Ursula — 2023 LIVE-ACTION URSULA

The look

The 2023 version translates Ursula's animated design into a physically wearable, theatrical costume while retaining her exaggerated hourglass silhouette. Costume designer Colleen Atwood approached Ursula with octopus textures, 1950s glamour, sequins, laser-cut materials, and a large sculptural tentacle silhouette. The upper costume uses a sweetheart neckline and long sleeves, while the lower costume forms a dramatic skirt made from eight octopus arms/tentacles.

Base costume

1. 01Dark sequined long-sleeve sweetheart-neckline bodice.
2. 02Purple glitter/sequined underlayer visible beneath the darker outer material.
3. 03Laser-cut dark outer material creating an octopus-skin-inspired texture.
4. 04Sculptural tentacle skirt representing Ursula's eight octopus arms.
5. 05Dark/purple tentacle surfaces with decorative paillettes/sequins.
6. 06High dramatic collar inspired by retractable octopus spikes.
7. 07Large-scale hourglass silhouette created through structured costume construction.
8. 08Dark footwear/leg foundation hidden beneath the tentacle construction where applicable.
9. 09Ursula-inspired jewelry and accessories.

Character details

This version is much more complex to reproduce accurately than the animated design because the tentacles are constructed as a sculptural ballgown-like form. The costume designer used a purple glitter/sequin layer beneath laser-cut material so movement would reveal flashes of purple instead of producing a completely flat black silhouette. The tentacles use paillettes rather than literal suction cups, giving the costume a glamorous interpretation of octopus texture. The high collar is another important feature. It references octopus spikes while also giving the costume an extravagant evening-gown appearance. For cosplay, lightweight foam and flexible fabric are preferable to heavy rigid construction. A structured underskirt or hoop-supported base can help hold the tentacle shapes without making the costume impossible to move in.

Hair / face / makeup

• Skin: Purple/lavender interpretation of Ursula's complexion.
• Hair: White/silver.
• Style: Short, glamorous, highly styled hair.
• Eyes: Dramatically defined.
• Eyeliner: Strong theatrical eyeliner.
• Lips: Red.
• Makeup: Glamorous 1950s-inspired theatrical styling combined with Ursula's animated features.
• Overall appearance: More realistic and glamorous than the 1989 animated version.

Props

• Essential:
• Shell necklace / magical shell. Optional:
• Contract scrolls.
• Sea-witch magical effects.
• Glowing tentacle effects.
• Potion/magic accessories.

What makes the cosplay read as Ursula

1. Large hourglass silhouette. 2. Purple/lavender skin. 3. White glamorous hair. 4. Dark sculptural octopus tentacles. 5. Dramatic red lips and eye makeup. 6. Shell necklace. The 2023 version should not simply be recreated as the 1989 animated costume using realistic materials. Its glamorous eveningwear construction and textured tentacle skirt are major parts of the redesign.