It's possible to make a wonderful costume at home.Adding some great adornments of your own and paying attention to the small details are the keys to a perfect Ariel look.With a little time, patience and crafting, you will be rocking your new costume in no time.
Step 1: You need to gather your materials.
You will need a purple bathing suit top, two large seashells, and a swath of sheer purple fabric about the size and shape of a handkerchief to make the top.There are many ways to approach almost every element on this list, so alternate options will be mentioned in each step.It is possible to mix and match whatever works best for you.You will need a sewing machine, purple thread, scissors, super glue, and light purple paint.
Step 2: Take the purple fabric and sew it to the bottom of your top.
You can either use a machine or sew it yourself.If you wanted to, you could easily do it by hand.You want one of the flat sides to be the part that gets sewn into the purple top.The sheer fabric should cover most of your stomach after it is sewn on.Make sure it looks the way you want it to before you start.Don't put the top on if everything looks good.
Step 3: 2 seashells are needed for the top.
There are two seashells on her top.They are roughly the same size.It is a nice detail from the movie that will make your costume stand out.If you don't include the seashell element, skip ahead.Seashells can be cut into shapes with a light purple felt fabric.Amazon is a good place to check out if you want to use real seashells.The price is relatively low if you order them this way.When placing your order, make sure you note that you want the shells to be the same size.You can always get your shells at the beach if you live near an ocean.If you use fabric for the shells, you should get purple felt because it is a shade lighter than the rest of the top.
Step 4: Get your shells ready.
If you want the shells to be a light purple, you need to paint them that shade.You can get cheap acrylic paint at any art supply store.Put the front of each shell on an old towel and paint it purple.The paint takes about 30 minutes to dry.Simply cut the shell shapes out at the size you want, if you are using fabric for shells.The shells could be painted with purple spray paint.You can add anything you want to the shells.It would be great to have glitter, rhinestones, and additional painted details.
Step 5: Fix your shells to the purple top.
You can use super glue to do this.Shells have a flat bottom.Each cup of your bathing suit is covered by a shell when you arrange your shells with the fan-shaped tops facing outward.It takes about 30 seconds for super glue to set.When placing the shell on the top, hold it down tightly for 2 minutes before moving on to the next shell.
Step 6: Your materials should be gathered.
You will need 1 large piece of green fabric and a yard of turquoise blue fabric to make the tail and fins.You need a fabric with some stretch to the green fabric.It is a good choice.You will need a sewing machine, green and blue thread, scissors, and 12 inches of elastic.
Step 7: The green material needs to be prepared.
Put the green fabric on the ground and have a friend trace a tail around your body with a sharpie.Make sure your friend draws the lines 1 inch away from your body so that the final piece won't fit too tightly.After the lines are drawn, remove the piece from the fabric.You need 2 of them.You could save time by folding the green fabric in half to make sure the pieces are the same size.You can trace around your body and cut them at the same time.You want to make sure you are on top of the green fabric from the waist down.When you lay down, the fabric needs to extend past your feet.The fins can be drawn.You can trace your body onto a piece of paper if you prefer.To cut the fabric down to size, you'd use that as a stencil.
Step 8: The 2 pieces of green fabric should be sewed together.
You want to sew the two together all the way around the tail, leaving only the top part open and unsewn for your waist.Once your costume is ready, you can slip it on.
Step 9: You can create the fins.
Take your green fabric and place it on top of the turquoise blue fabric.The fins are on the blue fabric.Remove the fins from the blue fabric.Put the blue fabric on the green.
Step 10: The fins have a split into them.
You will be able to walk if you cut a split into the bottom of the tail.The split should be cut right up the middle of the fins.You can walk in the costume if you have an opening for your feet and bottom part of your legs.The split can be cut at the bottom of the fins.
Step 11: The band should be at the top of the fins.
The green tail meets the blue fins.All the way around.The bottom of the tail will cling at the bottom if you slip the costume bottom on.
Step 12: You should gather your materials.
You need a piece of green fabric with some stretch to make the tail.It is a good choice.You can find material intended for dancewear that is fun, like a deep green fabric covered in green sequins and other things that would be great for Ariel.You will need a sewing machine, green thread and scissors.
Step 13: Wrap it around your waist.
If you don't have the right fit, adjust it.The material should extend beyond your feet by about 6 inches once wrapped around your waist.Stop at your heels when you pull it close to your legs.If you want a costume that's easier to move around in, stop at your calves.
Step 14: Place the garment from the waist to the heels.
Make sure it fits how you want it to.The foundation of the tail is there.The green material will drift out in front of your feet about 6 inches, with the material gathered in at the heels in the back, creating a tail fin effect.
Step 15: The garment should be sewed together from the heels to the waist.
You can either take it off and use a sewing machine to stitch it together, or you can keep it on and have a friend sew it all the way up.
Step 16: The wig has long red hair.
Ariel's hair is long and wavy.You want the hair to be pretty.Attach it to your head with bobby pins.You can order one on the internet if you can't find one.Small barrettes with starfish on them would be cute to add to the hair.It would look like water droplets if you lightly sprayed the hair with canned glitter.
Step 17: Do her makeup.
Red lipstick is almost identical to the red hair on the wig.That is the most important element.Adding glittery aqua eye shadow or face shimmer will make you feel like a princess.
Step 18: Add some finishing touches to your project.
You can do so many things for this.Body glitter would make her happy.It would be great to paint your fingernails a glittery shade of silver.