Disney has done it again with another delightful movie in theaters and on Disney+, Charm. The story revolves around the Madrigal family who lives in a magical place called Encanto. Every child in the family has received a unique magical gift, except for Mirabel. When the magic that surrounds Charming is in danger, she summons the courage to save her family.
Not only does this adventure give us amazing songs and a powerful story, but also a plethora of dress-up characters with bright and vibrant costumes to create. Here are some tips for cosplaying each of these extraordinary characters.
Mirabel
Mirabel is the signature character of the film and has one of the most complex outfits to recreate. Her embroidered peasant blouse and her tiered skirt can be created in many ways, from full embroidery to hand-painted designs. McCall’s vintage pattern 7100 is perfect for sewing your own ruffle top and use McCall’s M8066 from their Learn to Sew line for the skirt. These patterns can be used in a similar way for the outfit of Mirabel’s sister, Dolores.
Embroidering all the designs on both pieces is challenging by machine and more challenging by hand but can be the most rewarding in giving depth and texture to the pieces. To make it easier, fabric paint can be used to paint the designs onto the fabric. Be sure to place parchment paper under the fabric to prevent bleeding as you paint and dry.
Jacquard is a fantastic textile color fabric paint that works on almost all fabrics and can be made thicker or thinner to work with by using additives. Their Neopaque line is perfect for darker colored fabrics and is a thicker paint to work with. If you prefer to use a marker-style applicator instead of a brush, fabric markers like those from Liquitex are great to use, but results may vary on different fabrics.
Isabella
Isabela, Mirabel’s sister, has an outfit that screams princess ruffles. Your dress pattern will most likely need to be modified from other patterns like McCall’s M8150 which will give you the layered skirt and McCall’s M8032 can give you a ruffled top and sleeves start. Fabric choices will be key here. Her sleeves and ruffles are made from sheer knit fabric that is then layered over solid lavender fabric.
Floral details can be painted onto the fabric or individual floral appliques can be sewn onto the fabric for a more textured look. A more economical way to purchase several small appliques is to buy a yard of embroidered floral fabric and cut each design into individual appliques.
Louise
The hard-working and strong Luisa has become a fan-favorite character for many people and her look is the easiest of the sisters to create. New Look pattern 6892 will give you a great start for her blouse and Kwik Sew will give you the perfect pattern for her basic skirt. Again, fabric paint and patience will be essential to recreate the pattern on her skirt.
Camilo
Camilo is the shape-shifting member of the family and is a natural entertainer. In that sense, his outfit is bright and is meant to draw attention in his direction. Since his costume is simple, you’ll want to focus a lot on the poncho he wears. Look for a woven fabric with some texture that is still easy enough to paint with fabric paint.
The best way to paint straight lines on fabric is to use a tape like Deltec tape to separate the lines before painting. Deltec is recommended over traditional blue painters tape as it does not leave any glue residue on the fabric when removed.
Remember to think about texture and vibrant colors while dressing up as any of the Madrigal family members to keep them as vibrant as the movie itself.