Costumes for Day of the Dead

Dia de los Muertos Costumes for Couples and Singles

Dressing up like skeletons, in handcrafted costumes, has long been a part of the Die de los Muertos or Day of the Dead celebrations.

Official Day of the Dead costumes are now making it easier for people to dress up as a skeleton or calaca or a skeleton couple.

Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and many other Latin American Countries around the same time in the end of October as Halloween in the U.S, but with a different focus.

It appears that the two holiday traditions are beginning to blur, with the introduction of Dia de los Muertos costumes as a skeleton Halloween costume, senorita costumes and more options for those celebrating Halloween and/or Day of the Dead in the U.S.

Day of the Dead costumes give you the best of both worlds for costumes since you get to dress up in a costume and wear fun, but a little bit scary face makeup. These costumes are definitely not last minute ones, unless you wear a face mask, since the Dia de los Muertos face paint can take hours to apply.

Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos costumes are becoming a more popular dress-up costume for Halloween. There are getting to be so many costume types that I've had to split some of the information on certain costumes, like the sugar skull beauty, makeup and masks into their own separate pages.

For couples looking for a unique Halloween costume, the Day of the Dead Bride and Groom makes for a fun and macabre couples costume. These Dia de los Muertos costumes also come in a wide range of sizes from tweens and petites to plus sizes.

Day of the Dead Bride and Groom Couple

Vote on Day of the Dead Costumes

Visit The Costume Detective

• The Costume Detective - DIY Costume Ideas
  A website for finding the Best DIY Costumes, Crafts and Halloween Fun with information on DIY costumes and crafts previously prominently featured as part of the Best of Halloween and Make Your Own Halloween Costumes on Squidoo.

Dia de los Muertos Groom and Bride Couple

Day of the Dead Skeleton Bride Costume

Dia de los muertos Bride

Skeleton Bride Costume

Day of the Dead Skeleton Bride

There are several different styles for the Dia de los muertos Skeleton Bride costumes.

Here are three different versions.

One is the bone yard costume or Dia de los Muertos skeleton bride to the right which also has a classic gothic look.

Another is the costume below. This Skeleton Bride looks more like a country peasant.

On eBay one can find some of the newer versions of the Skeleton Bride designed for this year.

Skeleton Catrina Costume

Skeleton Catrina Costume

Day of the Dead Stylish Skeleton Costume

Dress in a Skeleton Catrina Costume

This long white dress for the skeleton bride costume looks a lot like the La Calavera Catrina, or the elegant skeleton (with large hat) featured in many of the Day of the Dead images.

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Using a Day of the Dead hat and an old style dress and boots, you can create your own La Calavera Catrina costume.

This stylish lady skeleton costume to the right includes the white gown, skeleton gloves, eye mask and French-styled hat. Note that the shoes are not included.

Remember to carry a skeleton mask if you want to cover your face.

Day of the Dead Skeleton Groom Costume

Dia de los Muertos Groom

Day of the Dead Plus Sized Couples Costume

Day of the Dead Groom Costume

Day of the Dead Costume Groom

There are two different styles for the Dia de los muertos Skeleton Groom costumes, but there are other skeleton accessories for men, like the skeleton blazer and Day of the Dead mask, so you can put together another look.

Choose your style of Skeleton Groom for costumes and add a skeleton mask and skeleton shoes to complete the look. Create a more casual skeleton look by just wearing the skeleton jacket or shoes.

This skeleton costume to the right includes the jacket, hat, mask, shirt, bowtie and cummerbund. Pants are not included.

Day of the Dead Goth Punk Couple Look

Day of the Dead Goth Punk Skeleton Couple

Day of the Dead Goth Couple

Dahlia of the Dead

Day of the Dead Goth Look

The featured look for the top of this page, the Day of the Dead Punk or Goth look. Both costumes come in different sizes.

The Diego and Dahlia costumes are described as being a more contemporary and Goth Day of the Dead Costume.

Diego is the man in black, except for the skeleton design on his shirt and hides under at black sombrero.

Dahlia wears a short mini dress with cobweb stockings (extra). Just add skeleton face make up and you are ready to go.

Day of the Dead Sexy Skeleton Costume

Sexy Skeleton Costume

Day of the Dead Bone Costume

Day of the Dead Bone Costume

The Day of the Dead Bone Costume is another fun and sexy option for dressing for Dia de los muertos. It looks like it might belong in caveman times, or perhaps even would have been worn by one of the Flintstones.

The sexy skeleton is a Day of the Dead look that could be worn even in everyday wear, for those who like skeletons.

Wear just the bone corset with a pair of pants for a more casual costume look.

One reviewer of the skeleton corset wrote that she wears it for normal wear and gets complements.

Long Skeleton Gloves

Accessorized with Skeleton Gloves

Accessorize the Day of the Dead Bone Skeleton corset and skirt combination by wearing matching long skeleton gloves.

The nylon gloves reach to mid forearm (about 10 inches).

Skeleton gloves aren't just limited to wearing as a costume. These can also be fun to wear with regular clothes for a bit of a goth look, especially around Halloween.

Casual Skeleton Men's Costume (Blazer)

Bones Blazer for Men

Casual Skeleton Costume

Choose your style of Skeleton Groom for costumes and add a skeleton mask and skeleton shoes to complete the look.

Create a more casual skeleton look by wearing the skeleton jacket or shoes.

Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Costume

Sugar Skull Beauty Costume

Sugar Skull Beauty Costume

Sugar skulls or Calavaras de azucar are one of the sweet treats created for Dia de los Muertos using a sugar paste and skull molds.

The molded sugar skulls are ornately decorated, like the face mask seen here. Wearing one of the pre-made face masks is a fast way of creating the Day of the Dead sugar skull look, without having to do full face makeup.

This costume features several aspects of the Day of the Dead including the skulls and also Chrysanthemums, the flowers used to decorate during this holiday.

Day of the Dead Catrina Mask

Sugar Skull Beauty Costume Accessories

Add a chrysanthemum flower headbands to complete this sugar skull costume. Create your own Chrysanthemum headband by adding in extra flowers to a yellow mum headband.

Wear the sugar skull masks instead of putting on makeup.

More on the Sugar Skull Costume

• A Beautiful Sugar Skull Costume with DIY Flower Head...
  Sugar skulls are one of the very popular features of Day of the Dead. These beautiful costumes combine different elements of Dia de los Muertos the skeletons with beautiful colorful flowers to create a unique look for a Halloween costume.

El Senor Skeleton Costume

El Senor Skeleton Costume and Hands

El Senor Skeleton Costume

El Senor Costume

This El Senor Costume looks like a cross between a Mariachi musician and a skeleton making for a very spooky looking costume.

Wearing a skeleton mask and skeleton arms, this person is playing music for the dead.

If you have a mariachi costume, just add the mask and gloves to create your own version.

The El Senor Costume to the right includes bolero jacket, pants, shirt, tie, sash and mask.

Articles on Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead

More information on the Dia de Los Muertos holiday including costume making ideas.

• Day of the Dead in Mexico - Dia de los Muertos - Mexican Day of the Dead
  Day of the Dead (Dia de los muertos), is a Mexican holiday in which families remember their dead, place altars in their homes and decorate tombs in cemeteries.
• Day of the Dead tradition
  Day of the Dead tradition, Every year in November, the Guerrero house in Mesa comes alive with the souls of dead people.
• Dia de los Muertos / Day of the Dead: Crafts, Costumes, Make-Up Tips, Paintings & More
  Find ideas for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) costumes with patterns, makeup tutorials, paper mache and murals.
• How to Make Costumes for Day of the Dead | eHow.com
  How to Make Costumes for Day of the Dead. For millions of people, November is ushered in each year with Day of the Dead, commemorating the passing of friends and loved ones. Since Day of the Dead is viewed as a celebration of eternal life, the day ta
• Coolest Dia De Los Muertos Costume
  This is one of the easiest costumes I have done. A few skirts from around the house and a sombrero I bought on eBay, and with the help of a little snazaroo face paint(anything else will run) and viola! I painted mine and his face myself.
• Day of the Dead Costume - Threads
  Here I am at a Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration at an art gallery in 2009. My costume started with an old long black dress and a commercially made witch hat. The hat has a...
• Día de los Muertos Costumes!
  We love everything about Día de los Muertos, so we decided to give the idea a shot and we loved the results. We used professional make up, sponges and brushes to create the look.We hope you enjoy the photos too! Happy Halloween!!
• Dia de los Muertos [Day of the Dead] - San Francisco
  Over 15,000 people will gather in the Mission to participate in the 26th Annual Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead Procession & Altars. Through art, music, and ritual this event honors our ancestors and celebrates the vitality and richness of
• Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead celebrations - Mission Dispatch
  As summer has turned to autumn the cycle of life moves along. This sense of the cycle of life is at the heart of Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead celebrations in the Mission District.

Day of the Dead Makeup

Day of the Dead Make up Examples

Image a composite of Caitlin Doe's Day of the Dead, Ray from LA's Dia de los Muertos Girl and Erika Arlene's La Muerte.

Day of the Dead Masks

Day of the Dead Temporary Face Tattoo

More Hubs on Dia de los Muertos

• Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead
  Although occurring around the same time of the year as Halloween, Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, is a very different holiday. Dia de los Muertos is celebrated in many Latin American countries with a different focus. This festival to...
• La Catrina Costume for Day of the Dead
  Created as a satire of Mexican upper class in the 1900s by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posadas, La Calavera Catrina has become a popular symbol of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and popular costume. Dressing like the Grand Lady of Death...
• A Beautiful Sugar Skull Costume with DIY Flower Head...
  Sugar skulls are one of the very popular features of Day of the Dead. These beautiful costumes combine different elements of Dia de los Muertos the skeletons with beautiful colorful flowers to create a unique look for a Halloween costume. Both of...
• Makeup for Day of the Dead and Temporary Skull Face ...
  The Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, holiday is a time for celebrating those you have died and a time for dressing up in skeleton costumes. As part of elaborate Day of the Dead costumes, participants wear face paint, or make up in elaborate...
• Day of the Dead Masks
  Face masks part of the celebrations of Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead, a holiday celebrated in from late October to early November in Mexico, parts of the U.S. and many other Latin America countries. The Day of the Dead is the time of...
• Day of the Dead Bread Recipes or Bread of the Dead
  Pan de Muerto, Day of the Dead Bread, Bread of the Dead or Dead Bread for short is a tasty traditional egg-based sweet bread made for the Dias de los Muertos holidays in Mexico, the United States and in other Latin American countries. The holiday is.

Day of the Dead Temporary Tattoo Masks

One of the easiest ways to apply the sugar skull face for a Day of the Dead costume is by using pre-made temporary face tattoos.

The set to the right comes with two Kits of 21 tattoos (each) to create a temporary Day of the Dead Sugar Skull face look.

More on Day of the Deat Makeup and Masks

• Makeup for Day of the Dead and Temporary Skull Face Masks
  The Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, holiday is a time for celebrating those you have died and a time for dressing up in skeleton costumes.

La Catrina

Day of the Dead Holiday

Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and many other Latin American Countries at the end of October and early November.

It is often confused with a Halloween celebration since it is being celebrated at the same time that Halloween is being celebrated in the U.S.

The holiday also overlaps with two holidays in the Catholic church, All Saints' Day on November 1 and All Souls' Day on November 2.

It is a time when friends and family gather to gather, pray for, honor and celebrate the memory of those who have died.

People celebrating Dia de los Muertos frequently dress up as skeletons or calacas as part of this celebration to honor those who have died.

La Calavera Catrina, or the elegant skull or lady, is an image from José Guadalupe Posada that in more recent years has become nearly synonymous with the Day of the Dead Holiday.

This Catrina Sculpture by Dominik to the right gives one the impression of how skeletons are used as a main decorating theme for Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead Holiday.

Skeletons and Skulls - Oh My!

My Lenses on Skeletons and Skulls

I've been a bit fascinated with skeletons and skulls. Here are the lenses that I've created about skulls and skeletons.

More of My Hubs on Skeletons and Skulls

• Teaching with Skeletons at Halloween
  Skeletons make excellent teaching tools, especially at Halloween. Since my daughters were in Kindergarten and Pre-School I have been going into their classrooms and teaching bone anatomy with skeletons.
• Doin' the Bone Dance and Other Creative Ways to Learn Bone Anatomy
  Teaching children about bone anatomy can be made a bit easier and a lot more fun for the children by using some songs, dances, quizzes and other innovative ways of teaching bone anatomy.
• Skull Cakes and Skeleton Cupcakes
  Skulls and Skeletons cakes and cupcakes are a fun way to add a bit of scary bones to Halloween, Dia De Los Muertos or any other occasion where skulls and skeletons abound.
• 3D Skull Cake Recipes
  With a 3D skull cake mold made by Wilton, you can easily create a scary skull cake for your next Halloween or Pirate party.

Do you dress up to celebrate Dia de los Muertos?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

© 2011 Kirsti A. Dyer

Comment on Day of the Dead Costumes

John_Hairstyler on October 15, 2012:

That ideas for day of the dead costumes are great.

Virginia Allain from Central Florida on October 14, 2012:

Great coverage on this topic! I was looking for Day of the Dead children's costumes for my Hispanic Halloween Costumes for Kids. Didn't find nearly this many for the younger crowd.

Stacy Birch on October 09, 2012:

Awesome stuff.

sweetstickyrainbo on September 30, 2012:

the corpse bride look is cool

anonymous on September 18, 2012:

Love the costumes. Nice lens.

Kirsti A. Dyer (author) from Northern California on August 28, 2012:

@Mary Crowther: Thank you

Mary Crowther from Havre de Grace on August 28, 2012:

So many choices here, very well done! Blessings!

JoyfulReviewer on October 16, 2011:

Thanks for the fun costume lens!