Woman Crush Wednesday: Turbo-Babe cosplayer Traci Hines!

It is no secret that cosplay has become quite a interesting dynamic within any given fandomsphere, with Disney characters being (possibly) the most cosplayed of all!  As a lady prone to lady crushes, it seemed appropriate to participate in the alliterative internet ritual 'Woman-crush Wednesday' (I may even make it a habit!) and give a shout out to the most famous Disney cosplayer, Traci Hines.  Although Traci does all the princesses (along with Alice, Tinkerbell, and Pinocchio and various other mash-up characters) she was made famous by her uncanny portrayal of Ariel.  I picked out some of her best Ariel shots to share with you today.  Traci, if you're reading, I both love you and see you as a symbol of all the unfairness in the world.  Enjoy!

Uggghhh, my dreeammmmm...

That DOG!

Pink, my signature color.

That Ursula is amazing too, check that necklace.
 Love the materials used in Traci's dress and that bow takes it to the
next level of awesome.

Princesses and Villains line from Black Milk Clothing

Disney's hot right now, ya'll.  From princess underwear at Hot Topic to pie-eyed Mickey socks at Urban Outfitters, every trendy retailer seems eager to hop on the bandwagon of endearing whimsy and delicious nostalgia.  Described by Bustle as an 'ultra-fandom-friendly fashion line', Black Milk Clothing is no exception.  On July 29th, the Princesses and Villains line will drop.  What I like most about the line is that many of the items explore Disney in an unexpected way. 

For example, the Ariel leggings are fish-scale print as opposed to being printed with a scene from the movie (as with Hot Topic's Disney legging line).

I want to wear these as part of an Ariel Disneybound!

Marie, an underrated and overlooked character (in this country at least!), is featured on more than one piece:

Meow! Marie's such a cutie!   

And this Snow White 'outfit'!:

All in all, it's a neat little showing from Black Milk Clothing and I can't wait to see more Disney in the fashion world.  Take a look at the collection and let me know which items you like best in the comments section!

Disney Mermaids: Mermaid Tryouts at Disneyland!

Although Disneyland opened in 1955, it opened without three of its most iconic attractions: the Matterhorn Bobsleds, the Monorail, and the Submarine Voyage.  These did not open until the park's first large-scale expansion in 1959.

Although the Matterhorn Bobsleds and Monorail still exist in their original form, the Submarine Voyage has been re-themed several times.  As someone who never rode the attraction in its original form, I lament this loss given that I love the steam-punk aesthetic of 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, the film on which it was based.  My lamentation increased a jillion-fold when I found out that the attraction originally included LIVE MERMAIDS!!!  Check out these photos from mermaid-tryouts at the Disneyland Hotel:

So cool.  Uncovering awesome, obscure factoids from Disney history is what keeps me coming back for more.  Here's a video where you get to see the lucky ladies who got the job in action! (Skip to 1:00):

Little Mermaid's Island!

Although Disney acquired the Muppets in 2004,  the companies' association began long before that.  In fact, Disney came very close to cutting a deal with Jim Henson in 1990.  Unfortunately, Jim passed before the deal was made and thus, Disney and the Muppets parted ways for nearly 15 years.

There were a few things that came of this fleeting relationship between the two creative giants, my very favorite being a pilot for a puppet version of a Little Mermaid television show!  The show was to be called Little Mermaid's Island, and this is all that exists of it on youtube:

What I want to know is how this video only has around 10,000 views!?!  The existence of this concept came to my attention whilst listening to a Disney Dish with Jim Hill episode (where I get all my really good behind the scenes Disney information, sorry Lou Mongello).  Being a huge fan of Jim Henson's non-Muppets body of work, it breaks my heart that this was not made.  Henson's creations have this sweetness and charm to them that is totally unique, and this brief glimpse is no exception.  My short term life goal is to acquire the full episode, which I will of course post when and if I am able!

Disney Mermaids: 'Splash' fountain at the Studios

A lot of people don't realize that the Disney 'fold' extends beyond animation, Pixar, Star Wars, and the Muppets, to include films released by Touchstone Films, a sub-label of the Disney Company, and even Miramax (acquired by Disney in 1993).

The 1984 romantic comedy Splash is one of my favorite live-action Disney films for all it's silliness, fantasy, and Tom Hanksiness, not to mention the little fact that it's a mermaid movie i.e. the best kind of movie!  This, coupled with my love for great water features, makes the Splash fountain one of my favorite little things at the Studios!

An Instax photo I took of the fountain.

The fountain as it appears in the film.

In addition, this fountain as an actual prop from the film supports the waning notion that Hollywood Studios celebrates the process of film creation.  With the inevitable Star Wars expansion, I can only hope this beautiful piece finds a good home where it can be enjoyed for decades to come.