If you’re lucky enough to have been to Disneyworld or Disneyland, you’ve no doubt been assaulted by the glittery magic that is Mouse Ears (Disney refers to them as “headband” but for people in the know, they’re Mouse Ears.) For those of you who aren’t in the magical know, these are exactly what they sound like: “Ears” on a hat or a headband reminiscent of Minnie and Mickie’s glorious mouse ears (which, yes, are not anatomically correct, but mice aren’t usually six feet tall, so we think we should let that one slide.)

Originating back in the 1950s, they’ve recently ballooned in popularity and created an entire fashion ecosystem that anyone can partake in easily. Wearing mouse ears in Disneyland has kind of become like “the wave” between two motorcyclists. It’s a signal of those in the know – a marker of belonging to the club. 

These innocuous ears pack a big fashion punch in more ways than one even though you wouldn’t think so at first. We’ve seen ears in every color of the rainbow, ears tailored to different Disney films or characters, and Etsy has exploded with independent designers creating inspired designs that any Imagineer would be proud of.  

We recently ventured to Disneyland and so many people brilliantly styled entire outfits around their Mouse Ears. Disney lover Riley Silverman shared this insight, “I like how they allow you to express your personality or things you love while at the same time being connected to a common theme. It’s like a meme that you wear.” For many, mouse ears are that final touch to the perfect Disney outfit. They’re like shoes. When you have the right shoes for the right outfit, it all comes together and you just kinda know!  

Ears are also like shoes in that they can get expensive. Prices at the parks are usually around $30, but you can easily find them on eBay for cheap or Etsy shops for even less. And of course, for the high rollers, a quick check on eBay showed a pair of limited editions eagerly awaiting someone’s $899 bid. 

But if you find the right pair for the right price point, they do just what Silverman pointed out. They connect visitors to the shared experience of a love of Disney. We experienced this mouse-eared-induced instant kinship first hand during our time at the park. No one ever hesitated to compliment us on our ears and we returned the favor, especially if they were wearing a rare pair. Just the other day we had the good fortune to see a woman in bridal mouse ears (white mouse ears with a train!), which we *obviously* commented on, and spent the next ten minutes chatting about her wedding, swapping Disney hacks, and congratulating her and her hubby (in the hat style mouse ears) on their nuptials. Fashion should bring people together and mouse ears have found an accelerant to doing just that. And with sequins, too. We love sequins.