How to Make a No Fuss Dress Up Box for Girls

Little girls who love to dress up will love this dress up box. Everything in this box can be found at thrift stores and garage sales. The contents encourage creative play and adults will love the ease of use.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Old Suitcase
• Various Items from Thrift Stores or Garage Sales

1. 
   Suitcase with compartments

   Find an old suitcase to hold all of the dress up items. I found this one for $2. The small compartments in the top and sides work great for sorting things. Try to find a medium size case. In order to make the suitcase safe, permanently disable the latches or zipper on the suitcase so that it can't be zipped or latched.

2. 
   Assortment of head scarves

   Head scarves are the main dress up item to look for. So buy as many as possible. I paid a quarter for mine. They become dresses, veils, skirts, etc. Tie two together and drape over a shoulder for a toga. Add a second set to the other shoulder and tie another one around the waist and you have a dress. Put one over the head and its a veil. There are endless possibilities for head scarves when playing dress up. Hand wash these and hang dry before using.

3. 

   Look for and purchase nylon night gowns. Why nylon? The nylon will not fray when cut. Cut open the front for easy dressing but do not shorten the length. Use these gowns as robes with long trains.

4. 
   A silver and gold pair of shoes

   Next look for shoes. I recommend flats. A gold and silver pair are perfect. Machine wash on gentle and air dry.

5. 
   Jewelry

   Look for inexpensive jewelry. Long beads and arm cuffs are best.

6. 
   Colorful hats

   Any hat is a great addition to a dress up box, but try to find ones that fit easily and are comfortable. Get an assortment of wide brim and soft brim hats.

7. 
   Gloves

   Gloves are a great addition, but may require a little help to put on.

8. 
   Purses

   No outfit is complete without a purse. Try to find the smaller bags. Find ones in many different colors and styles. Add combs, brushes and small mirrored compacts to these.

9. 
   Bunches of flowers

   Look for plastic flowers. Don't buy ones that have a sharp wire end. Usually single stem flowers come this way. Instead look for bunches with a plastic end. These become bouquets.

10. 
    Sunglasses

    Look for old sunglasses and glasses cases to add to the dress up box.

11. 
    Lace

    Lace of any kind is a great addition. Also, use lace to embellish hats and shoes.

12. 
    Bandannas

    Bandannas are great for dressing up western. Choose many different colors.

13. 
    Shawls

    Also, look for light weight shawls.

14. 
    Finished dress up box

    When playtime is over, pack up your case and store it away under a bed or in a closet. Enjoy dress up time!

Tips & Warnings

• Shop around for the cheapest buys.
• I purposefully left out Halloween costumes and similar costumes because young children often struggle to put them on by themselves.
• Always use with adult supervision.
• Don't allow children to get inside the suitcase.
• If something is not age appropriate for your child, don't put it in the dress up box.

[suzyhomeeconomy]

on 9/26/2009 My mother did this when my girls were young and they loved it and played with it for many years! Also came in handy when they needed a costume for a school production; we were the "go-to" family, lol! 5* & Rec!