Leave the mouse ears at home — a fresh way to dress for Disney

There’s a strange term getting tossed around Tumblr and Instagram lately: Disneybounding. And no, it’s not about jetting off to Disney World in a joyously leaping manner—well, not quite. Coined and created by Leslie Kay, it’s the idea that fashion and Disney culture can meet in outfits that are inspired by your favorite Disney characters. Just don’t get it confused with cosplay – the goal is not to create a costume, but rather a stylish look that reflects the spirit and color-schemes of iconic characters.

Want to dress like Cinderella? Throw on a cute blue dress, some ballet flats, a black choker and maybe a headscarf. Robin Hood? Brown skinny jeans, a green tank top, a fox necklace and you’re all set. The philosophy behind Disneybounding is to use clothes you already own in your closet or you can purchase cheaply at your local mall. And the idea has really taken off. Fans are now Disneybounding at theme parks, at Disney movies, or even just for fun. They share their outfit photos on Instagram (with hashtag “Disneybound”) or on Tumblr at the official DisneyBound website run by Leslie. http://disneybound.tumblr.com/

To give you an idea of how to pull together your own amazing Disneybound outfits, here are some of the best examples from around the Web:

A classic Snow White! This is a great example of how Disneybounding isn’t about a costume, but about creating an awesomely wearable outfit.

It’s not always the Princesses who get the love. Here’s an amazing retro look inspired by Flo from Cars.

Disneybounding is for couples, too! Ariel and Eric from The Little Mermaid.

Love how the gender-roles are reversed on this one – a very clever way to Disneybound characters from Alice in Wonderland.

Villains aren’t left out either! A subtle nod to Ursula from The Little Mermaid.

I love it when people Disneybound lesser-known characters. Here’s Mr. Smee from Peter Pan.

A very classy – and stylish! – nod to Mary Poppins.

Speaking of lesser-known characters, remember Marie from The Aristocats? Such a cute idea for a Disneybound.

I’m not going to lie – I might already be planning my Maleficent Disneybound in preparation of seeing the new movie. But what do you think of Disneybounding? A crazy concept or an awesome way to pay homage to your favorite Disney movies? Let us know in the comments!