Costume Dilemma

When I was a kid we would spend hours thinking of a Halloween costume and then my mom would make it or as we got older and thought homemade tiger costumes were not cool enough we would wear a tie died t-shirt and jeans and call ourselves a hippie. Now I am no fool and I know my moms sewing talents are many. But I think mainly she was just creative with what we had and a store bought accessory or two completed the outfit. 

So this is where I get mad at myself. This is the third year my laziness has reached an all time high and I agreed to buy costumes for my boys. They are outrageously overpriced screen printed, see-though-thin pieces of fabric held together by a couple strips of velcro and by Halloween will be full of snags. So why did I not learn my lesson from years past? Because I like to tell myself that by the time I collect and purchase any needed costume parts to make my own little Darth Vadar (x's 2, yes we have 2 kids wearing the same thing this year...) that I may as well drop the $20 and save myself time and energy. 

But then the guilt sets in. I can't help it. I am sure to win an award in heaven for "the most time spent over analyzing". For 3 of my kids it's over. Costumes are purchased. Money spent. I have put a certain four year old in and out of his costume so many times I am afraid the velcro will be gone before the 31st. 

But for the last child the store bought Ninja did not reach his expectations of what a "Samurai Warrior" should look like. What do you think? Do I attempt it? Or call in Grandma anyway...