Sometimes even I’m amazed at what I have in my collection! I do not remember buying this vintage Mickey Mouse children’s costume. There is no mask to go with it and neither is there a box. But if I lose 150 pounds and shrink by about 3 feet in height, I should be able to make use of this:

The material is likely nylon. In 1931, the United States had issues accessing silk due to political and trading tensions with Japan. There was a great interest in finding a substitute, an artificial fiber. Wallace Hume Carothers made the breakthrough in 1934, thanks to a combination of a systematic approach to research and his deep understanding of polymer chemistry. He worked at DuPont at the time.

Nylon itself has an unparalleled range of advantageous properties, including high strength, flexibility, and scratch resistance. And I’m sure it was much cheaper to produce than silk!

So back in 1962, when this costume was manufactured, it seemed like the perfect material to wrap children in before sending them out into the cold October evenings to beg for candy. However, Nylon and other polymers have also created environmental concerns and disposal problems, leading to widespread efforts at recycling. But not in the 60s!

Due to the thin material, many kids were forced to wear their coats over the costumes. So, it would look like Mickey Mouse was out for a walk in a winter Parka, much to the chagrin of the mini-Mickey!

I’m not too worried that I don’t have the mask to go with the costume as these were usually very creepy. And although that would fit nicely into the holiday they were created to celebrate; I can do without that kind of nightmare fuel in my life!