Best Disney Princess Costumes for 2012

A beautiful handmade option, designed after one of my favorite Disney princesses. I especially love that this dress is comfortable enough to wear all day, every day — which is exactly what she’ll want to do.

Available in sizes 6 months – 4T from Etsy/Made for Mermaids, $54

The new-ish Disney Princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog is one of my all-time favorite royal subjects of Disney for her hard-working, self-sufficient spirit. And this toddler-sized dress is simply stunning.

Available in sizes 2T+ from the Disney Store, $33.37

A handmade alternative for the fairest little girl of all, which you can complete with a Snow White Headband ($4.50) from the Disney Store.

Available in sizes 12 – 24 months from Etsy/Ava Belle’s Closet, $42.50

A glittering Chinese kimono for your little Mulan princess.

Available in sizes 2T+ from The Disney Store, $29.62

It’s difficult to find mermaid tails for toddlers, but the handmade mermaid sets from A Rainy Day Play are perfect to recreate Ariel’s look — especially paired with the Ariel accessories from the Disney Store ($19.50).

Available in all sizes from Etsy/A Rainy Day Play, $10 – $30.

Make it pink!

Available in sizes 2T+ from the Disney Store, $33.37

A handmade dress inspired by Disney’s newest princess — which is one of the most popular costume ideas of 2012. I especially love the detailing on this Merida dress.

Available in all custom sizes from Etsy/Playful Princesses, $70

The Etsy.com shop Made for Mermaids has a variety of handmade Disney princess dresses — like Merida, Jasmine, and Belle — but I’m partial to this classic Cinderella dress design. Complete the costume with the Deluxe Cinderella Costume Accessories Set ($19) from the Disney Store.

Available in sizes 6 months – 4T from Etsy/Made for Mermaids, $54

An elaborate and stunning take on the original Disney Princess. Finish the look with the Snow White Costume Accessories Set ($19.50) from the Disney Store.

Available in sizes newborn – 24 months from Etsy/LilyJillBowtique, $50

An affordable tutu-and-wings set for those who prefer to go the handmade route. (Although Tinkerbell isn’t technically a Princess, she does hang around Cinderella’s castle quite a bit in Disney World. So princess by association.)

Available from Etsy/Kiddie Wink Designs, $30

The Etsy.com shop has a variety of other affordable princess-inspired tutus, like Cinderella, Repunzel, and Aurora.

Available from Etsy/Kiddie Wink Designs, $30

Is Alice considered a princess? Well for the sake of Disney costumes, we’ll just say yes. And Alice has never looked cuter than in this tutu dress.

Available in sizes 6 months – 6 years from Etsy/Lover Dovers Clothing, $55

A handmade splurge, but it’s a purchase that’s sure to get plenty of dress-up use. Add Rapunzel’s hair piece ($12) from the Disney Store.

Available in all custom sizes from Etsy/Playful Princesses, $90

Complete with detachable wings shimmering with pixie dust.

Available in sizes 3 months – 3T from the Disney Store, $25.87

Princess Jasmine is another hard-to-find costume — which is why we’re happy to have the Disney Store available at the click of a button.

Available in sizes 2T+ from the Disney Store, $33.37

Add a Belle tiara ($15.50) and some Belle shoes ($10), and suddenly this pretty yellow tutu dress is transformed into a ball gown. Take off the Disney accessories, and you’ll still have a favorite dress-up costume.

Available in sizes 6 months – 5T from Etsy/American Blossoms, $59

Although there are quite a few adorable Disney Princess baby costumes, I especially love this soft, easy-to-move-in Rapunzel bodysuit for infants.

Available in sizes 0 – 24 months from the Disney Store, $14.62