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| By Lindsey Allmon |
On my last vacation to Disney World I wore the exact same thing every single day: Shorts, a Disney tank top, sneakers and sunglasses. The rest of my family wore a similar uniform, as did ninety nine percent of the rest of the population of Disney at the time. And why not? A summer in Florida is broiling hot and a day at Disney requires miles of walking. It only makes sense that you would be comfortable. However, when the designers of Disney initially imagined the attendees of the parks, shorts and tanks were simply not up to par with their expectations. Now one group is trying to bring style back to the Disney parks. Continue after the page break to learn more about the event that has everyone dressed to the nines: Dapper Day…
These sketches were the initial artist renderings of what Disneyland would look like, and may I just say those park goers look like they just stepped out of a magazine cover shoot.
The initial thought was that a day at Disney was going to be a high end experience. Yes, there was loads of fun to be had, but you were going to look your best while doing it. When Disneyland first opened in 1955 that certainly was the case.
As you can see, the initial patrons of Disney did not mess around when it came to dress. The mostly had to do with the era in which Disneyland opened its gates. In the 1950’s there really was no such thing as lounge-wear, especially not in public. If you were going to be seen you needed to look your best, including children. Now, casual wear is perfectly acceptable to wear out and about and honestly it is preferred by most people. In 2011 however, a group of people decided that it was time that we bring back high end style to the parks, and with that, Dapper Day was born.
Dapper Day is held twice a year, once in the spring (late February or early March) and in the fall (September) and occurs at Disneyland, Disney World, and Euro Disney (only in the fall for the Paris location). The event celebrates how people wore their “Sunday Best” in the 50’s and 60’s and everyone is encouraged to dress as best as possible. While many people choose to go vintage for the event, there isn’t a requirement to do a throwback look. The idea of Dapper Day is just to look your best, whether that is vintage or contemporary style. And it’s not just for adults, either. Kids also can join in the fun.
Dapper Day is not directly affiliated with Disney, so there is no special ticket to buy. A standard park ticket and your own fashion sense will let you be a part of the Dapper Day celebration. If you really want to get into the spirit however, there are conventions set up nearby to show off your style and be a part of the true Dapper Day festivities. There are also meet ups inside the park so you can meet your fellow fashion folk and drink in the experience of Disney, giving you a taste of what it felt like when Walt himself roamed the park.
Want more info on Dapper Day? Visit www.dapperday.com to join in the fun.
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