What You’ll Need
Building the Stepsisters: Drizella and Anastasia’s Matching Disaster
The two dresses are the entire costume. Everything else supports them. Drizella’s gown is a loud chartreuse-yellow, while Anastasia’s is a deep pinkish-red. Both should read as Victorian-inspired ballgowns that went wrong somewhere—puffy sleeves, fitted bodices, and full skirts with enough structure to hold an animated silhouette. Satin or any fabric with a sheen helps sell the “expensive but tacky” quality. The colors matter more than the construction details, so if you’re not sewing, hunt for bridesmaid dresses or prom gowns in those specific shades and modify them.
You’ll want a high neckline or collar on both dresses. The animated versions have that prim, covered-up top half that makes the loud colors feel even more absurd. If you’re altering existing dresses, adding a lace collar or mock neck insert is a simple fix. The sleeves should be gathered or puffed at the shoulder—the more exaggerated, the better. A bustle or train on Drizella’s dress adds to the overdressed effect, but if you’re moving through a convention crowd, you may want to skip the train and keep the fullness in the skirt instead.
The wigs carry as much character as the dresses. Drizella needs a short, dark, wavy wig styled into two severe buns or a stiff updo—something that looks like it took too long to pin and still came out wrong. Anastasia’s orange wig should be long with ringlet curls, usually tied up high with extra volume piled on top. Both wigs benefit from heavy styling products. If the curls don’t hold, pin the wig up in sections and use bobby pins liberally. The frizzier and more chaotic, the closer you’ll be to the source.
Hair accessories are where the color clashing really comes together. Drizella wears a large blue bow or feather right at the center of her head—a deliberate contrast to the yellow dress. Anastasia wears a gold or yellow bow that fights with her red hair. These don’t need to be elaborate; a wide ribbon tied into a bow and pinned to the wig works fine. What matters is the placement: center-top of the head, not off to the side.
Shoes are simple. Drizella wears green heels, Anastasia wears red ones. Classic pumps in matching shades are enough. Since the dresses are floor-length, the shoes will barely show, so don’t invest much here. The sisters aren’t graceful, so if you’re wobbling a bit, that’s actually in character.
Makeup is where you commit to the bit. Both sisters wear too much of everything. Red lipstick applied slightly outside your natural lip line gives that overdrawn, harsh pout. Blush goes on as bright pink circles directly on the apples of the cheeks—no blending. The effect should look painted on, like a doll that got left in the sun. This is not a subtle look, and it shouldn’t be.
The dynamic between the two of you is what makes the costume work. You need to bicker constantly, then unite instantly if anyone else criticizes you. Practice a stiff, awkward curtsy that looks like it hurts. Stomp when you walk, keep your noses in the air, and speak in a high-pitched whine. If you see a Cinderella cosplayer, ignore her completely or dramatically order her to clean something. Carry a small hand fan and flutter it aggressively when pretending to be flustered. The uglier your expressions, the better the cosplay—this is one costume where being deliberately unattractive is the goal.