Dressing up and pretending to be someone else can be a lot of fun. Using your clothing to help create a story, play or even just characters can help draw out your creativity. Let’s look at clothing we can find, recycle or even make into something new as well as other items you might use to create a new persona.
Steps
1. Idea.
Before you dress up, you need to know the look you’re trying to achieve. Just like Halloween, creating a look can have you exploring clothing, accessories and make up. You can take inspiration from the old lady who pushes a shopping cart up the street to the art teacher who likes to make a statement to your favorite anime character. If you don’t have a general idea of what you’re looking for, you’ll end up with piles of things that don’t work.
Figure out the look you’re attempting to achieve. Be ready to share your ideas with others as they may be able to offer suggestions beyond your original idea.
2. Recycle.
You could buy clothing from yard sales and thrift stores. However, chances are family and friends would be happy to donate old clothing they no longer wear. There are videos online showing how to remake and adjust old clothing. Watch how many ways you can recycle a t-shirt, for example.
Start small and ask friends and family for old clothing, costumes and accessories they no longer want. You might even want to create a checklist for items that they might not initially think of donating.
3. Dollar store.
Normally, I try to stay away from purchasing items. If you have a local dollar store, you may find that the cost of purchasing something new for dressing up is cheaper than the raw materials elsewhere. Visit a few dollar stores and take note of the items you might be able to purchase cheaply that can be used for dressing up.
4. Skirts.
Skirts come in a variety of designs. And you can also recreate them as shawls, cloaks, vests and a variety of different items . . . especially if you have a full, long skirt with a lot of material to work with. Skirts are good dress up items because they can be worn over other clothing. Look into the different ways a skirt can be made, worn and repurposed.
I have two daughters, so making tutus (a form of a skirt) with tulle and elastic for the waist now seems second nature. You can sew it together or tie tulle or fabric scraps onto a piece of elastic. Try making a simple tutu if you prefer that type of skirt.
5. Wings.
Cardboard, wire hangers with pantyhose and more can all be used to make wings. Watch a few videos online and see if this is something you might want to attempt. If not, the dollar store frequently has wings.
6. Hats.
While you might not think of hats, you can completely change a look with the right hat. Older people often have hats that they used to wear but do not any longer. I have purchased hats at recycled clothing stores. You can also take classes to make hats and fascinators. Look at what is available in your area.
7. Shoes.
Whenever you think of a little girl dressing up, an image of her tiny feet in mom’s high heels comes to mind. I remember my girls wearing my husband’s work boots through the house as well. If you don’t want your kids to borrow your shoes, you may want to find alternatives such as sewn felt covers to put over their own shoes to look like moccasins or monster feet. Explore different ways to include footwear into dress up play.
8. Accessories.
Jewelry and accessories frequently change with the current fashion style. Be sure anything you donate to the dress up collection is something you won’t regret donating later. You may also want to put strict rules in place so your kids don’t go into your normal jewelry. Alternatively, you can make items like scarves or recycle ties into other items. Paper is a great supply for making items like crowns and pirate eye patches. Explore the accessories you have as well as craft supplies which might be used to make these items.
9. Make up.
Kid’s make up is cheap . . . and there’s a reason for that. I would rather give my kids the items I found didn’t look good on me than buy kid’s make up. If you’ve ever tried to scrub off something that left color behind, you understand what I’m talking about. Start a “donation” pile of make up you don’t use that can be repurposed for dress up fun.
In addition to make up, my youngest has this thing for videos creating scars, black eyes and the like. Personally, I think her interest is all about watching me freak out until I realize it’s not real. Even a tattoo can be created with make up. Check out some videos and see what you can create.
10. Cosplay.
Cosplay is popular at conventions and events. Dressing up as your favorite character can be fun. Choose a character and see if you have what you need around your home. How might you adjust a costume to make it more wearer friendly?
You might choose to actually make some key pieces. If so, what do you have that you can adjust to fit your chosen character?
11. Props.
While swords and other weapons are frowned upon in most places, other props can be improvised. Use stuffed animals for familiars and animal companions. Magic wand tutorials can be found online. Books can be covered with brown kraft paper. What props would you like to include with your costume?
12. Storage.
If you have small children, they may want to put their dress up items with their toys. However, creating a special box, using a certain dresser drawer or even a section of closet can keep their dress up materials from being damaged. Look at how you might store these items.
Badge and Supplement Files
Member Level
- EP_Badge List_Dress Up Fun_larajla — list of badge items
- EP_Supp_List_Dress Up Fun_larajla — list of supplements for the badge
- SUPP_BPG_Dress Up Fun_2in_12up_larajla — generic badge printable
- SUPP_Dress Up Fun_Journal_larajla — badge journal
- SUPP_Dress Up Fun_Planner_larajla — badge planner
Supplement Fun
- SUPP_List Fun_Dress Up Accessories_larajla — Possible accessories
- SUPP_List Fun_Dress Up Clothing_larajla — Possible clothing
- SUPP_List Fun_Dress Up Props_larajla — Possible props
Sites to Explore
- kidslovedressup.com/kids-play-dress-up-clothes-ideas-from-a-z
- kidscraftroom.com/dress-up-ideas-to-promote-imaginative-play
- onecreativemommy.com/dress-up-storage-ideas-for-kids
- www.care.com/c/stories/3866/play-dress-up-games-with-these-9-everyday-ite
- guiltfreehomeschooling.org/?p=196
- www.kidspot.com.au/things-to-do/collection/dress-up-and-costumes
- redtri.com/diy-dress-up-play-checklist
- tocaboca.com/magazine/dress-up-essentials
- www.apartmenttherapy.com/ultimate-dress-up-box-checklist-197222
- www.organizedmom.net/6-simple-solutions-organizing-dress-clothes
- www.pinterest.com/peggysboard/create~kids-pretend-play-dress-up-and-costumes
- observationdeck.kinja.com/cosplay-1-01-a-beginners-introduction-to-cosplay-1632337814
- cosplay.com/archive/thread/jv06le/what-every-cosplayer-needs?page=1
- www.pinterest.com/jadedragon88/cosplay-essentials
Get the infographic here > larajla blog post
Get the PDFs of the badge program / supplements here