The value of dress-ups
13 July 10
Our girls love to play with their dress-ups box. It’s a narrow, deep box sitting in their playroom — easy to pack away into, and big enough to hold rackets and other sports gear. I add to it every now and again, hiding new treasures that they’ll find when they look for old favourites.
If you haven’t got a specific collection of dressing-up gear, start one today.
Dress-up costumes don’t need to be branded items. Include sparkly dresses for girls, vests for boys, wigs, scarves, ties, belts, hats, gloves and glasses.
Some children really enjoy sports-themed dress-ups. Others prefer something more dramatic, such as face-masks and full-body suits. Children’s imaginations allow them to transform glasses into a scuba mask, a pillow-case into a flying cape and a tie into a bandage over a wound.
An added bonus is that children playing with dress-ups together start dressing each other. They engage the other children in their own fantasies, they practice tying knots, threading ties and doing buttons.
When I’m in op shops (thrift stores), I browse the racks of out-dated fashions, searching for something that my kids can use in their imaginary games. Because I have girls, my eye is always caught by sequins and feathers. But I have learned from experience that feathers are not nearly as easy to clean up as sequins (it looked like a red chicken was plucked in my living room after the tug-of-war was finished), so I will walk past any future feather boas.
Giving children open access to play clothes means that they sometimes look over-dressed or under-dressed. The results can certainly be hilarious!
Have you got a collection of dress-ups? What items do your kids like to pull out?
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1 · amandab · 13 July 2010, 09:37
I just bought a new wheelie bin type storage for our dress ups last week, and was told I was “the best” when Princess saw it! Most of the dress ups we have are items Princess has selected herself items being thrown out by my mum or myself. Her favourite items are scarves or wraps, which can be dresses, skirts, capes, veils … practically anything! Oh, and I tried to leave a message yesterday, but commenting was closed .. I have an award for you! Thank you for some inspiring reads :) http://homeage.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/versatile-bloggers-award/
2 · Larissa · 13 July 2010, 10:24
I enjoyed this post though it made me sad as my girls dress-up days are long past at 10 and 12 years old. They use “real” clothes now and I often hear the words “its not a fashion parade” come out of my mouth as we prepare to go to the shops!
3 · Marita · 13 July 2010, 10:46
Dress ups are so much fun :) My girls recently decided to make their own Iron Man Butterfly costumes using bicycle helmets, knee/arm pads and play silks for wings. I can just see Tony Stark/Iron Man flying about with beautiful rainbow silk wings ROFL
4 · Foxglove Spires · 13 July 2010, 11:04
My daughter loves wearing ballet costumes or princess ones especial long elegant gowns as she describes them. Your children look like they have a wonderful time dressing up, Thanks for the pictures.
5 · Rosemary · 13 July 2010, 11:07
My dd is not into dress ups as much as some other little girls though she does have some fairy costumes and princess type dress up clothes. She is becoming more aware of ‘real’ fashion which I can’t believe and she’s only 6!!!
6 · Tina · 13 July 2010, 11:48
What a great post, some lovely pics there to show the girls when they are older!! I haven’t got a dress up box, just a few items here and there…. but will start one, so thanks for the inspiration!
7 · SquiggleMum · 13 July 2010, 12:21
My son loves dressups as much as his sister!
8 · Manda · 13 July 2010, 12:41
Girls will be girls… do we ever really outgrow the desire to get “dressed up” sometimes. I know that a night out at a fancy restaurant gets my mind spinning about what I should wear. It could be however that I do love clothes… This was a great post.
9 · Belinda · 13 July 2010, 13:12
I love, love, love dress-ups, especially ones that are not commercially made. I’m often found scouring second-hand shops for ‘fancy dresses’, as we like to call them, and I’ve found some gems. I also look for shirts, ties and overalls for my boy (who absolutely refuses to put on a dress!!) He loves to wear his bathers as a ‘footy guernsey’ too!
10 · Jo Princess Warrior · 13 July 2010, 13:37
my boys love dressing up and have sometimes left the house in their ‘odd’ combinations.
11 · Hear Mum Roar · 13 July 2010, 16:04
I agree about hitting the op-shops as well! I once found a 50 cent tutu, and a six dollar tinky winky costume!
12 · Catherine · 13 July 2010, 16:12
Hats, glasses and bags are the favourite dress up items for my boys.
13 · Becky · 13 July 2010, 19:12
Great post! My girls love dressing up, but we don’t have many dress-ups at the moment. I want to start a dress-up box. At the moment both girls love to wear my veil :)
14 · Jinnia · 14 July 2010, 03:22
Lauren, you have an amazing blog. Love the header and graphics! Oh, and the unchurching lifestyle article! I can’t wait to read more about your adventures with that, as my hubby and I have been wondering how in the world the time investment on Sunday morning church service is really helping. I’m following you now from MBC Simply Follow! Come visit me at http://jinnialow.com Have a blessed day! Jinnia
15 · LoriM · 14 July 2010, 05:35
I have a hilarious photo of my nephew at about age 3 – in a ladies’ dressup outfit and a ballet pose. He’s 16 now – and on Facebook…. oh, it’s so tempting….
16 · joyce:waddleeahchaa.com · 14 July 2010, 06:07
Boys love dress-up too! Put some boots, backpacks, vest, googles, hats of all kinds, gloves and they will entertain themselves as long as a bunch of girls will. Thanks for the post. :)
17 · Anne · 14 July 2010, 10:07
My son loves dress up! Typically he is either in some athletic uniform, or attempting an occupation, but other times it’s just silly hats, glasses, and the like.
18 · Kelly Be A Fun Mum · 15 July 2010, 07:55
I just love it! The kids look like they had an awesome time!
19 · Colleen - Sunrise Learning Lab · 15 July 2010, 10:26
Looks like your children were having fun dressing up…my sons like to do that as well…they love wearing cowboy hats, super hero capes, or random creations they put together. I popped by your blog today via the link up at Childhood 101. Have a nice week! :) Colleen
20 · Melissa · 16 July 2010, 11:53
Unfortunately my boys have never been in to dress ups, except for capes when they went through a super hero stage. When they were in to pirates, we bought some pirate pants & a t-shirt, but they’ve grown out of these now. It looks like your kids had a great time playing dress ups.