by Marvel Diva
When I worked 
at Disney, I had two favorite times of year to work – Star Wars Weekends (RIP!) and Dapper Day! For those of you who are unaware, Dapper Day is a fan event, not sponsored by Disney, where you dress up in your Sunday best and visit the parks! Most take this to mean “vintage,” but all types of attire are welcome. (If you’re looking for more background on Dapper Day, try Passholder Diva’s article here.) This spring, Dapper Day falls on April 27th in Magic Kingdom and April 28th in Epcot. I loved working during this time because there was an elevated level of camaraderie between guests in the park! It was wonderful watching strangers become friends over outfits and their love for Disney!
Because of my (low) level of seniority at work, I wasn’t always confident that I’d have Dapper Day off work – or that I could trade shifts with a fellow coworker (most people wanted to celebrate Dapper Day too!). This meant that if I was able to go to Dapper Day, I was planning on quite a tight schedule and didn’t have a lot of time to put an outfit together! If you’re a last minute planner (like me!) or you’re just straight out of ideas – brainstorm along with my lists:
Time Frame:
I usually start by thinking about the time frame I’d like to dress up in. While there are no qualifications for Dapper Day attire, I’m partial to a vintage look (especially the 50s). What I love about Dapper Day is that I have an opportunity to go all in on a vintage fashion trend I’m fascinated by – and won’t have to explain myself at the grocery store! For ideas on what decades in action might look like:
1940s (women)
1940s (men)
1950s (women)
1950s (men)
1960s (women)
1960s (men)
1970s (women)
1970s (men)
Keep in mind that Florida’s weather is unpredictable! When brainstorming, always keep in mind that it might rain or that it will likely be very hot! This usually meant I wore converse with whatever dress I had planned.
Outfit Options:
Start with what’s already in your closet (or a friend’s!); don’t feel like you have to break the bank for Dapper Day! If you’re feeling creative, try a costume that’s inspired by a character or an attraction! One day I’d love to do Dapper Day in a costume that’s inspired by Jiminy Cricket! The internet is chock full of examples – let yourself be inspired by any of the lovely people in these photos: 1, 2, 3.
Photo Ops:
Half the fun of Dapper Day is taking photos. It’s like having a mini amateur photo shoot in the Most Magical Place on Earth! Of course a photo in front of the castle, on Main Street, and with Mickey are musts, but if you’re trying to break the mold, here are my suggestions:
Passholder Diva’s Family at Dapper Day!
Magic Kingdom:
Hub Grass
Purple Wall
Casting Door
Tangled Plaza
The Peoplemover
Castle Wall/Cinderella’s Fountain
Sword in the Stone
Epcot:
Bubblegum Wall
Fountain of Nations (& Spaceship Earth)
Victoria Gardens (Canada)
Torii Gate (Japan)
Temple of Heaven (China)
Bonus: The monorail!
This outfit was actually for a Halloween party, but I wanted to give a monorail example!
For more on walls and fun photo ops, try Pixie Dusted Diva’s advice.
We’d love to see your photos, ideas, and finished products! Tag us on Facebook , Twitter (@WDWDisneyDiva), and Instagram (@tipsfromthedisneydiva).
