My daughter wanted to be a powerful sea queen/goddess, and so we went with the idea of making our version of Amphitrite, who was Poseidon’s wife.

The supplies we used were pretty basic:

Flesh-toned body suit
Mixed green colors of tulle and other silky green fabric pieces (I purchased approx. 1/4 of a yard of all sorts of colors)
Fishing net
Mixed shells
Plastic pearls (individual and strings)
A child's sized belt
A child's sized bathing suit top (bikini)
Wig (my daughter chose blue/grey color)
Plastic head band
Plastic round Christmas ornament
Cheap latex paint (blue for glowing orb and gold for shells)
Gold spray paint
Broomstick
Empty oatmeal container
Florists wire
Glitter
Battery powered string of lights
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Ribbon

We already had a lot of the items in our stash of craft supplies. Approx cost for whole costume was $55. The most expensive items were the body suit and wig. If you live in the south where Halloween weather is warmer, you won't need a body suit.

Step 1: The Main Costume

We made the costume out of lots of tulle, and silky fabrics in various shades of green. The skirt was strips of fabric folded over a belt. Once all the layers of fabric were folded over the belt, I did a very rough stitch with green thread to hold it all onto the belt. I then incorporated several pieces of fish netting attached with hot glue. I wanted the whole look to be somewhat rough. My daughter wanted something closer to pretty, I wanted more grunge - we met in the middle. I also incorporated shells, and even some glittery pretend coral made out of hot glue.

The top was a bathing suit top, where we glued on green fabric as well as fish netting. (The bathing suit top we had at home already and it was purple. If you have something green, that would make it easier for you!). To all of that we added shells, shimmery coral we made out of hot glue, and little plastic pearls.

Step 2: The Crown

The crown was made out of a plastic headband, spray painted gold. Using a mix of shells (some painted gold with latex paint and some left natural color) I hot glued them onto the headband, added strings of tiny plastic pearls and included larger pearls as well. My daughter really wanted some dangling touch, so I added on a bauble from a cheap charm bracelet to the center string of mini-pearls. Then a blue/gray wig added an extra touch of pizzaz, and the crown helped hold on the wig.

Step 3: Staff 'o Power

The glowing staff ‘o power was made from a plastic broom handle spray painted gold. Then I attached a plastic Christmas ball ornament painted with blue latex paint and filled with a string of battery powered lights. I hot glued the glowing orb to the end of the broomstick, and used packing tape to attach the battery pack, making sure that I could access the on/off switch.

To give the staff more visual interest, I cut up a wire coat hanger and bent two pieces around the neck of the orb. I daubed on hot glue all over the wire and then spray painted them gold to look somewhat organic, but also give a touch of jeweled gravitas. After the gold spray paint finished drying, I hot glued on more shells (some painted with gold latex paint, and with some pearls) to cover up the overall foundation and camouflage the battery pack.

It was easy to turn it on and off, see the picture of how it looked in the dark!

Step 4: Candy Bucket

For the candy bucket, I spray painted an empty oatmeal container gold. Using hot glue, I squirted on coral shapes on which I sprinkled glitter before the glue dried. I then glued on some extra shells. Poking two holes near the top on opposite sides, I used a pretty ‘water’ colored ribbon as a handle (which also added an extra girly touch).

Step 5: Have Fun!

Since it was chilly on Halloween, my daughter wore a flesh-toned body suit under the costume. It worked perfectly. My daughter went trick-or-treating with our other daughter who was dressed as a Coral Reef. (You can check out that Instructable as well!)

Halloween was a hit!