Costume Wings

Styles across the range

Wire-framed mesh wings are the lightest and most common, holding a clean shape with almost no weight. Feather wings have more presence and texture and suit angel and bird costumes. Structured fabric wings — bat, dragon, moth — give a solid silhouette and hold their form in photographs.

How they attach

Most wings use elastic shoulder loops, which are quick to put on and easy for a child to manage alone. Larger or heavier designs use a harness that spreads the weight across the back and shoulders, which is more comfortable over a long event.

Elastic loops slide off narrow shoulders. If your child is slight, a criss-cross strap across the back keeps them where they belong.

Wings and doorways

Wings make their wearer considerably wider, and children forget this immediately. Larger wings catch on doorways, furniture and other children in crowded rooms. For a party in a small space, a modest pair genuinely works better than a spectacular one.

Getting them home intact

Wire-framed wings bend and stay bent. Carry them flat rather than folded into a bag, and gently reshape the frame with your fingers if they have taken a knock — the wire usually returns.

Storage

Hang them or store flat. Wings kept at the bottom of a dress-up box come out permanently misshapen, and feather wings compress and lose their loft.