Disneybound

plural Disneybounds · alternative DisneyBound

1. slanguncountablelifestyleThe practice of Disneybounding; incorporating The Walt Disney Company–themed elements in one’s fashion.

   When showing off a Disneybound outfit online, it’s good form to link to where others can buy those clothes.

   2017, Zoe Fraade-Blanar, Aaron M. Glazer, Superfandom: How Our Obsessions Are Changing What We Buy and Who We Are, Profile Books, →ISBN

   2 more examples

   Disneybound has an even stronger impact when it’s seen on a pair or group, [Leo] Camacho said. […] The objective of Disneybound is to extract the essence of the character’s outfit and convey it subtly. […] Ultimately, “Disneybound is all about individuality,” she [Leslie Kay] said, and what she wants is for people to take the idea and use it to express their personal style, whether it’s punk, goth, sporty, vintage or preppy.

   2015 November 18, Lisa Liddane, “Can’t dress up at Disneyland? Streetwear meets Disney in ‘Disneybound’ style”, in The Orange County Register, archived from the original on 04 May 2017

   In addition, one of the more formal ways that Cosplayers extend the Cosplay experiences in everyday life is by practicing Disneybound, […] Disneybound Bambi is accomplished by wearing light brown clothing and a scarf with white dots, […] In addition to the sartorial practice of Disneybound, there is Princessing and Princing, which range from dressing and performing as princesses and princess to wearing portions of costumes or clothes color blocked similar to a princess or prince characters. […] Cosplayers participate in Disneybound and Princessing/Princing because it allows them to share their love of their favorite characters beyond the fandom too.

   2019, Therèsa M. Winge, Costuming Cosplay: Dressing the Imagination, Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN

2. countableslanglifestyleAn outfit that incorporates The Walt Disney Company–themed elements; or, the incorporation itself.

   4 more examples

   Instead of wearing full-on costumes as cosplayers do, Disneybounders dress up in stylish, everyday outfits (known as Disneybounds) that are simply inspired by a particular character. […] Leslie Kay, the woman behind the DisneyBound Tumblr, showing off her Alice from "Alice in Wonderland" Disneybound. […] One big misconception, according to Leslie, is that a Disneybound is a costume. Disneybounders think of a character’s clothes and style as more of a jumping off point, rather than something to replicate exactly.

   2017 November 15, Kelsey Borresen, “‘Disneybounding’ Is The Dress-Up Trend Creative Fans Are Obsessed With”, in HuffPost, archived from the original on 03 Oct 2018

   Since I got my start with Disney-inspired outfits, I’ll open this guide with Disneybounds, including everyone’s favorite princesses and villains, as well as some lesser-known characters. […] I found a dress on Amazon for thirty dollars, which is more than I would usually spend on a single piece, but since it was a plain dress that I could use for other Disneybounds and casual cosplays, it was worth it.

   2021, Krystal Everdeen, Casual Cosplay: Character-Inspired Fashion You Can Wear Anywhere, Tiller Press, →ISBN, page 11

   One prominent social media influencer in the world of Disneybounding, Leslie Kay, contends that the appeal of the practice is that ‘it uses clothes to recreate the outfits of your favorite Disney characters without being costume-y. You could go to school or the mall in a Disneybound and not get pegged for being in costume.’

   2021, Emma Pett, Experiencing Cinema: Participatory Film Cultures, Immersive Media and the Experience Economy, Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN

   It did not occur to me that my Disneybounding and scholarly plans might intervene, yet I was quickly fascinated by how guests and Cast Members alike would interact with me more the more recognizable my Disneybound was. […] Figure 9.1: The author wearing a Belle Disneybound. […] For example, if I had looked angry or upset, other guests may have been less likely to interact with me, even when I was in full Disneybound.

   2022, Rebecca Rowe, “To Act Like a Kid or Not to Act Like a Kid: Disneybounding in the Parks”, in Sabrina Mittermeier, editor, Fan Phenomena: Disney, Intellect, →ISBN, part 2 (The Disney Theme Parks and Their Fans)

present singular third person Disneybounds · participle present Disneybounding · participle past Disneybounded · past Disneybounded · alternative DisneyBound

1. ambitransitiveslanglifestyleTo incorporate The Walt Disney Company–themed elements (of a specific character) in one’s fashion; especially, to dress in a style reminiscent of a particular Disney character, but not similar enough to violate theme park rules against cosplay.

   Most folks who Disneybound do so specifically for trips to Disney World or Disneyland, but the more subtle the references are in an outfit, the more likely they can be inconspicuous out in public.

   2023 March 1, Casey Clark, “Disneybounding lets you dress up as your favorite Disney characters”, in The Daily Journal, volume 149, number 51, page 5B

   3 more examples

   “I have Disneybounded Merida, Minnie Mouse, Buzz Lightyear. … I have two different Ariel ones,” said [Elyssa] Kivus, 27. “I really like meeting the character when you’re Disneybounding as that character,” she said.

   2015 May 18, Dewayne Bevil, “Disney fans display devotion”, in Sun Sentinel, volume 56, number 23, page 3B

   Stephanie Danet Disneybounding as Princess Jasmine from "Aladdin." […] Leslie [Kay] Disneybounding as the bird Becky from "Finding Dory." […] Brittani Enos-Blake Disneybounding as Snow White. She wore a Magic Mirror pin instead of carrying an actual mirror. […] Sara Katz-Scher Disneybounding as Minnie Mouse. […] Keshia [Sih-Tseng] and her husband Kevin Disneybounding as Han Solo and Chewbacca from "Star Wars." […] Sarah [Sterling] and her boyfriend, Leo [Camacho], Disneybounding as Dory and Nemo from "Finding Nemo."

   2017 November 15, Kelsey Borresen, “‘Disneybounding’ Is The Dress-Up Trend Creative Fans Are Obsessed With”, in HuffPost, archived from the original on 03 Oct 2018

   Fans can also cosplay as Disney characters (although notably, not at the Disney parks themselves), or even ‘Disneybound’, a practice where fans dress in similar colours or looks to their favourite Disney characters (see also Rebecca Rowe’s chapter in this volume). […] [Rebecca Rowe, “To Act Like a Kid or Not to Act Like a Kid: Disneybounding in the Parks”] Moreover, on multiple occasions that day, people singled me out to talk to me, ignoring the rest of my family who were not Disneybounding. […] The one day that I did not Disneybound, I immediately faded into the background. / This experience deeply fascinated me: why would others treat me differently when they see me Disneybounding? […] On the other hand, guests may be more likely to approach someone who seems to be having a good time, whether or not they are Disneybounding, because childlike wonder and playfulness are part of Disney’s image of the child, suggesting that the guest is performing Disney’s script of childhood. […] BIPoC guests, likewise, can reimagine their chosen characters simply by Disneybounding as them (i.e. a Black Ariel).

   2022, Sabrina Mittermeier, editor, Fan Phenomena: Disney, Intellect, →ISBN, part 2 (The Disney Theme Parks and Their Fans)

plural DisneyBounds

1. alternativecountableuncountableAlternative form of Disneybound.

   Instead, fans participate in DisneyBound by dressing in a way that “suggests” the character without “replicating” the character.

   2019, Susan Veness, Walt Disney World Hacks: 350+ Park Secrets for Making the Most of Your Walt Disney World Vacation, Adams Media, →ISBN, page 116

   4 more examples

   Disney World stores sell merchandise that could be considered DisneyBound materials, particularly at fashion-forward outlets such as the Tren-D store at Downtown Disney.

   2015 June 2, Dewayne Bevil, “Made ya look!: ‘DisneyBounding’ encourages adult fans heading to the iconic theme parks to wear age-appropriate, subtle ‘costumes’ channeling favorite characters, from Ariel to Aladdin”, in Star-Telegram, 110th year, number 38, Forth Worth, Tex., page 1C

   When you mix-and-match outfit components based on their solid colors, this is known as color blocking. In casual or DisneyBound cosplay, this technique is used by wearing everyday clothes that match the color, style, or patterns of your favorite characters’ outfits.

   2021, Amy Ratcliffe, A Kid’s Guide to Fandom: Exploring Fan-Fic, Cosplay, Gaming, Podcasting, and More in the Geek World!, Running Press Kids, →ISBN

   DisneyBound, or bounding, involves creating an outfit inspired by your favorite character in a casual way—unlike cosplay, which is a costume. […] Unlike cosplay, DisneyBound allows for more flexibility from its wearer because it’s everyday clothes.

   2022, Emily Zemler, “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo: Fashion”, in Disney Princess: Beyond the Tiara: The Stories + The Influence + The Legacy, Epic Ink, →ISBN, page 112

   As part of an analysis of the DisneyBound practice, Nettie A. Brock surveyed a sample of DisneyBounders. […] In to an article published by the Huffington Post [which uses Disneybounds], Kelsey Borresen writes, / DisneyBounding is a subtler, more fashion-forward way for fans to show their love for Disney. Instead of wearing full-on costumes as cosplayers do, DisneyBounders dress up in stylish, everyday outfits (known as DisneyBounds) that are simply inspired by a particular character. (2017: n.pag.) […] The process of creating and wearing a DisneyBound outfit moves from imitation and illusion to deep and often indescribable identification with the archetypal images of Disney’s brand.

   2022, Dori S. Koehler, “I Am Disney Bound: Costuming as Psycho-Spiritual Practice”, in Priscilla Hobbs, editor, Interpreting and Experiencing Disney: Mediating the Mouse, Intellect, →ISBN

present singular third person DisneyBounds · participle present DisneyBounding · participle past DisneyBounded · past DisneyBounded

1. alternativeAlternative form of Disneybound.

   Anyone can DisneyBound as any character, regardless of gender, and it can be as simplistic or elaborate as one wants.

   2022, Emily Zemler, “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo: Fashion”, in Disney Princess: Beyond the Tiara: The Stories + The Influence + The Legacy, Epic Ink, →ISBN, page 112

   2 more examples

   “I have DisneyBounded Merida, Minnie Mouse, Buzz Lightyear. … I have two different Ariel ones,” said [Elyssa] Kivus, 27. “I really like meeting the character when you’re DisneyBounding as that character,” she said.

   2015 June 2, Dewayne Bevil, “Made ya look!: ‘DisneyBounding’ encourages adult fans heading to the iconic theme parks to wear age-appropriate, subtle ‘costumes’ channeling favorite characters, from Ariel to Aladdin”, in Star-Telegram, 110th year, number 38, Forth Worth, Tex., page 1C

   As we continue to participate with our ritual, our stories are renewed. This is true of the way Disney fans cosplay and DisneyBound. When a character captivates a fan, they are drawn into the archetypal power of a story. […] As early as 2014, I personally witnessed fans DisneyBounding characters such as Pinocchio and Donald Duck at the parks in Anaheim.

   2022, Dori S. Koehler, “I Am Disney Bound: Costuming as Psycho-Spiritual Practice”, in Priscilla Hobbs, editor, Interpreting and Experiencing Disney: Mediating the Mouse, Intellect, →ISBN