Disneybound
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: Disneybounds
form: DisneyBound
Etymology: Coined by Leslie Kalbfleisch (a.k.a. Leslie Kay) in 2011 with her Tumblr blog called DisneyBound, from Disney + -bound. Kay described the context: “It was a travel site. My best friend and I were heading to Disney World, and we had been planning that trip since we were young … I was using this blog as a way to channel my excitement because we were literally Disney-bound. So I started doing these outfits, which is something that I always did when I was a little kid … I could dress up in these clothes without it actually being a costume.”
Senses: examples: text: When showing off a Disneybound outfit online, it’s good form to link to where others can buy those clothes.
ref: 2017, Zoe Fraade-Blanar, Aaron M. Glazer, Superfandom: How Our Obsessions Are Changing What We Buy and Who We Are, Profile Books, →ISBN:
text: 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.
ref: 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:
text: 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.
ref: 2019, Therèsa M. Winge, Costuming Cosplay: Dressing the Imagination, Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN:
topics: lifestyle
glosses: The practice of Disneybounding; incorporating The Walt Disney Company–themed elements in one’s fashion.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 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:
text: 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.
ref: 2021, Krystal Everdeen, Casual Cosplay: Character-Inspired Fashion You Can Wear Anywhere, Tiller Press, →ISBN, page 11:
text: 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.’
ref: 2021, Emma Pett, Experiencing Cinema: Participatory Film Cultures, Immersive Media and the Experience Economy, Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN:
text: 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.
ref: 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):
topics: lifestyle
glosses: An outfit that incorporates The Walt Disney Company–themed elements; or, the incorporation itself.