When I first learned how to sew about 5 or so years ago, I made an Ursula inspired ball gown. Although I loved that Disney villain costume at the time, I’ll never wear it again, because I know now that I could’ve done better. Rather than remake it, I took the skirt apart and reworked those 12 yards of gorgeous two-sided silk taffeta into a Late Victorian (1886) evening gown. Once we’re out of this pandemic, she’ll be ready to wear to Dicken’s on the Strand in Galveston.
[Related: My First Foray Into the Regency Era]
before 
after
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I just couldn’t part with this taffeta, which was inky purple-black on one side, and lavendar on the other. By deconstructing the original skirt, I had a lot of material to work with! I simply took apart the waistband and removed the hem, unfolding nearly 12 yards of taffeta with only a few scallops cut out.
[Related: Costuming Ursula (Concept) from The Little Mermaid]
This is my first Victorian costume, but I know to work my way from the inside out, so I completed the undergarments first. I made a simple bustle cage with an old sheet, leftover ribbon, and bamboo reed boning. That was a very simple undergarment to make! I also used sheet fabric to make this camel cotton petticoat using the Truly Victorian 170 (View 3 for 1880s late bustle) print-at-home pattern (which will also be worn with my Steampunk Seamstress costume).
Late Victorian bustle cage: RC963 – Ladies’ Bustle Cage Sewing Pattern by Reconstructing History
With undergarments out of the way, I could get to the fun part! I cut and set asside the widest taffeta pieces for the underskirt, the smallest pieces for the bodice, and long narrow strips for trim. I started with a simple underskirt using Reconstructing History 946 1870-1890s Skirt-for-All pattern and sewed it with the lavender side out. This will be the light purple underside of Ursula’s tentacles. After 5+ years in the closet, those wrinkles were impossible to get out, so I had plans to cover them up as much as possible.
Not having enough two-sided taffeta for the overskirt, I ordered some lightweight black polyester tafetta. This will be the black “dress” around Ursula’s wide hips (work with what you got, am I right?). I used Truly Victorian 364 (1886 Autumn Overskirt) for this piece, and gathered some long strips of two-sided taffeta for the trim, with the black side out.
The pictures above show the front swoop, trimmed and unlined, and the back bustle, trimmed and lined with a dark plum faux silk dupioni (that used to be a curtain in a former life). I purposely incorporated more than one shade of purple and black to mimic Ursula’s tentacle coloring in the film. And I liked that most of those stubborn wrinkles were being covered up. But there was more work to be done to really make the bottom half of this costume look more fluid…
Using several fashion plates and extent garments as inspiration, I also threw in my own tendency to walk the not-so-historically accurate line to create the tentacle trim on the underskirt. I gathered wide strips, stithed to narrow strips, and stitched that to a wide gathered hem. I flattened everything with the iron and payed no mind to any wonky inconsistant lines. Let’s just call it intentional fluidity, okay?
Attaching the trim to the underskirt was extremely satisfying, and I included plain black piping at that stitch line for added detail.
I’ve seen a lot of Victorian skirts with pleats at the bottom trim, but I like the way the gathered hem looks. It’s more fluid, less severe, and should swish when I walk similar to Ursula’s tentacles waving about when she swims. That’s the plan, anyway. With the skirts done, I was pretty pleased with myself and moved onto the bodice…
Most events here in the Houston/Galveston area are warm, including most days in December when our Dickens on the Strand is held, so for the upper part of the costume, I chose an even bodice with cap sleeves. Ursula’s “dress” is strapless anyway, so this lines up with her character as inspiration. I used the Truly Victorian 467 (1886 Evening Bodice) pattern. Most pieces were sewn with the black side out, but the tail trim and cap sleeves were sewn lavendar side out. I wanted this contrast, as I was definitely not going to paint my skin purple again. And I used lavendar pipine at the neckline and black pipine at the bottom front. The bodice went together very quickly, and I didn’t make any modifications to the pattern.
The pattern had soft, feminine ribbons at the cap sleeves, but I decided to make something less delicate. I made layered ribbons with pointed tips, and sewed black faceted beads at the tips. So each shoulder has two tips…
And I added the same effect on each side of the underskirt. There are 8 tips total…like the legs of an octopus…get it? Lol!
I loooooooove it! All the multi-dimensions, colors, and frills. Maybe not terrible for my first foray into the Victorian era, yes? And I’m really pleased with the upgrade to this old costume from years ago. Ursula lives on!
After packing up this costume for post-pandemic wear, I tossed the original jewelry and worbla crown/tridentl. I felt like new-and-improved Ursula needed an accessory upgrade as well. So I purchased new shell earrings from ArtBows on Etsy and switched out the hook posts for loops. I also purchased a gold shell pendant from ArtBows and made a victorian inspired choker necklace for it with lava beads and faceted glass beads that match the ribbon tips on the gown. If you count the beads above, they are arranged in multiples of 8 and include 8 faceted beads. Details! I also purchased a gold shell tiara from LoveBudsEtc on Etsy, ostrich feathers (Flotsam and Jetsam), and plan to style my grey wig into a Victorian updo. I’ll post that here after I’m able to wear this costume!
Round earring loops: 20pcs Hypoallergenic Dangle Tarnish Resistant Round Earring Hooks Leverback Earwire 14mm Long Gold Plated Brass BF263
Lava beads: Natural Black Lava Rock Stone Round Beads 4mm 6mm 8mm 10mm 12mm 15.5″ Strand
Ostrich feathers: CENFRY 10pcs Ostrich Feathers 10-12inch Plumes for Wedding Centerpieces Home Decoration (Teal)
[Related: Disneybounding Ursula]
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this is amazing!
Thanks Jess! Dickens was canceled last December so I’m planning on debuting it this December 🖤