Project

Little Red Riding Hood Halloween Costume

Red Riding Hood has ne'er looked so chic. Her gown is a length of crimson jersey with a hole for her neck and a wide ribbon at the waist; the namesake hood is made from the same material. She couldn't run through the woods in these heels, but they look glamorous for a night out nevertheless. Even better, they're just inexpensive open-toed pumps coated with glitter.

Photography: Anna Williams

Source: Martha Stewart

Introduction

This forgiving piece fits a variety of sizes, but you can easily make it larger or smaller by changing the length of the fabric. It's open on the sides, so plan to wear a layer underneath it.

materials

Red jersey fabric, 60-inch width, 2 yards

Scissors

Basic sewing supplies

Tailor's chalk

Red Riding Hood costume templates

Wide red satin ribbon, 3 to 4 yards

Iron-on fabric interfacing and iron (optional)

Newspaper

Red pumps

Craft glue

Spoon

Red glitter

steps

For the dress, cut 15 inches of fabric off one end of jersey; reserve for hood. Cut remaining fabric in half lengthwise; stitch two 30-inch ends together. Fold the resulting long rectangle in half widthwise, then lengthwise; use chalk and dress template to mark neck hole, as shown; cut along lines. Cut satin ribbon to wrap around waist.
For the hood, trace templates onto reserved red fabric, and cut out 2 hood pieces. Sew pieces together, creating a hood with a center seam. To make a more structured hood (optional), add a strip of 6-inch-wide iron-on fabric interfacing along the front edge, and fold fabric over; iron to set. Fold hood edge at gather points (indicated on template), and stitch to secure. Finish by adhering 36-to-48-inch length of ribbon along the bottom edge of hood using craft glue, leaving long ends.
For the shoes, cover your work surface with newspaper. Paint pumps with craft glue, covering completely. Spoon glitter over glue, picking up paper and using it to return excess glitter to bowl as you go. Let dry before wearing.