If Disney Princesses Were Real...
What if Disney princesses were historically accurate? What would their lives have been like, what time period might they have lived in and what might they have worn?
Those faces and dresses we know so well from Disney movies, are they really what real-life Snow Whites or Jasmines would have looked like? Probably not, as this Buzzfeed article explains. Going by clues from the Disney movies about the (possible) era and location the movies are set in, the article examines what several of Disney's more famous princesses really would have worn and looked like. One example:
Though still part of the Holy Roman Empire during the 16th century, Protestant reformations had sprung up around Germany and the culture was austere and religious. German women during this time period wore rich, heavy, dark-colored fabrics, with exaggerated, puffed up shoulders and hips. Their dresses reached the floor, emphasized the waist, and had a high neckline. Women wore their hair pulled back, often covering it with a headpiece.
The description of what a 'real' Snow White would have worn from the Buzzfeed article doesn't quite match the way Disney's Snow White's looks. Of course, Disney's Snow White isn't meant to look historically accurate or period-appropriate, she is a fairy-tale character meant to look innocent, happy and care-free as opposed to her stepmother the evil queen who does dress in dark colours.
Would Snow White have had the same appeal as a character if she'd worn historically accurate rich, heavy, dark-coloured fabrics? What if she'd dressed more like her stepmother, would the audience have picked up on the difference between the good and innocent Snow White and the evil and wicked queen as easily? Would Snow White have meant the same to people? One can only wonder.
Snow White may be featured in this post, however my favourite Disney princess was always Ariel, the Little Mermaid. She dreamed about becoming a different person and exploring a world far removed from her own, dreams I also had as a child. Ariel made a deal with an evil entity not only for the chance to be human and live on land, but also to meet and marry a man. Changing myself to meet a man or marry a prince always seemed rather silly to me, however I did feel like I understood Ariel, perhaps best of all the Disney princesses. Although making a deal with an evil entity to achieve my aspirations never did feel right to me...
Those faces and dresses we know so well from Disney movies, are they really what real-life Snow Whites or Jasmines would have looked like? Probably not, as this Buzzfeed article explains. Going by clues from the Disney movies about the (possible) era and location the movies are set in, the article examines what several of Disney's more famous princesses really would have worn and looked like. One example:
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| Source: If Disney Princesses Were Historically Accurate | Buzzfeed |
Snow White from Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs - c. mid- to late 1500s Germany
CONTEXT CLUES:
• Opens with a storybook that is reminiscent of early printing press manuscripts.
• The dwarfs’ home is decorated with carved wooden furniture and instruments,
which, along with the mountainsand forest, is typical of the Black Forest region
of Germany.
• The dwarfs yodel: yodeling was first recorded in Europe in 1545, so Snow White
must’ve taken place after that.
• With all this information, we decided that Snow White must’ve taken place in
• With all this information, we decided that Snow White must’ve taken place in
the mid- to late 1500s, Germany.
Though still part of the Holy Roman Empire during the 16th century, Protestant reformations had sprung up around Germany and the culture was austere and religious. German women during this time period wore rich, heavy, dark-colored fabrics, with exaggerated, puffed up shoulders and hips. Their dresses reached the floor, emphasized the waist, and had a high neckline. Women wore their hair pulled back, often covering it with a headpiece.
 |
| Snow White (Disney) | Wikipedia |
The description of what a 'real' Snow White would have worn from the Buzzfeed article doesn't quite match the way Disney's Snow White's looks. Of course, Disney's Snow White isn't meant to look historically accurate or period-appropriate, she is a fairy-tale character meant to look innocent, happy and care-free as opposed to her stepmother the evil queen who does dress in dark colours.
Would Snow White have had the same appeal as a character if she'd worn historically accurate rich, heavy, dark-coloured fabrics? What if she'd dressed more like her stepmother, would the audience have picked up on the difference between the good and innocent Snow White and the evil and wicked queen as easily? Would Snow White have meant the same to people? One can only wonder.
Snow White may be featured in this post, however my favourite Disney princess was always Ariel, the Little Mermaid. She dreamed about becoming a different person and exploring a world far removed from her own, dreams I also had as a child. Ariel made a deal with an evil entity not only for the chance to be human and live on land, but also to meet and marry a man. Changing myself to meet a man or marry a prince always seemed rather silly to me, however I did feel like I understood Ariel, perhaps best of all the Disney princesses. Although making a deal with an evil entity to achieve my aspirations never did feel right to me...
Disney princesses aren't always my cup of
tea and sometimes I really want to give those princesses a good talking
to (but that's a whole
'nother post). While as a child I too dreamed of being a princess (and even made a 'short-list' of possible real-life princes once, which still makes me laugh), these days I have my doubts about encouraging little girls to
want to be princesses one day. Leading a fulfilling life is not dependent on who one marries (or whether one marries at all) but rather on what one does with one's life. Which is why, personally, I'd rather encourage my (as of yet non-existent) daughter to become a doctor, architect, scientist or astronaut than some man's wife; to follow her dreams and make her own mark on the world using her mind, not her marriage!
However if she happens to enjoy Disney stories or dreams of being a princess one day, I will support her in her interests and gladly help her make her own 'short-list' of possible princes, just as my mother supported my interests and helped me make my list. And just as my mother did with me, I'll encourage my little girl to dream big and aim for the stars. And if one day she does fall in love, I hope she will meet a future partner who may not make her a princess but will treat her as one every day of her life!
However if she happens to enjoy Disney stories or dreams of being a princess one day, I will support her in her interests and gladly help her make her own 'short-list' of possible princes, just as my mother supported my interests and helped me make my list. And just as my mother did with me, I'll encourage my little girl to dream big and aim for the stars. And if one day she does fall in love, I hope she will meet a future partner who may not make her a princess but will treat her as one every day of her life!
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