Google Trends just named Dolly Parton the top kids’costume of 2026, but a New York Post survey of New York City kids found pretty much the opposite on the sidewalk: barely a tiny country star in sight. What reporters found instead was homemade chaos in the best way. A 5-year-old in Brooklyn named Oia built a space alien from pink sunglasses, ping-pong balls, and a gray wig. Two brothers sewed dragon wings onto their hoodies to become characters from the“Wings of Fire”books. A Tribeca family dressed as a full coordinated pack of dinosaurs, and an Astoria couple turned moving boxes into a Catbus from“My Neighbor Totoro”for their 2-year-old.
The kids were pretty clear about why they went DIY. Homemade costumes are more fun, more personal, and honestly warmer than the store-bought stuff. One kid said when they wear it, they feel like a star that’s bright, which is a better review than any costume commercial has ever written. Families are clearly treating Halloween as a project, not a purchase, and the results are way more memorable than anything on a trend report.
So the real costume trend of 2026 might not be a name you can Google at all. It’s whatever your kid can dream up with a hot glue gun and a box of craft supplies. What was the best homemade costume you ever wore as a kid, and what was it made of? Tell us in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.