Close your eyes and remember when you were a little kid. Was there a special outfit you always grabbed? Mine was a purple Ariel t-shirt, a flowy blue skirt, and my favorite pair of shoes: little red cowgirl boots. My mom always giggled at the sight of me in my mismatched outfit. I proudly wore those clothes until I couldn’t fit into them any longer. This was the humble beginning of my relationship with Disney fashion.
Disney fashion. When I hear those words I hear a choir singing the Mickey Mouse Club theme song. I love searching through all the theme park shops, Downtown Disney, and the Disney Store for the perfect clothes.
As a teen, of course, I feel pressured by all the real-life Lotsos and Evil Queens to abandon my Disney clothes. However, Disney fashion isn’t for babies. Lots of Disney clothes now are really beautiful and wearable for older princesses. Some of my favorite pieces are printed with art from the book The Art of the Disney Princess. I also love things from Vault 28 (located in Downtown Disney at Disneyland), Tren-D (located in Downtown Disney at WDW), and D-Street, which has locations at both resorts. They have taken Mickey and other character apparel and have made it more current and accessible.
Fashion can’t be fashion without accessories. The Disney Dooney and Burke handbags have caused quite a stir. Also, Harveys has designed a collection of Mickey seatbelt purses. Tarina Tarantino’s Acid Alice collection takes Alice in Wonderland to a fun, whimsical level.
You can go for a shirt emblazoned with our mouse (or any other character), or you can opt for “subtle Disney.” My favorite “subtle Disney” item is a blue scarf with silver threads woven throughout it. Mickey is everywhere thanks to sequins strategically placed in the shape of hidden Mickeys. “Subtle Disney” items are a great way of adding a hint of Disney to any outfit.
There are a few do’s and don’ts if you’re looking to add Disney fashion to your everyday wardrobe:
1. Don’t wear more than one bold Disney item; it’s not cool if you wear a Mickey t-shirt and carry a Mickey purse.
2. Do wear bold and subtle things together. You can carry your Disney purse and wear a subtle Mickey scarf.
3. Don’t shy away from wearing bold things; you shouldn’t always be subtle.
4. Do wear your Mickey threads with the appropriate attitude. If you’re Grumpy/Madam Mim after she gets dragon pox, don’t wear your Disney apparel unless you’re sure it will put you in a better mood.
Disney fashion doesn’t belong solely to little Mouseketeers, so don’t be afraid to wear it. It’s more than just buying a t-shirt at one of the parks and leaving it in your closet until your next vacation. It’s the integration of two of our favorite things: Disney and fashion. Have fun with your clothes and pay no attention to comments from the villains. I love my Disney fashion–not even Maleficent herself could force me to abandon it.
Contributed by: Hannah N. (NDT #23). Hannah is our resident teen blogger.
