My girls love Moana and I knew I had to come up with my own costume for my oldest daughter to wear.

Of course, I used items I already had to make an inexpensive version of Moana’s outfit in the movie. I even made a cardboard oar to complete the costume.

 

Materials needed:

Top:

Red Tank Top

Brown Acrylic Paint

Black Ribbon

Seashells

Hot Glue Gun

Scissors

 

Necklace:

Toilet Paper Roll

Teal, White and Brown Acrylic Paints

Hole Puncher

Necklace Chain

 

Skirt:

One White Pillow Case

One Gold or Yellow Satin Curtain or Pillow Case

Yellow or Brown Acrylic Paints

Scissors

Velcro

Hot Glue Gun

Paint Brush

 

Belt:

Red T-Shirt Material ( I cut the bottom of an old t shirt off to make the belt)

Brown Acrylic Paint

Paint Brush

 

Oar:

Wrapping Paper Tube

Cardboard

Brown Acrylic Paint

Yellow Acrylic Paint

Gorilla Tape

Scissors

 

Directions:

*PLEASE MAKE SURE AN ADULT DOES ALL THE STEPS THAT INCLUDES HOT GLUE SINCE THE HOT GLUE IS HOT*

Tank Top:

In order to make the Tank Top you will have to paint the design onto the tank top using brown acrylic paint. See pictures below for inspiration. (it does not have to match mine perfectly. It is an interpretation and you will still achieve a Moana inspired look.

Put a piece of cardboard in between the tank top so the brown paint does not leak through. Before, I painted the design I added one strip of the black satin ribbon across the chest. I did not make it perfectly straight I put it on a bit of an angle. To secure the ribbon I hot glued it down.

Then, I began to paint the design. I painted all the way down the tank top.

 

Then, I hot glued the sea shells to the black satin ribbon once the brown paint was dry.

• The sea shells did not cost me anything since my kids are collectors when we go to the beach and I had them in our sea shell collection jar.

 

Your Tank Top is complete! Let it dry completely.

 

Necklace:

The Necklace cost me nothing to make because I used a toilet paper roll to make the charm that hangs from Moana’s necklace. I had the colored paints in my craft area and I had a couple of necklace chains in my bead collection. I used a hole puncher to make the hole in the cardboard once the paint was dry.

See the pictures below to be inspired to make your own cardboard charm necklace.

The outfit is getting there…

 

Skirt:

For the skirt I decided to use a white pillow case. I knew I wanted a grass skirt but, I did not want to go out and buy one. I searched my linen closet and found an old gold satin curtain I was not going to use. I thought this would make a perfect Hawaiian skirt and it did.

First, cut the pillow case.

I put a pair of my daughter’s capri pants next to the pillow case to get the desired length I wanted for her. I then cut a zig zag pattern across.

 

 

I cut little holes near the pendant bottoms of the skirt.

Just like with the tank top you will have to paint a design on the pillow case. Again, I placed a piece of cardboard underneath so the paint did not go through. I waited for one side to dry and then I did the other side with the same pattern.

 

Then, I made the “grass skirt”  by cutting up the gold curtain. I just made the “grass skirt” a little bit longer than the white pillow case skirt so it would be seen underneath.

I then, manipulated the skirt to best fit around my daughter’s waist. I folded in a little bit of the white pillow case and hot glued it down so that there was a little bit of a slit so you can see more of the grass skirt. I hot glued the “grass skirt” to the pillow case and then added velcro so that the waist was adjustable.

 

Belt:

I always have extra t-shirt material in my craft area and I had the bottom of a red shirt left over from one of my last craft projects. I used that red t-shirt material to make a belt. I painted brown markings onto the belt with the brown acrylic paint and then just wrapped it above the skirt.

My little model loved her fitting before the outfit was complete…

 

The Oar:

The Oar completed the outfit and I love how east it was to make. I just painted the wrapping paper tube brown and the cardboard cut out I made to look like the top of the oar.

Once dry I cut two slits on top of the wrapping paper roll and slid the top of the oar inside the slits. I then taped it securely together and then painted over that, too. I painted the heart and fish hook in yellow and the Oar was complete!

I was inspired to make the Oar after seeing this Pinterest Pin:

 

I am so pleased with the way the costume came out and the most important thing to me is that my daughter is happy with my interpretation! I hope you are inspired by what I created and I look forward to seeing your Moana DIY costumes, as well. HAPPY CRAFTING!

This costume idea has been featured on our DIY Costume Segments on News 12 Long Island.

*PLEASE MAKE SURE AN ADULT DOES ALL THE STEPS THAT INCLUDES HOT GLUE SINCE THE HOT GLUE IS HOT*

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My Pinterest Pin Inspiration: