Since 1954, the Walt Disney version of Tinkerbell has been the hostess of the majority of the corporation's live-action programming, cementing her place as a pop culture icon. In turn, the fairy's now-classic outfit of green dress and fairy wings has become a staple of all sorts of fancy dress events, popular with both young girls living out their dreams of being fairies and older women wanting to look both demure and sexy.

For little girls, Tinkerbell costumes are so much more than a fancy dress fair outfit. Just as Peter Pan - the boy that never grew up - is the hero of millions of young boys, Tinkerbell is the female counterpart. Mischievous, caring and magical, dressing up in a Tinkerbell costume encourages girls to let their imaginations run riot. She combines the naughtiness of children with the sense of loyalty and responsibility that all parents want to teach their youngsters, much more than Wendy, who is old before her time, and not the sort of fun character that girls want to aspire to be like.

So the Tinkerbell fancy dress costume is the perfect outfit for any children's party or fancy dress event. If your little ones are going to a friend's party, a well-designed fairy costume will make them the toast of the party. Fancy dress is the ideal way to encourage your children to have fun and use their imaginations. Nowadays children are more inclined to ask for a new games console or DVD than a toy or fancy dress costume. Even the Walt Disney corporation seems to be putting greater emphasis on computer games and electronic equipment for children rather than toys.

Of course, this might just seem like natural progression as technology improves, but without the mental stimulation of playing with toys and putting on fancy dress, children's imaginations are not being developed. Parents need to encourage their children to play with toys and dress up. Sure, it may be easier to sit them down in front of the telly, but even if you have peace when they're young, you'll be bored by them when they grow up. Most people want to raise interesting, imaginative children.

It's important to remember that a childhood rich in imagination, because this can help children when they grow up. Think about it; if people are encouraged to use their minds from an early age, they will grow up to be better at thinking quickly in difficult situations, and be able to think outside the box - something that many employers want.

Creative thinkers do especially well in the workplace, and although dressing your child in a Tinkerbell fancy dress costume may not seem to link immediately to your child's future career prospects, but every little helps in making your child a more rounded individual in the future.

And it's even worth remembering that the fairy costume is rather more interesting than the standard little girl fancy dress of garish pink princess outfits. So not only will you encourage your child to use their imagination, but you'll also perhaps be able to sprinkle their lives with a bit of fairy dust, all with a Tinkerbell fairy fancy dress costume.

Full range of costumes for a Tinkerbell costume. Further styles of Angel costumes