Keeping it Real: the Disneyland outfit

Stylers, we’re on the home stretch of our fabulous US adventure. It’s been swell. More than swell.

This week it’s been all about the California. We got to spend a few days with my brother and his beautiful family in the hot dessert two valleys out from Los Angeles. Yesterday, we landed in Disneyland.

… a 40-year childhood wish finally came true.

It’s impossible not to smile in this place. Even when it’s hot and the queues for rides are long, you keep repeating to yourself, “I’m at Disneyland” and everything is suddenly OK.

Now, working out my outfit – what to wear – for day one of our Disney adventure was a little bit of a challenge for me.

See, I’m not a sneakers, shorts and cap kind of girl.

But I arrived in California with New York battle-scarred feet. Feet that were not happy with the way I treated them in the name of style and fashion while shopping up a storm in that fabulous city.

To make matters worse my small toe collided with the leg of a stationary dining chair and is now black and blue, presumably broken.

It was a sign. I needed sensible shoes. STAT.

So we hit up the local mall – a Westfield shopping centre – near my brother’s house and I bought these Vans (for about $45), a move that probably gained me a few “cool” points from the teenagers. Vans also sell really low cut ankle socks which are perfect for that I’m-not-wearing-socks-but-really-I-am-and-my-feet-won’t-stink-this-way-kind-of-look.

Ok, so feet sorted, what next?

Macy’s at the same shopping centre unearthed some more fab bargains. For me that included a Calvin Klein chambray shirt for $40 (bang! and 1990-revisited) and Ralph Lauren white singlets for $11 (double bang!).

A quick rummage through one of my two suitcases (I’ve now dedicated a whole suitcase to underwear and accessories) and I spy the white NYDJ shorts bought at Bloomingdales in New York.

… I felt an outfit coming together. Yes, I did.

There was just one piece missing. My floppy new hat from Anthropologie just wouldn’t do. It’s more a sundress or kaftan and sandals type hat.

Mr Styling You and my brother were loitering in a sports merchandise store where everything in the store was $5 (plus tax) and my brother stumbles across a New York Giants cap.

Bang! I say to myself. That’s it. That’s the finishing piece to the outfit.

The look on Mr Styling You’s face when I tell him I have to have the cap? He is beaming with pride. His darling wife is showing passion for one of his sporting teams.

… umm, sorry hun … I just liked it because it featured NY and was white to match my outfit.

Oops.

Here’s how it all came together:

And then something came over me.

Within minutes of walking in the gate, I just had to do it.

I had to own some Minnie Mouse ears.

Yes, I did.

Best of all, they sparkle.

Yes, they do.

Tell me, how do you style it up for a theme park visit? How do you save your feet for a big day of walking and standing around? And did you own a chambray shirt in the early ’90s?