By Chloe Toscano
At a Halloween party, a man once pointed to my little arm and asked, “How did you make it look so real?”
Whether he was kidding, serious, or just plain dumb, I’m not sure. But one thing was certain: I was sitting on a Halloween goldmine of costume ideas that could incorporate my limb difference and make good use of this feature of mine that looks so real you’d think my arm was actually gone or something. (Cue the winking emoji.)
So if you, too, want to build your costume around your limb difference but lack inspiration, I’ve rounded up some of the best costume ideas for upper- and lower-extremity amputees.
I’ve taken the liberty of leaving out a few overdone classics, such as pirates and zombies. After all, amputees are a rarity, and we might as well make the most of what we’ve got (or perhaps what we don’t have) on the one night of the year when we may have a built-in advantage in the costume department.
Costumes for Upper- or Lower-Extremity Amputees
Dog Chew Toy
I did this for Halloween last year, and it was a huge hit. Lamb Chop is one of America’s most recognizable dog toys, so I got a sheep onesie, added some furry black eyes, and finished it off with red mittens and shoes.
To recreate it, cut off the sleeve or pant leg wherever your amputation is. I did this as a couples costume with my Chihuahua and pinned the torn sleeve to his collar to make it look like he’d ripped it off.
But if you don’t have a dog, you can use a stuffed animal, which is what I did when I wore the costume to Live with Kelly and Mark’s Halloween show since I couldn’t bring my dog to the taping.
Note: Don’t make the same mistake I did. Check what size stuffed animal you’re buying if you order it online. I purchased what I thought was a small plush and ended up lugging around a life-sized stuffed husky.
Gingerbread Person
This one is pretty straightforward and works well no matter what your limb difference is. If you’re savvy with homemade costumes, be my guest. But if you want to go the easy route, you can buy a gingerbread mascot costume or onesie online and cut off whichever “limbs” you want.
If you want to take it to the next level, carry a candy cane crutch for a little nod to the gingerbread man from Shrek.
You can also get creative and make this a group or couples costume, with a friend or partner holding and “eating” the removed cookie limbs. Or, you know, some real edible gingerbread, since that’s tastier.
Mr. or Ms. Potato Head
Turn yourself into the classic toy with a brown Mr. or Ms. Potato Head costume, oversized eyes, ears, nose, and whatever mix-and-match facial features you’d like.
This idea is especially good for prosthesis users because you can style your prosthesis as one of the interchangeable pieces. Attach an oversized toy-inspired hand or shoe to really sell the mix-and-match effect!
Costumes for Upper-Extremity Amputees
Imperator Furiosa
Imperator Furiosa is an icon and easily responsible for highlighting how badass it is to be an amputee.
Steampunk-ify your prosthesis with black straps and cabling. It doesn’t have to perfectly match the movie prop because if you have a prosthetic arm, you’re already ten steps ahead.
Make Furiosa’s shoulder pad out of aluminum foil. For the outfit, pair black pants with a beige top and lots of belts. Swipe some black makeup across your forehead, and you’re ready to take on Immortan Joe.
Note: Leave the flame-shooting electric guitar at home. Your Halloween party host will be grateful you did.
Venus de Milo
If you’re a bilateral upper-extremity amputee and you haven’t already done this costume, you might need to go with Venus de Milo this Halloween because it’s stunning and quite easy to achieve.
Just drape a white sheet around your waist and cover any visible skin with white or gray makeup.
If you’re feeling bold, you can forgo a top altogether and wear pasties (or not). Cover the pasties and your entire chest and stomach area with white makeup. If you want something a little more modest, a white or light gray tank top works, too.
Cactus
My dear fellow lucky finners, picture the iconic cactus silhouette: a tall figure with one little “arm” and a slightly longer one.
Are you now imagining yourself dressed as a cactus? Mission accomplished.
Cacti were basically put on this earth to inspire costumes for those of us with upper-extremity limb differences.
Dress entirely in green, with long sleeves (obligatory for the next step to work without an “ouch”). Attach pipe cleaners all over for the “spikes,” using hot glue only on fabric that’s off your body.
If you feel like going the extra mile, top it off with a little red floral bloom.
And if you’re looking for a Practical Magic-coded costume to honor the sequel, this is a great pick.
Costumes for Lower-Extremity Amputees
Candy Cane
Transform your entire silhouette into a candy cane!
This idea is particularly clever for transfemoral amputees who use crutches and don’t wear a prosthesis, or prosthesis users who are comfortable using crutches for the night.
Dress head to toe in red-and-white stripes, with a lightweight curved piece attached to a hat or headband to create the candy cane’s signature hook above your head.
Bratz Doll
This one’s for those of you who love all things Y2K and remember the iconic dolls whose shoes were changed by removing their feet altogether.
So if you’re a lower-extremity amputee, you’ve kind of got this one in the bag.
If you have multiple prosthetic feet or foot shells (even old ones you no longer wear), put some shoes on them and string them on a rope or strap so they’re easier to carry around.
Dress like your favorite Bratz doll and switch out your shoe-foot throughout the evening.
Talk about a party trick.
Flamingo
This is another great costume for a lower-extremity amputee who doesn’t use a prosthesis or is comfortable using crutches.
Just dress up as a flamingo, and the costume will immediately be witty since you’re already striking the classic one-legged flamingo pose.
Merperson
Bilateral lower-extremity amputees who use wheelchairs have a distinct advantage when it comes to putting together a convincing merperson costume.
Being seated means you can wear a mermaid-style tail instead of some weird makeshift dress or fake tail sewn onto your bottoms.
Note: Although you can fully commit to the tail, consider the practical matters, too. To make bathroom breaks easier, you may want to pass on a full silicone tail and opt for something with a little stretch or a zipper so you can pull it down more easily.
Happy Halloween!
