Easy Kirsten American Girl Costume for Women to DIY

This Kirsten American Girl costume is curated especially for women to purchase quickly and easily on Amazon and Etsy and re-create the vintage nostalgia of the beloved original American Girl doll.

(Note: While women’s items are recommended for this costume, this post may also make a good starting point for a child’s or teen’s costume too. If you are, in fact, looking for a children’s Kirsten costume, I think this pioneer dress on Amazon would be absolutely perfect.)

Kirsten Larson is the American Girl doll who represents the pioneer days of 1854, as she makes the harrowing journey from Sweden to Minnesota with her family and learns the lessons of the land and the sea, and experiences some seasonal adventures of the time.

I kept getting social media ads for this Emerson Fry women’s dress, and I couldn’t help but think of the American Girl Kirsten each time. Finally, my creativity took over, and I just had to sit down and curate the full costume for you, whether for Halloween or an American Girl party, school lesson, or event.

Kirsten American Girl Costume

Below are my thoughts on re-creating the Kirsten American Girl costume so you can follow my thought process and decide which options are best for you. Then, I share pictures of the options selected for you to browse and shop.

As mentioned, this Emerson Fry dress was the inspiration for this post. I want to note a few things. First, it’s expensive, so it’s not the most cost-effective option by any means. However, it’s also a really popular, beautiful, and flattering dress. I have seen a lot of people wear it on social media, and it’s always been a hit. So, if you are looking for an investment piece you can re-wear, maybe it’s worth it for you anyway.

I did also find a few great alternative Kirsten dress options on Amazon that are far more cost-effective. This collared dress works best for a costume, but the others can easily be re-worn in real life, especially since this style has been trendy for a few years now.

This red-striped skirt apron from Etsy is most similar to Kirsten’s, but I found a few that can work from Amazon as well.

Kirsten doesn’t always wear her bonnet, but I did find a red gingham bonnet from Amazon that’s a really close match if you want to wear one too.

If you don’t already have long blonde hair, you can use this blonde double braided wig and this blue ribbon to re-create Kirsten’s double loop braids easily.

Kirsten’s pioneer boots were surprisingly easy to find a few great options for on Amazon. I think the details on these brown boots most mimic the original.

You may choose to accessorize the look with options like these white eyelet pantaloons and these yellow and brown striped socks (the closest ones I could find to Kirsten’s golden striped socks anywhere).

Another optional but beautiful and thoughtful detail is this amber heart pendant on a leather cord. It would even make a great gift for an American Girl fan!

Lastly, since I love books so much, I always recommend that you carry the book with you while wearing women’s literary-themed costumes. A modern edition of Meet Kirsten is available to purchase on Amazon.

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Conclusion

This Kirsten American Girl costume offers a glimpse into 19th-century America. Whether for Halloween, playtime, or education, donning this outfit is a charming way to step back into 1854 through the eyes of a beloved, nostalgic book character.