In Fa Mulan's first appearance as a Disney character, she has long hair, a tricolor top with a sash at the waist, and an ivory skirt. Because your dog appears in these scenes, a plush toy puppy is a cute accessory to add to this costume. When Mulan visits the matchmaker, she is elegantly dressed in flashy makeup and a hanfu, with a bow tie and a flower in her hair. Another classic Mulan outfit is a layered blue dress and hair in a blunt bob cut. Her accessories for this outfit are a sword and a fan. Dress up in one of these fun outfits that Mulan wears!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Dress in Mulan's Original Clothes
Step 1. Wear an off-white dress or camisole with a skirt
Mulan's original outfit includes a floor-length cream skirt and a hint of off-white fabric that is visible underneath her top. You can achieve this look in two ways. If you can get a long off-white dress that has a square or boat neck, you can wear it under your costume. As another alternative, you can wear an off-white, floor-length skirt and camisole.
- The camisole should have a neckline that reaches around your collarbone.
- Find a dress or skirt in your closet, online, or at a thrift store. In case you like to sew, you could make the skirt.
Step 2. Get a light green top with long, wide sleeves
Preferably, the body of the garment should be more fitted than the sleeves. Because you will be wearing another layer of clothing over your torso, the green top should not be bulky. Look for a light apple green color.
Step 3. Make Mulan's outer top garment
Ideally, you should be able to get a tank top or short dress with a royal blue bodice and chunky teal straps. You will be more likely to get something very similar if you search for it online. However, because it's something quite specific, you may want to improvise instead.
- If you want to recreate this garment, get a strapless top or dress that falls around the hips. It can be a little longer or shorter, it does not have to be exact. Under it, wear a turquoise tank top with wide straps, or sew wide straps with a teal ribbon to the strapless garment.
- This garment should fit around your torso like a garment in the middle rather than wearing it like a regular tank top.
Step 4. Add a mauve sash
You can use a long piece of fabric, a sash, or a scarf. Wrap it around your waist until there is a bit of fabric hanging behind. Tuck this fabric underneath and use a hidden safety pin to secure it.
Step 5. Bring a stuffed toy dog
Hermanito is Mulan's small dog, which is beige in color, has dark brown spots, long ears and a black nose, and wears a blue collar. If you're using a toy dog that doesn't have a blue collar, wrap a blue ribbon around its neck. You can incorporate Little Brother into your costume in several ways.
- Just take the stuffed toy with you everywhere.
- Make the toy peek out of your purse or handbag, if you have one.
- Attach it to your costume. It is possible to sew it to the front of your dress with a few simple stitches.
Step 6. Wear simple shoes without heels
In this outfit, Mulan wears a floor-length skirt and has her feet covered. Choose the neutral, comfortable slip-ons you want. Don't wear heels as they could show through below the bottom hem.
Step 7. Get a long black wig that has a low ponytail tied back
Find a wig that is parted in the middle and does not have bangs. Put on the wig, fix the hair in a low ponytail with an elastic hair band, and then take a small piece of hair and wrap it around the tail at the base.
- Pull the elastic under the ponytail and slide the strand of hair through the gap. Secure it with a bobby pin.
- You may need to use a wig cap and secure it with bobby pins or wig tape.
Method 2 of 3: Wear Mulan's Hanfu Outfit
Step 1. Get a pink robe
This will be the main part of the costume on which you will layer the other garments. There is no problem with the tunic having pockets since you can hide them later with another fabric.
Step 2. Get a navy blue fabric
If you can get a wide scarf or shawl, this will do. You can also wear a long top or a short strapless dress. Otherwise, you can buy some dark blue fabric.
- The garment should be able to wrap completely around you, front to back, and extend from the bust to the thighs. Try the garment on or hold it against your body to make sure it's long and wide enough.
- If the garment is a loose fabric or a scarf, have someone help you pin the back when you put on the costume. Alternatively, you can attach Velcro to the garment so that you can put it on without help.
Step 3. Wear a red fabric, belt, or sash
If you're shopping for fabric, make sure there's enough to wrap around your waist at least once. It should wrap around the smallest part of your waist. Also, you should be careful that there is a little left so that you can use it for your hairstyle.
Step 4. Get a soft purple scarf and a green necklace
Ideally, your purple scarf should be made of a light, transparent, lavender-colored fabric. It should be long enough to hold in the crooks of your arms like a shawl. You can buy a simple green bead necklace or make it yourself.
To make the necklace yourself, you can use craft supplies and this tutorial
Step 5. Fix your hair in a high bun with a flower
You can use a magnolia, cherry blossom, or similar artificial flower from a craft store. Cut the stem with a wire cutter so that only a few inches remain. Tuck the flower through the stem on one side of the bow, then wrap the extra piece of red fabric around the bow and the stem of the flower.
- If you cut the stem with a wire cutter, you may need to bend the cut end or file it a bit so it doesn't poke your head.
- Secure everything in place with bobby pins or clips.
Step 6. Wear gold drop earrings
Mulan wears round gold earrings with dangling teardrop beads. You can look for similar earrings online or at a local store that sells costume jewelry. eBay is a great place to find unique, vintage, and even snap earring styles.
Step 7. Wear bold makeup
When Mulan wears her hanfu outfit to visit the matchmaker, she wears deep purple eyeshadow and her cheeks are blushed pink. Also, wear dark berry lipstick.
Method 3 of 3: Dressing in Mulan's Heroine Outfit
Step 1. Start with a light blue t-shirt
Be careful not to be too dark because Mulan's was a soft blue color. Also, it should stand out against the darker blue garment that you will wear over the shirt. If you can get it, wear a long-sleeved peasant blouse.
The peasant sleeves are puffed and wide but end in a slim-cut band at the wrists
Step 2. Add a light colored skirt
Choose a skirt that reaches between the ankle and the floor. It should be white to pale blue in color, at least one shade lighter than your shirt. Look for a mermaid or A-line skirt so that it is somewhat flared at the bottom.
Step 3. Layer the outer dress
Look for a dark blue dress that falls around the knee, with short sleeves and at an angle (for example, exaggerated cap sleeves or short kimono sleeves). Alternatively, you can either get a dark blue sleeveless tunic (preferably without pockets), or cut the sleeves off a tunic yourself.
Step 4. Add a mauve sash
The sash must be at least 2 m (2 yards) long. If it is not possible to make a girdle or buy one, get a particularly wide ribbon of the same length. Hang it from the back of your neck, as if you were going to put on a tie, but so that both ends of the fabric hang evenly in front of you. Cross the fabric once over the belly button and then wrap it around the waist and back in the front.
- Keep wrapping the mauve sash around your waist until there is just a little bit left, then tuck in the pieces and secure them with pins.
- The sash wrapped around your waist should cover where the fabric crosses in the front so that it appears to be V-shaped rather than X-shaped. Secure the fabric on the inside with a safety pin.
Step 5. Top with a pink ribbon or sash
Place it over the top of the mauve sash around your waist. At the front left of your waist, loop the fabric over itself, as if you were making a simple knot. Do not cross the fabric again to finish the knot but instead arrange the two strips so that they hang over each other.
Secure the belt and suspenders in place using a safety pin hidden within the pink sash
Step 6. Choose shoes and socks
Mulan wears dark gray flat shoes with a rounded toe, although you could wear navy blue or black flat shoes. Wear knee-high stockings or socks of any color, from flesh to white.
Step 7. Wear a long necklace with a large gold medallion
How elaborate you want this detail to be is up to you. You have several options. You can wear a large gold medallion of any type on a chain necklace or a long gold ribbon. As another option, you can recreate the emperor's crest medallion in a simple or complex way.
- For a simple medallion, cut a circle out of foam cardboard or cardstock. Draw the dragon in pencil and then color it in using metallic bronze and gold paint markers. Drill a hole in the top and attach the locket to a long chain necklace with a gold ribbon. You can also secure a gold ribbon around the edge of the locket using a hot glue gun.
- If you want to make a complex medallion, you can use Worbla on craft foam, wood, or clay and paint the finished product.
Step 8. Get or make a prop sword
Mulan wears Shan Yu's sword in this outfit. The sword extends from the top of your head to about midway between your hip and knee. The sword has a wavy blade and a point like the head of an arrow. You can look for a prop sword to buy online or in costume stores.
- If you want to make your own prop sword, make a foam board template. Use an armor of toilet paper rolls and masking tape to make the handle of the sword and cover your entire creation with papier-mâché and strips of newspaper. When it dries, you can paint it with acrylic paints.
- Optionally, you can wrap the central part of the sword with brown paper or beige cloth and tie it with a burgundy rope in the way that Mulan presented it to the emperor. If you add another loop of rope to the knot that is long enough to be used as a sling over the head and over one shoulder, you won't have to wear it loosely.
Step 9. Get a golden fan
Mulan has a fan that saves her from a wielded sword. It is gold in color with black trim. You can buy a fan and paint it gold with spray paint, or make a fan yourself from scratch.
Step 10. Wear a short black wig
If you can't go to a wig shop in person, you may need to measure your head in order to buy one online. Mulan's hair is parted in the middle, so choose a front mesh wig for a realistic look.
With this outfit, Mulan wears wispy bangs. You can either buy a wig that looks like this or cut the bangs off the wig
Advice
- If your hair is already the right color and length, you can omit the wig. As another option, if your hair has the extension but not the correct color, you can use temporary hair dye in a spray or in the form of a hair-darkening kit for your costume.
- If you want to use cosmetics, opt for natural makeup with marked eyebrows to resemble Mulan.