Fairy Tale Magic - Ursula
Costume and photography: Lacresha Lincoln
Ursula
Bad characters have a nasty way of getting under our skin, so for Ursula’s costume Lacresha wanted to add extra-evil flair. With an eye toward honoring the original ensemble, Lacresha used three features as inspiration: the hair, necklace, and the dress that evolves into tentacles.
Lacresha addressed the hair with a simple cosplay wig and a lot of purple hair spray. Ursula is known for her spiky, crazed appearance, so the wilder the look, the better. The necklace was even simpler, as she ordered a necklace and embellished it with a snail shell.
To make the dress come to life, Lacresha combined the Lisse bodice with Catania’s simple skirt. The Lisse top is a wonderful way to represent the actual Ursula bodice. The meticulously ruched and fitted top reveals a shimmering, cosplay material adorned with faux leather with a hexagon repeat that mimics fish scales. Her use of colors and textures is spectacular.
Lacresha amps up the glam-game, beginning with black tulle that is evocative of the way Ursula’s tentacles swirl around in the ocean. She incorporated unique techniques to manipulate the wide range of fabrics, transforming raw elements into statuesque couture.
Lacresha layered tones and fabrics in the most sumptuous, eye-catching way. She added a simple woven underskirt beneath strips of polyester fish-net to disguise the legs and broaden Ursula’s couture impact.
Creating an underwater character in the real world is quite challenging, but that didn’t stop Lacresha. Her craftsmanship is most evident in the power-hungry tentacles that slither into the underwater fashion house with an over-the-top touch.
The tentacles were made from a spectrum of two-toned fabrics. She used a faux leather hexagon fabric and shiny purple polyester, cutting six long strips of each fabric that tapered into a triangle. Lacresha added elastic finger loops, attached a 6” (15.25 cm) piece of elastic stretched to 10” (25.5 cm) to curl the tentacles, and sewed the pieces together. She then filled them with cotton batting. When each piece is layered over the other it creates a sophisticated look that gives more depth to Ursula’s powerful costume.
To complete the threatening ensemble, Lacresha attached the tentacles to a detachable belt made from an 8” (20.5 cm) piece of glitter canvas ribbon. She folded the ribbon in half and used grommets to attach the tentacles and metal snaps to close the belt.
The end result is dazzling.
Lacresha’s daughter dons this svelte silhouette in a larger-than-life look that’s truly a sight to behold. The architectural gown pays homage to Ursula’s trademark style and unmistakably signals a merger of a glamorous sea queen with an eerie aesthetic. The bedazzled plastic trident adds an extra hint of Ursula edge, capping off the most sublime design.
This reveal showcases just how elemental a costume maker really is. Outfitting a menacing sea creature is not for the faint of heart. It’s easy to see that Lacresha has established herself as a formidable fashion force and creator of wonders.
Unlike the bejeweled and power hungry sea queen who relies on a combination of sorcery and deception to achieve goals, Lacresha used an astounding imagination, unmatched creativity, and epic levels of talent.
