Grapes Costume
A classic, budget-friendly DIY look that is a bunch of fun.
The grape costume is a classic, lighthearted DIY choice that is perfect for school events, Halloween, or group themes. This look is created by attaching purple or green balloons to a matching base outfit to mimic a bunch of grapes. It is highly customizable, budget-friendly, and incredibly easy to assemble at the last minute.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- ~30 min
- Budget
- $15–35
Try it on
See yourself as Grapes
One clear photo of yourself; we render you in this costume — face untouched, full body, about 20 seconds.
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Want a different costume on this photo, or a whole group in costume? Open the Try-On Studio.
What you need for a Grapes costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete Grapes costume — one box instead of 5 pieces.
Monochromatic base outfit
A matching long-sleeve t-shirt and leggings or pants in solid purple or green.
DIY: Use any solid-colored t-shirt and sweatpants you already own.
Balloons
A pack of 25 to 30 latex balloons in purple, violet, or lime green.
Safety pins
A pack of medium-sized metal safety pins to secure the balloons.
Green felt or cardstock
Stiff green felt sheets or heavy cardstock to cut out grape leaf shapes.
DIY: Use real leaves from your yard or cut shapes out of a green cardboard box.
Headband
A simple plastic or fabric headband to mount the leaves.
DIY: Attach the leaves to a green baseball cap instead.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Grapes costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Put on your matching purple or green base shirt and pants.
- 2
Blow up 20 to 30 balloons to a uniform, medium size, making sure not to overinflate them.
- 3
Tie off each balloon securely with a tight knot.
- 4
Carefully push a safety pin through the latex knot of a balloon (below the tie, avoiding the inflated area) and pin it directly to your shirt.
- 5
Repeat this process, starting from the shoulders and working down in a tapered V-shape to mimic a natural bunch of grapes.
- 6
Cut two or three large grape leaf shapes out of the green felt or cardstock.
- 7
Glue or pin the green leaves to your headband, then put it on to complete the vine look.
Makeup & hair
Keep makeup simple and fresh. You can add a touch of purple or green eyeshadow to match your grape color. Style your hair back or in a ponytail so the leaf headband remains the main focus.
Grapes for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- One person dresses as purple grapes and the other as green grapes, or pair up with a wine bottle costume.
- group
- Go as a fruit salad with friends dressed as bananas, strawberries, and pineapples.
- kids
- Use a comfortable cotton t-shirt base and smaller 5-inch balloons so they are easier for a child to wear.
- Plus size
- An oversized purple or green sweatshirt provides an excellent, comfortable canvas for pinning balloons.
- pet
- Attach lightweight purple pom-poms to a green dog sweater instead of balloons.
Tips
- Bring a few extra balloons and safety pins to your event in case any pop during the night.
- Avoid sitting down while wearing this costume, or plan to stand for the duration of your party.
- Inflate the balloons to about 70% capacity so they are less tense and less likely to pop when bumped.
Grapes costume FAQ
- How do you attach the balloons without popping them?
- Slide the safety pin through the excess latex knot *below* the tie. Do not pierce the inflated body of the balloon.
- Can I sit down in a balloon grape costume?
- Sitting is very difficult and will likely pop the balloons. If you need to sit, consider using purple paper lanterns or large purple pom-poms instead of balloons.
- What color balloons should I use?
- Deep purple, violet, or lime green balloons work best to represent classic red or white grapes.
Did you know? The DIY grape costume became a pop culture staple in the late 20th century as one of the most popular, low-budget school play and Halloween costumes.