Dressing up box tips?

[sauceyorange]

I'm thinking of putting together a dressing up box for my 3.5 yr old for Christmas. Keen to avoid stuffing it full of new costumes and things so just wondered what your most treasured items were when you were small. We had an ancient hooded towel (red riding hood cloak) and a wooden shield I recall fondly. Are there things which could be made (ideally not sewn) or picked up second hand? Thanks for ideas in advance

I reckon there'll be loads of people on Facebook and eBay (and maybe free cycle) looking to offload costumes after Halloween so maybe keep an eye out in early Nov!

That's a great idea, ta

I've got it in mind to do this for my LO. A friend mentioned starting to make one for hers recently and she was going to put scarves and floaty material so child could use to make their own costume for whatever character they want to be. I've also got hats and feather boas from past hen parties that I think could be good.

My favourite were these hideous long electric blue gloves- type that once would have been worn with a ball gown. I used to wear them all the time, along with an old nursing cape and collection of fake beads. I'm sure you could pick something similar up on eBay or in a charity shop!

I loved my cousin’s dressing up box when I was little. This was before you could buy costumes - it was all old clothes, gloves, hats etc. My absolute favourite was a skirt with loads of narrow pleats that swirled out when I turned round and round fast!

Accessory items rather than full outfits - they encourage more imagination. Include shoes. My son used to rock his high viz jacket with glittery shoes and beads. I made him a generic superhero cape for Christmas a few yrs ago with fleece and sewed on felt emblems, really cheap to make and easy! A range of hats and a child sale mirror if you haven't got one to admire all your new outfits!

I got my daughter a few of the big chunky knecklaces and bracelets, that were in fashion about 10 years ago. She loves them.

my ds loved his yellow workman's hat
you can also get police hats

have a look round your charity shops op.

Definitely charity shop hats long beads (just watch her with beads) mine loved them but had a tendency to whack them all on at once so just be aware.
We had a few Disney type dresses but also scarves hats and a medieval style dress her gran made. They loved old ball gown evening wear dresses in small sizes from charity shop. We had lots of funny fashion shows as they got older music on pretend runway and who can style the daftest outfit with commentary.

We asked all our relatives to buy a costume for their joint Christmas present and got several brilliant outfits that we couldn't justify the cost of otherwise! Favourites are a dinosaur, pirate and fox. We got the dressing up box. The kids loved it and still play with it a lot. You could add cheap accessories from Poundland etc and your old clothes. I used to love dressing up in my mum's stuff and putting on a fashion show.

A really heavy diamanté tiara, child size lace gloves, my grandad's old slippers (mostly used as bear paws) and mum's wedding dress.

My dd has lots of my old jewellery, bags, purses, store cards etc.

I also collect lots of dressing up bits from local freebie pages on Facebook

I went to cheap charity shops to make one when DD was similar age - scarves, sari material, bracelets and beads etc. She loved it, and got a lot of imaginative play out of it

Agree with @AintOverUntilTheCatLadySings re the purses and old store cards - these were a big fave especially coupled with a till with noises!

I work in a nursery and our dressing up box consists of
Hats
Glasses- you can take the lenses out
Handbags
Scarves
Bangles
Bead necklaces
Pieces of fabric, about a metre is ideal
Purses
Mobile phones
Old keys, the bigger the better

We have contacts in the charity shops and get stuff the shop can’t sell

Hats are brilliant. I bought DD 10 melissa and doug hat packs for christmas (both the boys and girls packs) when she was 3.

Plus cheap superhero capes and masks off ebay. Other than that scraps of material or scarves and accessories are great.

I make sure she has one bought outfit usually a gift at christmas or birthday. There are loads of reductions after world book day, and I often get at 25% off from Sainsburys. Size up a couple of years so theres lots of wear.

A few years ago on Christmas Eve, I got a long blue dress from Sainsbury's... It was a Mary costume, but all the nativity costumes were massively reduced. It's was only about £4. It's moved onto DD2 now, and still one of the favourite dresses. (Toddler DD2 got a donkey costume at the same time for a similar price). The nativity costumes are very glittery and shiny, so might be worth a look close to Christmas!

Wigs
Net curtains
Hats of any sort
Any sort of old ladies (!!) dress that can double for princess etc.
Waistcoats
Bags

Treasure. A wooden/cardboard box filled with old jewellery, coins, small objects which catch the eye, home made maps, brass ornaments, even at this time of year large conkers and acorns, favourite pebbles etc.

Also wigs, hats, shoes, baskets, bags, purses, animal masks, shawls, scarves etc.

Mine never played with the actual dressing up costumes, they more wanted to dress up in layers of 'grown-up' stuff and fill their pockets or bags with treasure!

@Emeeno1

Treasure. A wooden/cardboard box filled with old jewellery, coins, small objects which catch the eye, home made maps, brass ornaments, even at this time of year large conkers and acorns, favourite pebbles etc.

Also wigs, hats, shoes, baskets, bags, purses, animal masks, shawls, scarves etc.

Mine never played with the actual dressing up costumes, they more wanted to dress up in layers of 'grown-up' stuff and fill their pockets or bags with treasure!

Yes this, any old crap which looks like it might be 'treasure' like gemstones etc. My dc liked old proper clothes and shoes rather than bought costumes too.

Brilliant idea!
I had an old bridesmaid dress that my mum wore, it was lovely, pale blue and floaty.

Get something stretchy and a bit too big. My 8 & 9 y old dc still wear their dressing up costumes from when they were 3 ish!

These are all brilliant ideas, thank you. It's making me feel all nostalgic for our old moth eaten feather boa

Net curtains! Of course. How would you practice getting married without?