*This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links, which means I may get paid or receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you!*

I have been on an anime kick for a while now and have been loving the creative works of Studio Ghibli! This cute Halloween costume is inspired by My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away! This DIY Soot Sprites costume is such a fun, budget-friendly, and EXTREMELY EASY costume to put together! 🖤✨

With just a black dress, black shoes, and a few colourful felt sheets, you can put together an adorable Soot Sprite-inspired look without needing to sew or spend a lot of money. It’s simple enough to make in one afternoon or binge watching anime and can easily be customized with your favourite colours!

PIN DIY Soot Sprites Costume FOR LATER:

This DIY Soot Sprites Costume is accompanied by a YouTube Tutorial. If you haven’t subscribed on YouTube, don’t forget to!

Table of Contents

HERE IS HOW TO MAKE A DIY SOOT SPRITES COSTUME:

WHERE CAN YOU FIND THE MATERIALS TO MAKE THIS DIY SOOT SPRITES COSTUME?

The materials for this costume are easy to find at most craft and department stores. If you’re like me and are super crafty, you may even already have everything at home! I didn’t buy ANYTHING for this costume!

If you do need some materials, you can usually find felt sheets and fabric tape in the craft section, while a simple black dress and black shoes can be found at clothing stores or even thrift stores.

You can also check dollar stores and online craft shops for inexpensive felt sheets and fabric tape. Since you only need a few basic supplies, this is a great last-minute DIY Halloween costume!

WHAT ARE THE MATERIALS NEEDED FOR THIS DIY SOOT SPRITES COSTUME?

Here’s everything you’ll need:

Black dress
Black shoes
Multi-coloured felt sheets
Fabric tape
Scissors

The colourful felt is used to create the little candy-like shapes associated with the Soot Sprites, adding a fun pop of colour to an otherwise all-black outfit.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED?

You don’t need much equipment for this costume!

All you really need is:

Scissors
Fabric tape
A flat surface to work on
A pencil or marker for tracing shapes onto the felt, if needed

No sewing machine or complicated crafting tools are required.

CAN I SUBSTITUTE ANY MATERIALS OUT?

Absolutely! This costume is very easy to customize based on what you already have at home.

Instead of a black dress, you can wear a black skirt, black shirt, jumpsuit, or any other all-black outfit. A black sweater can also work if you’re making this costume for a colder Halloween night.

If you don’t have fabric tape, you can use removable double-sided tape, fashion tape, or another temporary adhesive that is suitable for clothing. Just test it on a small, hidden area first to make sure it doesn’t damage the fabric. If you don’t care about damaging the fabric or want it to last essentially forever, you can use fabric glue or hot glue!

You can also substitute the felt with coloured cardstock or craft foam, although felt is softer, more comfortable to wear, and I find blends in with the outfit much better!

DOES THE COSTUME LAST TO USE FOR THE FOLLOWING YEARS?

Yes! Since the base of the costume is a simple black dress and shoes, you can easily reuse them for future costumes.

To keep the colourful felt pieces in good condition, carefully remove them from the dress after Halloween and store them flat in a small container or envelope. If the felt pieces stay in good shape, you can reuse them for another Soot Sprite costume the following year.

I always like using fabric tape because I can reuse my dresses for other events or projects, but if you don’t plan on reusing your outfit, you can glue the felt sheets down to avoid any coming off throughout the day/night you’re wearing your costume.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PUT TOGETHER?

This costume takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour to put together, depending on how many felt pieces you want to make.

The majority of the time is spent cutting out the colourful star shapes. Once everything is cut, attaching them to the dress with fabric tape is quick and easy!

INSPIRATIONS FOR THIS COSTUME?

The biggest inspiration for this costume is from Spirited Away. I actually just rewatched it after years and gushed at the soot sprites working hehe. I was like, wait a minute, that would be so much fun to create! Their simple black, fuzzy appearance makes them perfect for an easy DIY Halloween costume.

I wanted to recreate the playful look of the Soot Sprites while keeping the costume cute, wearable, and inexpensive. The colourful felt pieces add a fun touch inspired by the little colourful candies or snacks they consume.

You can also make the costume your own by choosing your favorite colours or adding more colourful details to your outfit.

DIY Soot Sprites Costume - Featured Post Image - Lynn Mumbing Mejia

STEPS TO PUT TOGETHER THIS DIY SOOT SPRITES COSTUME:

1. START WITH YOUR BLACK OUTFIT

Put together your base outfit using a simple black dress and black shoes. You can use a dress you already own, making this costume even more affordable.

2. CHOOSE YOUR FELT COLOURS

Pick several different colours of felt for the colourful Soot Sprite-inspired pieces. I noticed in Spirited Away, the stars were white, green, pink and yellow, but I added light blue for more colour to my outfit! Any bright and playful colours work especially well!

3. CUT OUT YOUR SHAPES

Using your scissors, cut the felt into small candy-inspired star shapes. You can freehand the shapes or lightly draw them onto the felt first to make cutting easier. Don’t worry about making every piece identical. Slightly different shapes can make the costume feel more handmade and playful.

4. ARRANGE THE FELT PIECES

Before attaching anything, lay the felt pieces onto your black dress and arrange them until you’re happy with how they look. You can scatter them around the dress or group them together in certain areas for a more decorative look.

5. ATTACH THE FELT

Use small pieces of fabric tape to attach the felt shapes to your dress. Press each piece firmly onto the fabric so it stays in place while you’re wearing the costume.

6. PUT ON YOUR COSTUME!

Finish the costume with your black shoes to keep the outfit cohesive and let the colourful felt pieces stand out, and that’s it! Your cute and easy DIY Soot Sprites costume is ready for Halloween. 🖤✨

Thanks for reading to the end of this post! I hope you enjoy creating this costume as much as I did! Have fun! 🎃

Xo,

Lynn

Are you going to try making this DIY Soot Sprites Costume?! Don’t forget to tag me if you do!