In less than a month, Disney’s live action remake of the wonderful, beloved animated film Beauty and the Beast hits theaters (March 17, but who’s keeping track?), and the film has already inspired a line of clothing at Hot Topic.
I’m not sure if I’m really the right demographic for the clothing, since I think I’m a bit, ahem, older than all the models on their site, but I love Beauty and the Beast and I already own two dresses with Belle prints. So, I went a little crazy and bought an item. Or four.
I don’t even like the color yellow. I own nothing in that color, but I’ve always wanted a Belle ballgown and right now this is the closest option I have. It’s on order, so we’ll have to see how it looks. But onscreen it’s stunning.
.png)
The blue dress, inspired by Belle’s little town, quiet village dress, features a print of Beauty and the Beast iconography and … books! Belle’s love of books is what instantly made her my favorite Disney princess, so I ordered this dress, too. While I don’t think I can get away with wearing it at the office, I have a Disney trip coming up as well as DragonCon late in the summer.
.png)
The coat is something I know I don’t need. But it also has books! And roses! Two of my favorite things. Again, it looks lovely in the pictures. Lots of details and an elegant look.
.png)
The burgundy cape is reminiscent of the blue one that Belle wears to venture outside in search of her father, and again when she leaves the castle and encounters wolves. So did the designers confuse Belle and Little Red Riding Hood for a minute? She does wear a burgundy cloak over the pink dress in the Something There sequence, but it has fur trim (hopefully faux, especially considering her furry companion). So perhaps they combined the two and came up with this, but I couldn’t justify purchasing it. Not a lot of use for capes in Atlanta.
.png)
The “cold shoulder” dress is perfect for springtime, with roses and cameos along the hem. The neckline is similar to the one on the Hot Topic BB-8 dress that I purchased, so I took a gamble and purchased this one as well. You never know until you try it on, right?
.png)
The print on the peplum top is designed in such a way to make the Beauty and the Beast connection very subtle, perhaps allowing it to be worn in a wider variety of settings. I didn’t buy it since I’ve never found a peplum that works for me, but it’s an adorable top.
.png)
As the pictures show, the clothes are available in junior and plus sizes, and there’s an option for Beasts and/or Princes as well!
The suit jacket, perfect for dancing in a ballroom, features gold embroidery.
.png)
So whether you’re going to prom, DisneyWorld, a convention, or reading a book and avoiding all the Gastons of the world, there are several fun fashion options if you want to display your love of Beauty and the Beast.