Hello Dearies! I recently returned from a trip to California and every time I’m there I realize how much Disney is apart of the culture there. It’s perfectly natural for folks to walk around in a Donald Duck t-shirt or Goofy ball cap. Cars are decorated with Mickey Mouse stickers and antenna toppers. I remember the first time that my Swedish husband (to be) came to visit and understood why I was so much of a Disney fan. Being from Southern California and loving Disney just go hand in hand and I think those of us who grew up with the Happiest Place on Earth in our backyard have some extra magic that flows through our veins. Then there are those who take it to a whole other level like with cosplay and costumes at events such as the D23 Expo but there’s also a more subtle and casual way to show your Disney devotion that I’d love to share with you.
You may be asking yourself, but what if you don’t live near one of the Disney Parks but still want to add some pixie dust to your days? Well one of my favorite ways is Disneybounding! Never heard of that term? The founder of the official Disneybound website describes it as:
“A way to express your love for Disney through fashion… Especially inspiration for you to pull together your own outfits which work for your body and wallet whether from your closet or local mall.”
Leslie Kay
The whole concept came to be because adult Disney fans aren’t allowed to dress up in costumes to the Disneyland so this whole new style of fashion came to be with outfits either subtly inspired by a character or part of the theme park. Isn’t that clever? What works so great about it also is that you can wear the outfits anywhere and can be an incognito Disney character (whether male, female, or animal!) Just take inspiration from the character’s color palette as you can see my sister and I did with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
Scarf: Besame Cosmetics
Mickey Ears: Disneyland Merch
My first bounding experience was in an “Under The Sea” themed birthday party where the birthday girl requested we all dress as characters from “The Little Mermaid” (Jonas & I were Flotsam and Jetsam) and we were all adults in the group which made it so fun to be able to go in a theme together.
What I love most about seeing other Disneybounders’ outfits is how they put their own unique style into it. Naturally, my favorite outfits are often the ones you see on Dapper Day, which if you didn’t know is held twice a year at the parks where you’re encouraged to step out in your vintage style, which doesn’t have to be inspired by a Disney character, but it’s really fun when they are. (Jonas & I were able to attend a fall dapper day as Cruella DeVil and a dalmatian when we lived in California.)
I’m sure some park goers thought my sister & I showed up on the wrong day to dapper day since we like to take a vintage spin on our Disneybounds. Can you see by our outfits that we’re evoking the early years of Micky & Minnie’s style from the 1930s? What tipped you off, the polka dots? It’s fun to rock the dots, especially in honor of the 90th birthday bash! My sister & I used all pieces from our closets we already had but it can be very easy to find items from thrift stores too. It can be as creative as you want it to be! I’ve even seen some really brilliant mash-ups and there’s so much inspiration on Instagram.
I was so grateful to get my Disney fix this spring, because if I don’t get to visit the Magic Kingdom at least once a year I start to go a bit bonkers! Hope you enjoyed coming along with me to the happiest place on earth and learning about Disney inspired fashion! Do you ever do Disneybounding? I’d love to hear about it! Bye For Now,
-Lindsay Dianne
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