Historically Accurate Disney Princesses

I'm one of those pedantic history nerds who splutters in disgust when characters in historical films/television shows are wearing historically inaccurate costumes.  So I was delighted when I came across these illustrations of Disney princesses. 

Claire Hummel (also known as Shoomla), an artist for Microsoft Game Studios Publishing, decided to take the original Disney outfits and rework them to create more historically-accurate costumes that belong to specific time periods.  My favourite has to the Princess Jasmine (above), who's outfit is based on pre-Islamic Middle Eastern fashions.

Sleeping Beauty is based on fashions from the year 1485. Her outfit so much more beautiful than the original, with a lot more detail.

Cinderella's dress is based on fashions of the mid-1860s. I love the glimpse of hoop petticoat below those fantastic striped skirts.

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Snow White is another of my favourites.  The strong colours of the original design work well with the modified costume, based on outfits from early 16th century Germany.

Pocahontas, shown here in 17th century Powhatan costume, is one of the more controversial illustrations.  The real Pocahontas was a 12 year-old when John Smith met her, and probably would have been naked, but Hummel said she was not trying to illustrate the historical figure but the Disney character.  She told Flavorwire:

“Oh, Pocahontas. Really not one of my favorite Disney films, but it posed an interesting challenge. Note that this is the Disney character, not the historical figure, so while I tried to make the outfit accurate to 17th century Powhatan clothing she is, most definitely, not a 12-year-old. It’s my happy middle ground when drawing a historical version of an inaccurate portrayal of a historical person. That’s a mouthful.

“My one big cheat on this was her necklace — the shell necklace should in theory be a deep purple (turquoise is a much more Southwestern commodity), but you lose so much of the Pocahontas visual identity without the splash of teal around her neck.”

Ariel, from the Little Mermaid, obviously has to be shown in her human incarnation.  Here she is dressed in an 1890s evening gown.  The bouquet of seaweed is a clever touch!

Belle from Beauty and the Beast is dressed in French court fashion from the 1770s.  If you are interested in Claire's ideas behind the costumes, do have a read of the Flavorwire article.