Collaborative Post
Thursday 4th March marks the date of World Book Day 2021, and for many parents, it’s a day of mixed emotions. For those that were up late the night before, ferociously stitching a costume together, there’s a competitive element. We all want our children to look the best, and take proud parent photos, as we milestone their school journey – and look back at costume ideas from years gone by.
But a recent survey conducted by nursery chain, Kiddi Caru actually revealed that the majority of parents buy their child’s costume – 60% in fact. In the same survey, parents were asked a number of questions about their attitudes towards World Book Day, as well as time and money spent on making (or purchasing!) costumes. As we lead up to the big day, the all-important question is: what will be the most popular costume for World Book Day 2021?
Harry Potter
Always a popular option, the JK Rowling character topped the poll with 30% of the vote, and it’s not surprising when you consider how easy it is to put a costume together. Your starting point is just a regular school uniform – so a pair of black or grey trousers, a white shirt with a grey V-neck jumper and black school shoes.
Once you’ve got all those basic items, it’s time to get creative. The jumpers and ties are accented with the four colours of the different houses, so once your child has decided whether they’ll relish being in Ravenclaw, or are gaga for Gryffindor, like the eponymous hero – it’s time to get decorating! Fun felt is always a good idea here, and you can get your child involved in cutting and sticking the stripes.
The most important item, of course, is those black glasses. And if you don’t have a lensless pair to hand, don’t fret. Download this printable and make your own. And while your printer is on, make sure you’ve got an image of the house badge for the jumper. You can always laminate it before sticking the pin on, so it can be re-used for future costumes.
Elsa (Frozen)
There’s always some controversy when it comes to World Book Day and film characters, but the survey revealed that 68% parents believed that Superhero costumes were acceptable, and for that same reason, Disney Princesses must be included too. And of all the Disney Princesses, Elsa was the most popular – receiving 23% of the votes.
Of course, buying an Elsa dress, complete with braid is the easiest option – and you’ll have no problems scouring the internet for one. But if you’re looking to get more creative, making an Elsa costume can be as easy or difficult as you want to make it, all depending on how comfortable you are with a sewing machine.
The no-sew option is your best bet and all you need are two items – lots and lots of tulle in different shades and an elasticated waist band. Simply cut your tulle into strips and tie them around the waist band, alternating the colours as you go. Pair it with a long-sleeved blue top and you’re halfway there!
For the trademark braid, you can easily buy a blonde wig, or even a clip-in or tie-in hair piece. But if the little princess in your life has Rapunzel-esque long hair, check out this amazing visual tutorial and step-by-step guide from Makeup Wearables.
The Gruffalo
For pre-school children, anything by Julia Donaldson is always a winner. While the Gruffalo earned 17% of the vote in terms of popular costumes, you could also consider Zog – and characters from Stick Man, Room on the Broom and The Scarecrows’ Wedding can all be easily replicated, depending on which book is your child’s favourite.
Superheroes
It could be argued that superhero costumes are fine, because they derive from comic book characters – although most of us are more familiar with them through the DC and Marvel film franchises – and in most cases, these outfits are bought rather than crafted. But superheroes were a hit with parents of boys, receiving 17% of the vote.
Other ideas to inspire:
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Peppa Pig
- Paw Patrol
- Paddington Bear
- Where’s Wally
So, what will you be dressing your children up as this World Book Day?
I love World book day! My son is 13 now so won’t be taking part but I work in a school so I do tend to dress up. Last year I was Wendy from Peter Pan this year I think I will go for Matilda this year! Although most children won’t be in school x
I really should start thinking about this. At the moment my son doesn’t have any costumes that fit him.
We won’t be dressing up this year, we’re creating a book nook instead along with the rest of the class!
My kids aren’t dressing up this year, which is a shame. My daughter would love to go as Hermoine from Harry Potter and my son, some kind of superhero.