Accessorizing for Disney
I recently got back from a trip to Walt Disney World, and had the idea for this post after I posted a couple of Instagram “selfies” (the pictures are in this post) and received a few comments and messages as a result. Since we already have a post that answers common questions regarding the dresses and other outfits I wear to Walt Disney World, etc., I’m just covering accessorizing for Disney in this post.
Disney’s big promotion this year is “Disney Side” and one of the ways people are supposed to show their Disney Side is through the outfits they wear to the Disney Parks. A lot of people like to go all out, dressed head to toe with Disney hats, shirts, pants, painted fingernails, hair bows, bags, and even painted shoes! Some people also like to put together outfits that are all individually non-Disney articles of clothing, but come together as a fashionable ensembles that evoke a certain character. The Disneybound blog and trend are a prime example of this.
My preference is to do something in between. I like putting together regular outfits that are park friendly, but fashionable. Comfortable footwear is obviously a must, my current go-to choice is the OluKai Ohana sandal. They perfectly combine comfort and cuteness. In the past, I’ve done Mickey Crocs and tennis shoes, but I think both look too clunky with the light summer dresses I normally wear.
Speaking of dresses, the dresses I wear come from a variety of places, from Target to Nordstrom to J.Crew, but all have one thing in common: lightweight comfort. However, I’ve already covered dresses, and this post is about accessorizing.
What I really like to do is pair my normal style of clothing with a flair of Disney. An example of this would be a pair of Minnie Mouse ears with a dress. I think this creates a good contrast, especially if you are dressed nicely. If you look back at old family photos or vintage photos, you see a lot of guests dressed nicely, but wearing mouse ears. This look is incongruous, but not in a bad way, and it makes the outfit fun. This style of dressed up guests with playful Disney hats is still common in Tokyo Disneyland, where guests actually take the idea to the extreme. Take a look below.
Maybe Tom is a bad example! This hat was very popular in Tokyo Disneyland this Christmas, with many guests pairing it with suits, dresses, or school uniforms. Simple and cute Minnie or Mickey Mouse ears work a lot better for this look.
Other accessories that I think work really well to give an outfit a dash of Disney are handbags, watches, necklaces, and bracelets. I generally don’t wear jewelry but do prefer jewelry that’s on the subtle side instead of the colorful stuff. This makes it more wearable in everyday settings when you might not want to broadcast that you’re a Disney fan.
I typically carry an It’s A Small World LeSportsac bag at the parks, and what I really like about this bag is that the pattern looks Disney-related to anyone familiar with Disney, but for normal people, it just looks like a stylized pattern. The bags I’ve carried have all been durable and I don’t mind if they get wet. If you’re not a fan of the LeSportsac bags, recent bags from Dooney & Bourke and Vera Bradley are popular and have interesting designs of their own.
These are just a few of the ways that I accessorize to give me outfit a fun Disney feel when we’re in the parks. I’d love to hear other ideas you have in the comments!
If you are planning a Walt Disney World trip, check out our planning resources! If you’re interested in learning more about other hotels, our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page is a good place to start. For where to eat, try out our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews page. If you want to save money on tickets or determine which type you should get, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at unconventional things you should take on your trip. Once you arrive at the parks, our Walt Disney World “Ride Guides”are great for determining what to do and when to do it.
For overviews of all of these topics and so much more, the best place to start is our comprehensive Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide to make the most of your experience!
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Your Thoughts
How do you like to accessorize for Disney? Have any questions about how I’ve accessorized here? Let me know if you have any questions!
I love adding just a touch of Disney when I am at the parks. I usually go with a themed shirt or Mickey ears!
You always look gorgeous in your trip reports and Minnie ears are a must xxx
I’m trying to think up easy themed outfits for my future trip to DWD- easy and comfortable stuff like a blue dress for Belle.
Always Wear My Mickey Shades! Its my Disney Fan Look 🙂
I love your dresses and Minnie ears!
I’ve always had an internal battle with dresses vs shorts at the parks. Thanks to the link to your other blog with the outfit ideas!
I love how cute you look in all your photos! I agree about crocs being too clunky but I love them for Disney. They became my go to park footwear by accident. We had a Disneymoon and left for the airport right from our reception. It rained that day and between my open toe heels and puddles I started my vacation with blisters. My normal tennis shoes hurt but it’s all I had.There was a Crocs kiosk right inside the park on our first day and it saved our trip. Since then Crocs are the only thing I wear to Disney. I’m not willing to wear Crocs with a dress so it’s Disney t-shirts and shorts for me.
I’m dressed from head to toe – from my ears, to my earrings, to my shirt, to my Disney Dooney backpack! Love dressing for Disney!
Sarah is always best dressed at Disney! I always wear my favorite vintage look Disney tanks with a skirt. I have 2 different Big Bad Wolf ones (my favorite old time character, wish there was more Big Bad Wolf there, they at least should be letting him out for pics every Halloween party night!) Also have new vintage look Alice tank, Lost Boys, Thumper, Bambi, and Cheshire cat… That’s pretty much a different one for each day we’re there! I make my husband wear the Donald Duck “Anger Management shirt” and the Grumpy “This is me on a good day” shirt. Our son has all character shirts, plus a 3 Little Pigs one so he can coordinate with me, and he has all the traditional character tees as well as Toy Story and Cars, and our baby girls of course have quite a few baby princess outfits including matching Snow White and Lady & Tramp outfits, also Belle, Little Mermaid, Cinderella and tons of Minnie selections. At night if I decide to wear a dress, like Sarah I will match it with some Minnie ears. I guess you could say our family has an entire Disney wardrobe!
I love to wear some fun disney themed nail art!one time I wore a really bright green and every character commented on it as being “tinkerbell green”! 🙂
My husband always laughs about the fact that I want to look “cute” while being comfortable when we visit WDW. Glad to know that I am not the only one.
I like to wear character shirts sometimes and I like wear cute Disney earrings sometimes too. Also I always have a few favorite character pins on my Kavu bag!
I totally agree, Minnie Mouse ears are always a must at Disney parks! I usually bring out the disney socks from Little Mismatched for trips too; they add the perfect finishing touch. 🙂
well for my 30th bday in wdw last may 1-7th I wore little mermaid colored things, and a princess tiara from the greatest crystal making people on the planet. because what female doesnt want to feel special on her birthday or during her vacation. Im single and went with my friend colleen and together we wore tiaras during our trip without feeling silly because tiaras there are like a rite of passage. I am often wearing my wdw I’m going to disney world sweatshirt and I wear my tank pajamas to bed every night. I sleep with a 101 dalmatian pillow. I grew up with disney and even as a 30 yr old adult I love my #disneyside it makes me a nice happy fun person. this was my 3rd time being at wdw. my 4th time will be in the next 10 years and I hope not too much changes. me an d my friend colleen now have unique disney hats from our trip and silly fun vacation pics for the memory of our trip last summer during the one week orlando had a week of never ending rain. LOL yes I went when disney world had one of the things thaat never happen.. non stop downpour all week of my 7 day vacation. :/ glad I didnt plan on going to the waterparks…
I always love simple Disney earrings or a Disney bow to accessories my outfits.
Cute sunglasses and shoes.
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I’m fashion-challenged, so I’m not very good at putting together outfits–Disney or otherwise. Maybe you could start a virtual fashion-consulting service where you put together outfits and accessories for people? I have three separate trips coming up to WDW. One is in May, and two are in November (one for a D23 event and one for the Wine and Dine Half Marathon). 🙂
I always love your style!
love the dresses you are wearing… also love all the disney bags!!
I always wear a Disney or WDW themed shirt, jewelry, and sometimes a hat to the parks 🙂