Bambi Halloween Costume and Pinafore Dress
I’m no deer in the headlights, sweetie— I’m cottagecore Bambi.
Inspiration for Bambi
When we moved back in with my parents two months ago for our COVID-pivot, we started taking evening walks (just like we would in New York!). Unlike New York, we didn’t encounter park raccoons or squirrels on our walks— we encountered deer. The more deer we saw, the more inspired I was to put together a deer costume. And not just any deer— the cutest deer, Bambi.
As a kid, I would rewind the Bambi movie over and over so I could re-meet Thumper and Flower. They were my favorite characters by far. That little thumper was so cute when he thumped and Flower was just the sweetest way to portray a skunk.
As an illustrator and designer, it was SO FUN to get to bring thumper and flower to life and illustrate them into my photography.
Behind the Scenes of our Photoshoot
Brett and I took these in my parent’s neighborhood. And while we worked really hard to get real deer in our pictures, they worked really hard to stay out my pictures. There are days we walk by them and they don’t move or even care we’re in their space, but the day we photographed these it’s like they knew we had a camera and a mission.
Highlights of this session were walking through the woods with Brett awkwardly trying to get close to deer, pulling together a quick ten minute deer makeup look, and most importantly, sewing my very own deer print pinafore dress!
I love this dress so much, I bought the material fully planning on wearing it beyond this halloween outfit! I’m excited to show you how I wear it in my normal every day life!
Sewing pinafore dresses might be my new favorite thing!
Make Your Own Bambi Costume:
Any brown and white polka dot skirt or dress could work for a deer! You could even make or buy a feaux fur vest to give your costume that “animal” feel. I’ve seen others add small branches to their hair to create an antler vibe too— so cute!
I loosely followed this tutorial for my skirt and I was inspired by this deer makeup look by Evarosaly.
What do you think of my costume? Does it make you stop in the headlights? Does it make you want to lay down in a bed of colorful flowers?