Disney Bounding: an Essential Guide

Disney bounding is the term used for a way to dress as a particular character in a fun and fashionable way with everyday clothes. So, for us cosplayers it’s just another way to cosplay, but in our everyday lives! Disney store, Hot Topic, and tons of other stores now have character-inspired or geeky clothing options. But, today we want to inspire you to Disney bound with everyday clothes.

We challenge you to put together a fun Disney bounding outfit for your next outing, even if it’s just to the store! Enjoy these simple tips and fashionable inspirations, which will hopefully inspire you to create your next Disney bounding outfit.

Tip #1: Channel your own sense of style

I personally have a relaxed sense of style, so whenever I look to Disney bound a character, I begin by searching through what I already own to create a relaxed and comfy outfit! For my Disneyland bachelorette party yearssssss ago (don’t ask how old I am 🤐) I requested my guests to Disney bound with me. And this tip right here is how I helped those in my bridal party who wouldn’t do this normally! It helped everyone to feel included and comfortable. It all starts with YOU and your comfort level.  Below, I paired up a green tunic blouse, with a green scarf, floral accessories, and special matching ears. Do you know which princess I was bounding? Can you figure out who some of my friends were casually bounding?

Here's a pic of my bridal party at Disneyland - bounding yet comfy! My sister even created a special matching green bow that read “Getting Married.”

Tip #2: Color blocking

Color blocking a character means that you pull the most prominent colors from that character and coordinate using those colors throughout your entire outfit.  For one of my most recent trips to Disneyland I wanted to Disney bound as Sisu in her dragon form. And, since I’m not a dragon, this meant I needed to not only color block, but also needed to look for textures and patterns that I felt would convey my love for Sisu. I had a great shiny blue windbreaker which I used as my key item, then I found the ombre shirt and scaled pants. Plus, I went the extra mile to create my own light up ears to match, along with buying a Sisu necklace from a friend who makes jewelry... which leads into our next tip!

Me at Disneyland in 2021 bounding as Sisu. I really spent time hunting down the right fabric and blue fur for my ears! I really wanted the different blues to be spot on. Overall, my outfit is very “chill” with hints of things that light up.

Tip #3: It's all in the details

While color blocking helps you lay down the base for your character, the accessories and details truly breathe life into that character. Whether you are hitting up Disneyland and rocking a great pair of ears to match your Disney bounding outfit or if you are doing this in your day-to-day life, the accessories are the cherry on top. For me personally the accessories are my favorite part of any Disney bounding outfit! So, take a good look at your character and discern what details or iconic accessories you absolutely want for your outfit.

Here’s my Disney bounding look for a character I actually cosplay, America Chavez (who I’ve cosplayed for years, way before she was debuted in the recent Doctor Strange movie 😉) I obviously didn’t want to wear my ACTUAL cosplay, but I did decide to include the vest that I painted, which is an iconic accessory for America Chavez. Then for some added details and touches I added a pair of fun American flag glasses, cheap dollar store 4th of July jewelry, and of course I created ears to match. One additional detail I really love to add is having my makeup match my character’s colors! If you get this opportunity, take it – you never know what you’ll create!

Me Disney bounding as America Chavez at Disneyland with my husband and daughter. My husband bounded as Deadpool, he added fun touches by including unicorns and rainbows whenever he could. Lol he even had a unicorn backpack he carried around! My daughter decided she wanted to get a last hurrah out of her Squirrel Girl cosplay which she was outgrowing, so we cut it up to fit her for that trip.

💪 Pro Tip: Try something different

For instance, you personally prefer light and airy fashion, but want to reimagine one of the Disney princesses in more punk rock looks for Halloween – this is the time to do this! Look up “punk rock” styles and go from there. You can even google “punk rock (insert princess name)” and see what comes up, you may be inspired by the fan art you find. And if you do choose to be inspired by an artist tag them in the photos of you in your finished outfit. 😉

🕶 Expert Tip: Thrifting can give you a great base

Thrifting for regular clothes or even buying “well-loved” cosplays can give you great bases and/or accessories!

That’s right, head to your favorite thrift store for pieces to create your Disney bounding outfit. Or you can even look for affordable Halloween costumes and pieces, like jewelry or generic accessories, that you could alter with your cosplay skills. Or you could even find a “well loved” cosplay right here on Coscove that comes with a costume piece or accessory that would be perfect, plus now you have a whole new cosplay 😉. There are so many fun ways to create your bounding looks, just keep your eyes open!

😇 God-level Tip: "Bounding" is not limited to just Disney

Don't limit bounding to just Disney characters or trips to Disneyland! You can do this EVERYDAY for ANY CHARACTER.

With the above tips you can create ANY outfit based around ANY character you want, whether it be a TV show, anime, book series, etc. – ALL your fandoms are within your grasp! Whether you wish to be loud with your fashion statements or more conspicuous, bounding is for YOU.

If you feel inspired by my tips or any of the images shared, create a look, take a pic, then tag it with the hashtag #CoscoveBounding so we can see your outfits! Happy Bounding!

Here’s some additional inspiration from the DisneyBound blog @thedisneybound!

When you want to take the next step and go with a full costume, check out our secondhand listings for ready-to-go options!

Featuring a handmade Snow White, a Rapunzel from Angel Secret, and a gorgeous Maleficent. All of these costumes are looking for a new home!