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We all know at least one kid who refuses to wear anything but a princess dress — or a wizard cape, or a Spider-Man costume — from morning to night. And as silly as it can seem to adults, pretending to be someone else is critical to children’s development. “It requires both focus to stay in character and creative thinking to adapt to fit your role,” says Jocelyn Greene, founder of Child’s Play NY, a theater program offering classes, camps, and party services. “When they engage in dramatic play, kids are practicing ‘theory of mind,’ which helps them differentiate themselves from others and is foundational for empathy.”
Children get the most out of playing dress-up starting at around age 3, but any seasoned parent will tell you that the benefits of this type of play can start earlier and will continue for many years. Greene says these skills can’t be taught; kids need play to learn them, and even the simplest costumes and props can spark their imaginations and support their brain development. Dressing up is also just plain fun, as any actor, fashion designer, or stylist can agree. And it doesn’t have to be expensive. Greene likes filling a costume trunk with personal items like great-grandma’s coin purse or a belt you wore in the ’90s. Erin Boyle, mom of three and the writer behind Reading My Tea Leaves, also suggests hitting up your local thrift stores to find fun and affordable dress-up accessories.
But as with other products meant for kids, the younger the child, the more that safety should be a top concern. “Poorly made clothes and accessories with loose buttons or rhinestones can be tricky because my toddler puts everything in her mouth,” says Natalie Ebel, co-founder of Backdrop. She also advises against anything covered in low-quality glitter — if it’s shedding sparkles, leave it on the shelf because it will “haunt you forever.” To find the best dress-up costumes and accessories, we spoke to seven experts, including parents, educators, and toy influencers, about everything you need to build a fantastic dress-up trunk.
Play silks
Greene and Boyle both recommended looking for dress-up items that are open-ended and can be adapted for many uses and functions, and named silk play scarves the best example of an open-ended dress-up prop. Boyle says that Sarah’s Silks — a brand we have written about multiple times — is the easiest place to find play silks online but she also suggests buying handmade sets on Etsy. “They’re colorful, they feel nice, and they’re not prescriptive, so kids put them to use in a million different ways: ball gown one minute, knight’s cape another, sail of a pirate ship the next,” she says.
Wings, capes, hats, and other accessories
“In a dress-up starter kit I recommend some capes, wings, gloves, and lots of hats,” says Greene, noting that accessories give children the flexibility to customize a look and put their own stamp on a character.
She suggests providing a variety of options that range from realistic (different pairs of glasses) to magical (a wand) to creature-based (tails or wings). This mix might result in unexpected story lines where, for example, they are “part doctor, part cat, who uses their magical wand to save other animals,” she says.
On a practical level, accessories don’t take up as much space as complete costumes but often get more mileage, says Boyle. Ebel adds that they are often more appropriate for younger children because they are easier to wear: “While my toddler loves putting on long, flowy dresses, she often trips on them,” she explains.
One way to make dressing up easier is to get an old-fashioned pinafore apron that kids can put on over their clothes; I learned this tip from my own brother, Emil Corsillo, after he bought one for my 4-year-old niece. The Downton Abbey–esque garment can be used as a cooking apron, a nurse’s smock, or a base layer for a princess or dancer. It’s also simple enough to wear to school without looking like a costume.
Strategist contributor Regan Fletcher Stephens, who is also the co-founder of Saltete travel guides, recommends stocking your kid’s dress-up trunk with a bunch of bandanas. “They’re infinitely useful, well beyond western-themed dressing,” she says, explaining that you can fold them into bags, shirts, or dresses for babies, or tie them into bows or even pretend they are hair.
And for kids who spend hours playing parent or babysitter, the authenticity of a doll-size Ergobaby baby carrier is hard to beat.
Costume jewelry
Whether it’s from a thrift store, passed down from a friend, or bought new, costume jewelry is always a hit with kids. I like the high-quality play baubles by Super Smalls, which are designed with help from the founder’s own kids. The chunky necklaces and headbands are also among Ebel’s (and her daughter’s) favorite pieces. “It’s fun, glitzy jewelry that my 5-year-old wears all the time,” Ebel says. You can also get great kids’ jewels from places like J.Crew, Claire’s, and Target’s in-house Cat & Jack line.
Professions
Space exploration and astronauts are a classic dress-up options and ones that Ebel’s daughter often comes back to. This astronaut costume from Melissa & Doug, the brand most recommended by the experts I interviewed, is realistic and well-made while also quite affordable, and comes with a shiny silver helmet and gloves.
Lots of kids love to be heroes and center their pretend play around rescuing and healing, especially where it concerns taking care of animals. This dress-up set includes a vet’s scrub top, mask, cap, thermometer, stethoscope with sound effects, syringe, plush dog, and reusable name tag. For added realness, Corsillo recommends getting kids an actual working (kid-size) stethoscope so they can listen to their own heartbeat and that of their friends or pets.
For kids who love to perform, this magician set includes a hat, cape, sequined vest, trick coin, magic wand, and disappearing white rabbit.
This customizable chef coat and hat is a bit pricier than the Melissa & Doug version. But since it’s made from 100 percent cotton, it’ll stand up to more messes and more washings if you’re gifting it to a child who might wear it to actually cook.
Toy influencer Marissa Ashton, who is also mom to a 2-year-old, recommends this pretend makeup kit for kids who like to play makeup artist or stylist. The set comes with 16 different items, including two brushes, a 12-shade eye-shadow palette, and even a set of pretend makeup remover wipes, and its Caboodle-style case conveniently holds everything inside.
Disney Princesses, Spider-Man, and Other Favorite (Licensed) Characters
Elsa and the rest of the Disney gals are still a big deal, as are Descendants, Harry Potter, Pikachu, Spider-Man, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Sports and music stars like Lionel Messi and Taylor Swift are also a huge source of dress-up inspiration for the young fans who adore them.
My niece has a large collection of princess dresses, and according to her parents, the best ones are from the brand Little Adventures because they are affordable, well made, and easy to put in the washing machine. Ebel also points out that you don’t always have to purchase full outfits or even costumes to get the look they’re going for: There are plenty of character-driven masks, wigs, glasses, and headbands that’ll bring children just as much joy.
Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio also recommends shopping for character hoodies and T-shirts from kids’ clothing brands like Hanna Andersson; they often double as dress-up and regular clothes, perfect for those kids who like to live every day as their favorite character.
Base Layers
Trolio also recommends buying a rainbow of durable basics like T-shirts and leggings that kids can easily use as the base layer for any costume they can come up with, from dragons and unicorns to ballerinas and firefighters. The colorful basics from kids’ brand Primary are her favorite because they’re affordable and they last. Target’s Cat & Jack line is another affordable option that Trolio and her kids often turn to — for Halloween one year, her older daughters used a pair of the brand’s black sparkle leggings as the foundation for a “glitter bat” look.
Our experts:
• Marissa Ashton, toy influencer and parent
• Erin Boyle of Reading My Tea Leaves
• Emil Corsillo, designer and parent
• Natalie Ebel, cofounder of Backdrop
• Jocelyn Greene, founder of Child’s Play NY
• Ariel Grun, VP of merchandising at Camp
• Regan Fletcher Stephens, Strategist contributor and co-founder of Saltete
• Jen Trolio, Strategist senior editor and mom of two
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