A food-themed Halloween costume is always a crowd-pleaser, and this DIY rock candy outfit is no exception. With a simple base dress and clear plastic gift boxes, you can transform a plain outfit into an oversized, eye-catching candy-inspired costume.
Rock candy is instantly recognizable, and the oversized lollipop hat completes the look. Picture yourself handing out treats while wearing it — it’s playful, nostalgic, and guaranteed to get smiles.
Supplies Needed
- Thick cardboard tube (like a heavy wrapping paper or foil roll)
- Scrap cardboard
- Smooth foam sphere
- Tan or brown craft paint
- Paint brush
- About 20 of the 2″ clear gift boxes
- About 40 of the 3″ clear gift boxes
- Iridescent mylar or tissue
- Thick plastic headband
- Hot glue gun
- Pins or safety pins (to mark placement on the dress)
- A colored dress (we used purple, but any color works)
- Silver shoes or other coordinating footwear
- Cardboard or stuffing to place between the front and back of the dress while gluing
Step-by-Step Rock Candy Costume Tutorial
Follow these steps to build your rock candy costume.
- Trim the cardboard tube to the height you want for the lollipop stick—about 8″ works well for a headpiece.
- Paint the cardboard tube and the foam sphere with tan or brown paint to give them a wooden-stick appearance. Leave slight streaks for a natural wood grain effect and allow them to dry completely.
- As the paint dries, assemble all the clear gift boxes by folding them into shape.
- Fill roughly 10 of the small boxes and 4 of the large boxes with iridescent mylar or tissue to add depth and a sparkling effect inside the “crystals.”
- Try the dress on and use safety pins to mark where you want the boxes to sit. We concentrated them near the shoulder and let them fan out toward the hip for a flattering silhouette.
- Remove the dress and put a sheet of cardboard or other material inside (between the front and back) so the front won’t glue to the back. Heat your hot glue gun and work carefully.
- Begin gluing boxes to the dress, anchoring several larger boxes across the layout and then filling gaps with smaller boxes. Distribute the mylar-filled boxes evenly for visual balance.
- Try the dress on occasionally during the process; the arrangement can appear different on a body versus flat. Continue layering boxes until the coverage looks full and balanced.
- To make the hat, glue the painted foam sphere to the top of the cardboard tube to form the lollipop head.
- Attach the bottom of the tube to the plastic headband with hot glue. You may want to use bobby pins or clips to secure the headband in place while wearing the costume for added stability.
Photos by Jeff Mindell
This idea works great as a group costume in different colors — imagine a whole troupe of rock candies in varying shades. It’s playful, simple to assemble, and fun to wear.
If you try this costume, tag your photos on Instagram with #studiodiyincostume so your version can be included in the annual roundup of reader creations.