WITH just under a week to go until Halloween, Jess Evans hits the supermarkets to find the best kids’ outfits in time for fright night.
They are put to the test by Mabel Freebury, seven, from Kent, and her mum Martina, 50, along with Deniro Bhola, also seven, from Kent, and his dad Kerry, 34, from Ealing, West London. The creepy costumes then get a rating out of five.
Mabel wears Mrs Dracula, £15, which also comes in adult sizes.
She says: “I think this outfit is cool. But it’s quite itchy on the sleeves and the skirt gets in the way of me playing. I feel really scary in it, though.”
Martina says: “This outfit definitely has the wow factor and is my favourite for that reason, with its cool hoop skirt.
“It looks like an expensive costume, which I think is great.
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“It’s good value for the money, as there’s a lot included in the costume for the price.”
Deniro wears Swamp Zombie, £13.
He says: “I really like the mask that comes with this outfit. I look so cool.”
Kerry says: “This one also tops the ratings for me, as it gives such a great look for Halloween with little effort from the parents.
“The outfit is two-piece, but gives the illusion of an all-in-one and the mask tops it off and looks super-effective.
“It saves time for us parents and is also under £15.”
MRS DRACULA: 3/5
SWAMP ZOMBIE: 5/5
Mabel wears sequin bomber jacket, £26, and tulle tutu £18.
She says: “I love this outfit. I really like the colours and the sparkles so much.”
Mum Martina says: “I can reuse this costume for Mabel all year round.
“I’m imagining how good it would be for Christmas or a school disco.
“It’s pricier than I’d usually pay for an occasion like Halloween. But because of the wearability, I’d be happy to pay it.
“It’s so easy to dress up to make this more Halloweeny, like we have done here with cheap accessories and a bit of face paint.”
Deniro wears glow-in-the dark skeleton pyjamas, £12.
He says: “These are so cool, I can’t wait to see what they look like in the dark. I am going to wear them home. I love them so much.”
Dad Kerry says: “I also think these are super-wearable and not only perfect for Halloween.
“They look just as cool out as they would do at home. They are so soft and so moveable for him to play in.
“The glow-in-the dark feature is great and so exciting for him. He’s never seen anything like it.”
SEQUIN BOMBER JACKET: 4/5
SKELETON PYJAMAS: 5/5
Mabel wears Zombie Bride, £13.99.
She says: “I like the tree branches on the front of the costume and I love the pink flower.”
Martina says: “This is so cute and perfect for a little girl who doesn’t want to look too scary and still wants to be ‘princessy’.
“It has soft material that doesn’t feel itchy. I’m impressed with it being made from recycled polyester.
“I’d be more inclined to buy an outfit for Mabel if it’s sustainable.”
Deniro wears Werewolf, £13.99.
He says: “This outfit is soft but I am sad as my werewolf mask broke before I could wear it.”
Kerry says: “This outfit is comfy for Deniro to run around and play in. It isn’t restrictive, which is great for when he goes to parties.
“I also think the werewolf fur feature on the front is fab. The only flaw is that the mask broke before Deniro put it on, which shows perhaps the mask isn’t the best quality.”
ZOMBIE BRIDE: 5/5
WEREWOLF: 3/5
Mabel wears Spider Witch, £6.
She says: “I think this costume has the best colours.
“I love rainbow colours, so this makes me feel really magical, like a real witch. I wish the hat was colourful and not black though.”
Martina says: “This is a great colourful kids’ outfit with touches of Halloween mixed in.
“It’s refreshing to see Mabel in something for Halloween that isn’t typically red, green or black. I’m also loving the sparkles.”
Deniro wears Batman, £18.
He says: “Batman is my favourite character ever – so this costume is so cool.”
Kerry says: “This is a top-quality outfit. It feels and looks like one from a proper costume shop.
“Having said that, I would say this is a little pricey for a children’s costume and Deniro has mentioned the mask is a bit tight and uncomfortable.”
SPIDER WITCH: 4/5
BATMAN: 4/5
Mabel wears Halloween Ghost, £12.50, which was a winning entry in the 2022 Tesco Halloween costume design competition.
She says: “This dress is so sparkly, it’s my favourite one. I didn’t realise the outfit had wings at first but it makes me feel really ghost-like.”
Martina says: “This costume is perfect for Halloween. Naturally it’s my favourite as Mabel just loves it.
“I think the attached wings under the arms are a great feature. I haven’t seen anything like that on a children’s outfit before, so top marks.”
Deniro wears Dracula, £12.50.
He says: “I love the mask on this costume, it makes me feel super-scary.”
Kerry says: “This costume fits Deniro perfectly and is great quality for the price.
“The material isn’t flimsy at all and feels really sturdy and hard-wearing.”
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HALLOWEEN GHOST: 5/5
DRACULA: 5/5
