Selfie Does Disneybounding
If you’re like “Selfs, da fak is “Disneybounding?!” First, cleeeeean it up! There are kids here!* Second, thanks for asking because you’re about to find yourself falling down a rabbit’s hole in the sweet, sweet interwebs.** Disneybounding, is quite simply, dressing up in a way INSPIRED by a Disney character. Now I could be wrong about this but I believe it started as a creative work-around because as an adult, you are not allowed to dress in costume at the parks. Disney, suuuuper wisely, concluded at some point that it would hurt the brand to have adults who.do.not.work.there. posing as characters. Or you know, scarring your children for life because Cinderella is hammered off of margaritas and her eyelashes are falling off.
Anyways, Disneybounding was basically invented for the age of the internet and it’s pretty cool to see how creative people can get. As a person who: 1) Has made Run Disney running costumes out of running clothes and; 2) Basically lives her life as a Snow White-bound, complete with the bow, since I cut off all my hair - I was like, I gotta try it! Also, this is like nigh sacrilege but I also went to Universal and was inspired to do a bound for Harry Potter as well. There’s not a special name for that so, here is my Disneybounding style and the ones that worked and the ones that were meh.
Bounds that Worked:
Minnie Mouse
Skirt: Chicwish
Top: Banana Republic blouse + The Limited Tank (from a million years ago)
Purse: Kate Spade
Ears: Officials Park Merchandise
This was one was a VERY popular outfit with kids and adults. It was also super comfortable and something I would normally wear sans ears. I originally considered like lace gloves but I’m glad I skipped it. Also, one of my whole things with Disney style is I like subtle Disney things (except Minnie Ears). I don’t literally want like...a Flounder bag. I would never use it so this incorporating Minnie’s favorite bow in the skirt and bag, keeping the color scheme to black, red and white and then adding the classic polka dots, made it clear who my inspo was but wasn’t at all a costume,
Fleur Delacour/ Beauxbatons
Skirt: Chicwish
Top: Chicwish
Headband: Anthropologie
I like fun and give zero effs about people’s opinions but just style-wise, I’m not dressing as a school girl or wearing a robe. Just no. So that kind of ruled out “Hogwarts student”. Just picking house colors seemed boring and not in line with “bounding”. So with some help and inspo from my favorite blogger/bounder Courtney from @colormemmagic and colormecourtney.com, I ended with this Beauxbatons bound complete with headband in lieu of weird hat I would never wear in my real life. The caped shirt was perfection and the gauzy blue midi skirt brought some Selfs-level whimsy
Bounds That...Didn’t
Alice in Wonderland
Dress: Chicwish
Ears: Trinket Trove Design
I had a specific idea for this related to the part of the film where Alice meets all the flowers and incorporated through the floral ears and the little face on the bag. Idk. My friend pointed out that the colors of my dress were inverted and with my sunglasses it kind of had a 50s vibe. So, maybe not obvious enough. My original thought was to have a bunny ears bag or a clock bag but again, I don’t want to own that in real life.
Magic Carpet from Aladdin
Jumpsuit: Guess
Kimono: Purchased at Le Garage
Purse: Kate Spade
First of all this is fairly obscure but I thought it was on point. The idea was to incorporate the theme of Aladdin through the jumpsuit and the spirit of Agrabah with the camel bag! Then I incorporated Carpet with the floral print kimono and fringe kimonos. Mostly I just made my SIL laugh her ass off by pretending to fly around. *shrugs* I am who I am.
Cinderella
Skirt: Chicwish
Top: The Limited Tank (from a million years ago)
Choker: Francesca’s
Ears: For the Love of Ears
I definitely wanted to wear these ears I got off Etsy because they are sooooo pretty and light up! But I saw someone with a great Cinderella bound while I was there - The.whole.dress.must.be.light.blue. Its just way to iconic of a dress not to follow the shape or color or something and the choker was too thick. Really this outfit wash least favorite but...the ears were so beautiful! I’ll try again in the fall .
So, all in all - I thought this was so fun and I used items that I either own or will otherwise wear. Accessories, I’ve learned, are really key for a solid bound but so is consistency with the inspiration - either by color or shape or both using real clothes to keep it from being to costume-y. And me personally, I’m already not a shorts and t-shirt girl so this is the kind of outfit I would wear to Disney World anyways. What do you think? Would you ever being disneybound?
Check out some great accounts: @thedisneybound @colormagic @damfino or following #disneystyle
*False.
**Or not. It’s really a choose your adventure.