In Disneyland's early years, guests attended the park in their "Sunday best." Women often wore dresses or a skirt and blouse, and men wore slacks and a button-up shirt. There was no specific dress-code, but the early guests of Disneyland knew that the park was the place to look their best.
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Young guests posing for a picture with Alice and the White Rabbit
Now, of course, most Disneyland guests wear their most comfortable clothes in order to maximize a full day in the parks. But, there are many Disneyland lovers who look back wistfully to the early style of Disneyland guests. A few of these such people came up with the concept of Dapper Day.
Dapper Day is a return to wearing your "Sunday Best" to the Disney Parks. Dapper Day Events celebrate "stepping out in style." Although no decade of dress is specifically required, many participants in Dapper Day model their outfits after fashions of the 40's, 50's, and 60's, paying homage to the original style of Disneyland guests. The point of Dapper Day is to showcase your best garments, looking fashionable and, well, dapper.
Dapper Day Attendees Posing in California Adventure
All ages are encouraged to attend and dress-up. Some families master the day quite beautifully too.
Two Families in their Fabulously Dapper Outfits
Another popular choice for Dapper Day is to Disneybound. Disneybounding is a way of dressing up as Disney characters in a sort of roundabout way, as adults are not allowed to wear actual Disney costumes into the parks. Those who dress in Disneybound style copy the colors, theme or hair/make-up of their favorite Disney character.
A Dapper Day Group Disneybounding as the Characters in Toy Story
This last Friday, Sept. 18, was one of the biannual Dapper Days in Disneyland. An event that originated in 2011, is now attended by over 20,000 in Disneyland, Disney World, and Disneyland Paris. Although Dapper Day is an event inside the Disney Parks, it is not affiliated with the Disney franchise itself. It is just like other Disney dress-up days, like Galli Day (Dr. Who themed), Pin-up Parade, Star Wars Fan Day, and more, in which anyone who wants can dress-up and join in on the fun.
Dapper Day is the most popular and fastest growing Disney dress-up day. This September, in Anaheim, Dapper Day expanded to include not only an expo in the Disneyland Hotel, but also a car show.
As someone who participated in Dapper Day for the first time last Friday, it is a day that is not to be missed. An already nostalgia-inducing location is so much more memorable on a Dapper Day. As you wander through the parks, it makes your heart swell to see guests all dressed up and matching the retro style of Disneyland.
My Friends and I on Our First Dapper Day
I love Disneyland, and Dapper Day has easily become my favorite day in the parks. It's wonderful to have a day just for posing for pictures and pretending that the world is a simpler place. Even though Disneyland is growing everyday, it is fun to transport yourself back to a time in which Walt Disney himself was still dreaming of Disneyland's future.
