Ever since she saw the Disney/Pixar movie Brave four times (yes, you read that right) this past summer, my daughter Sadie has been insistent on dressing up as the movie's heroine, Merida, for Halloween.  She even somehow talked me into buying her a Brave archery set from the Disney Store to get ready for her Halloween role (and I'm pleased to report that she's actually quite adept at it - perhaps she'll win a Brave-inspired Olympic gold!).  So of course Sadie was thrilled when she learned that the folks from the Disney Store would be sending her her very own Merida costume to wear for our trick-or-treating festivities.  What a lucky girl!

I've long been a fan of the Disney Store's Disney Princess dress-up clothes, which feature intricate details, high-quality fabrics and age-appropriate designs.  You really can tell the difference between a costume purchased at the Disney Store and one purchased elsewhere, and, in my experience, the marginal extra cost of buying your dress-up clothes at the Disney Store is more than offset by the fact that the costumes last much longer than their counterparts from other stores.  I'm pleased to report that Sadie's new Merida costume is no exception to this rule.  The Disney Store actually offers two different Merida costumes - not surprising since Brave was such a smashing success that I'm sure little girls everywhere are clamoring to bring Merida to life on Halloween!  Although she tinkered with the idea of wearing the "Games" Merida costume, which was inspired by the light blue dress Merida wore in the Highland Games scenes in the movie, Sadie ultimately chose the rich, dark teal colored "Hero" Merida costume, which parallels the dress Merida wore for the majority of the film.  I know I'm a bit biased because I'm her mother, but Sadie looks absolutely breathtaking in her Merida costume!  Paired with the curly red Merida wig and Merida gladiator sandals, the dress is an absolute show-stopper and is indeed quite worthy of my little princess.  The quality is truly magnificent, with a four-layer skirt (including a satin and mesh underskirt and organza overskirt), glitter detail, lace trim and sequin accents, and the dress is perfectly proportioned to Sadie's body.  I have a feeling that Sadie will be wearing her Merida costume long past trick-or-treating season.  In fact, she'll be bringing her dress with us on our upcoming Disney Cruise and trip to Disney World, where Sadie is hoping to meet the "real" Merida (fingers crossed)! 

And lest you think Sadie's 6-month-old brother Ben was left out of the Disney Store Halloween festivities, think again!  Ben isn't yet able to verbalize his Halloween preferences, so of course Sadie kindly stepped in as his big sister and decided that Ben will dress up as Woody from Toy Story.  Ben's Woody costume is beyond adorable, as it features a yellow shirt, faux cowhide vest (with a sherriff's badge, of course), red bandana, cowboy hat and denim pants.  And of course Ben will be completing his costume with the most adorable pair of plush Woody cowboy boots! 

Beyond Merida and Woody, the Disney Store offers an array of costumes sure to be a hit this Halloween season.  Their new costume collections are inspired by Disney and Marvel's most popular 2012 film releases, including the Cinderella Diamond Edition on Blu-ray, Marvel's The Avengers, Disney/Pixar's Brave, and the highly anticipated October 23rd release of Tinker Bell and the Secret of the Wings on Blu-ray.  Also available are costumes featuring popular Disney favorites such as Jessie from Toy Story, Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates, classic Minnie Mouse or Alice from Alice in Wonderland.  The baby set will look super cute in a Minnie Mouse or Mickey Mouse Cuddly Bodysuit, and moms and dads can get in the Halloween spirit via the Disney Store's adult costumes that allow parents to coordinate with their kids!

Thank you to the Disney Store for outfitting both of my trick-or-treaters!  For more information or to purchase a Disney Store Halloween costume, visit your local Disney Store or head online to www.DisneyStore.com.  Happy Halloween!