full commercial costume or make your own skeleton at home there are many accessories and props available to you.

Skeleton Halloween costumes are a bit trickier to create, although they are not impossible. The easiest route is to purchase one. These are often a body suit or top and bottom that are black, with bones printed on the front and back. Sometimes, glow paint is added for an extra effect in the dark. Even if you do not plan to spent the night in the graveyard, this can still be fun at parties that often include darkened lighting for Halloween.

Sweat pants with matching shirt or with a long sleeved black t-shirt will serve as good base for your skeleton Halloween costume. You might also consider buying one of the joined cardboard skeletons meant to hang for decoration on this holiday and use it as a pattern for your bones.

You may choose to paint your face and use shadows for the skeletal impression or buy a mask to wear. From simple face masks to full head coverings that give you a realistic skull in appearance you can get as elaborate as you choose.

As the holiday nears each year, costume and variety stores sell a number of styles of skeleton accessories. From bracelets and earrings featuring skulls to dark gloves with finger bones glowing on them, finding props is easy for this costume. The type of design you choose will be dictated by the amount of time you can spare creating your clothing.

Skeleton accents can be added to other costumes as well. If you plan to go as a pirate, consider adding an undead skeleton parrot to your shoulder! Maybe the skeleton of a fish dangling from your belt loop. Zombies can tote around fake bones that look as though they have been picked clean.

Put a fake bone through your nose as a Zulu warrior or use bones purchased in costume shops to enhance your witch doctor costume. Be an aborigine with a necklace of finger bones or a cave man carrying a large bone as a club. Bones can also be useful for mummy costumes if they are peeking out of the worn wrappings. When you visit your local costume store take the time to look over their bone inventory as there may well be a prop there you can use no matter what character you’ve chosen for trick or treat.

Though not impossible, skeleton Halloween costumes may be a little trickier to make at home than those of other characters. Thanks to the retailers who offer a spectrum of versions from simple and cheap to realistic and reusable, creating your own skeleton is a matter of choice. To save time it’s often more fun to purchase or rent skeleton Halloween costumes and add accessories to personalize them. Personalize your skeleton Halloween costume, give it a gender with a pink ribbon and bow on the skull and have some fun with your bones. Edited by Hetsil Protage

Shake them bones in Halloween costumes as a skinny character in zombie Halloween costumes