Young children who are told the story of Little Red Riding Hood will never forget it, regardless of the version that is recited. And for some reason this costume idea has never gone out of fashion at Halloween time. There are several things that make the costume unique, and yet there is plenty of room to create a custom design while leaving the basic features intact.Remember The Riding HoodObviously the girl in the story wore a red hood, and this part of the costume is easy to design. It should be rather simple, as bright a shade of red as possible, and made to tie around the neck. The hood can be made from a flimsy material such as nylon or thin cotton and should be large enough to attract immediate attention. Initialing, such as LR for Little Red is a nice touch. And since blonde hair is associated with the character - no one seems to know why - a simple wig may be in order.Riding Hood's OutfitProbably the best costume designs for this character would be a blouse and pantaloons with black or white boots. The blouse should be simple, either white, ivory or sky blue. The pantaloons can be beneath a skirt that includes one or two petticoats. Also an overalls look with vertical shoulder straps can make for an appealing appearance. The actual story of Red Riding Hood was made famous by the Brothers Grimm and others, but is actually based on an even older legend from the central part of Europe, so incorporating a Black Forest look to the attire is a good idea. The entire outfit can be constructed from homespun, several types of which are available at any major linen outlet.A Nice Picnic BasketOne that is not too large, is made from a nice woven reed material and looks to be loaded with homemade foods is the perfect complement to the outfit itself. Here a French style checkered napkin would be more than acceptable, but any intricate pattern of stitched flowers, trees, stars or moons would look quite interesting. The food hamper should not be too heavy if it is carried by a young child, and crumpled up cardboard taped to the bottom of the basket and covered with an interior cloth helps give the impression of a large amount of food.Red Riding Hood outfits combine an historical, European look with that of an innocent child, and there are innumerable ways to come up with the correct appearance. Halloween would not be complete without at least one Riding Hood off to see Grandma.