Run, Karla, Run!

Do you want adventure in the great wide somewhere? Do you want it more than you can tell? You might be a Belle!

One year ago today, I put together this Belle running costume for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna. Over the last two years, I’ve run every race at that event—the marathon in 2013 and the 5K, 10K and half-marathon in 2014—and in costume too.

I’ve already showed you how I made my Cinderella in Rags and Jacques the Mouse costumes from the 2013 marathon and my pink Cinderella dress from the 2014 half-marathon.

Now, heeeeeeeere’s Beauty and the Beast‘s Belle!

I wore Belle’s blue “provincial” dress at the inaugural Walt Disney World 10K. Apart from Aladdin‘s Jasmine, this might be the most basic of all the costumes I’ve made. It also might be the most sewing I’ve ever done. That said, it was all hand-stitched in one evening and I have zero sewing skills. I mean, I never even took home economic. If I can do it, anyone can.

Last year, I waxed poetic about why I chose to run as “provincial” Belle. To me, her blue dress represents the bookworm Belle who dreams of adventure. And that’s the aspect of Belle I’ve always identified with.

But I also chose this costume because it’s really easy to run in. If you have brown or auburn hair like me, no wig is necessary. In this look, Belle’s hair is pulled back, which I prefer when I run. And if you forgo a basket and book, this costume doesn’t need any props. It was made for running.

How To Make A “Beauty & The Beast” Blue Belle Running Costume

Gather all the pieces for the costume. The sewing tools I used were:

1. Needle and thread

2. Safety pins

The costume items I used are:

1. Sparkle skirt

2. Blue shorts

3. Old pillowcase for apron

4. Ribbon for apron

5. Sparkle fabric for shirt

6. Old T-shirt for blouse

7. Sparkle Sleeves (It was SO hot and humid on race day, I ended up not wearing them)

8. Sparkle Wrist Bands

9. Fabric remnants for bow

10. Running shoes with bows

The only thing I bought for this costume was the sparkle fabric for the top from a wholesaler in New York City’s garment district. If it exists, you can find it in NYC. I used things I had lying around the house for the rest.

The Skirt

Just plug and play with a blue skirt like the Pale Blue Sparkle Running Skirt from Sparkle Athletic that I wore. The ladies of Sparkle Athletic sent it to me back in 2012 for my Cinderella at the Ball costume. (I have also freelanced for Sparkle Athletic in the past). So I just reused that. Yay #TeamSparkle!

Then I paired the skirt with a pair of blue shorts that I already owned. Easy peasy!

The Apron

I made this apron for my Cinderella in Rags costume and simply reused it.

Making it was a cinch. I used an old, ripped pillowcase buried deep within my linen closet. I simply cut the pillowcase in half, and then hand-sewed a long, white ribbon along the cut edge of the case.

The ribbon was long enough that I could then tie it around my waist to keep the apron in place.

The Shirt

I made the top of this Belle running costume in two parts: the blue overdress and white blouse underneath.

1. Blue Top

This was the most labor intensive part of the costume. That said, I did it in one evening in front of the TV. I found blue sparkle fabric that matched my sparkle skirt and made the shirt. How? I kind of have no idea. I didn’t use a pattern. I wouldn’t know how to even if I had one.

First, I made a basic tube top with the fabric, measuring it around my torso in three panels: a flat, straight panel in the front, and two tapered panels for the sides and back.

To make the taper, instead of cutting the fabric in a rectangle, I cut it at an angle starting at the waist, like in this photo:

I merely hand-stitched the seams together.

Second, I cut two strips of fabric to make the straps, measuring them over my shoulder and hand-stitching them into place. Then, I put the shirt on and measured out where to cut some extra room under the arms.

Up close and personal, this shirt is a mess. I can hear Project Runway‘s Nina Garcia now: “Poor construction is never stylish.” Stylish, smylish. It just had to last through one race. And it did.

2. Blouse

Rather than wear an entire shirt under the dress, I faked it with pieces of an old-T-shirt.

I cut strips of an old white T-shirt and folded, then pinned and sewed them to the straps to make it look like the lapels of Belle’s blouse. Again, there was no rhyme or reason to how I did it. I just played with the fabric until it looked right.

I finished off the blouse with White Sparkle Sleeves, which Sparkle Athletic also sent me for my Cinderella at the Ball costume. But I ended up not wearing them on race day because it was so hot. Instead I popped on some blue Sparkle Athletic Power {wrist} Bands.

The Hair

I firmly believe that the key to any costume is getting the hair just right, and have gone to great lengths in the past. Have you seen my black “hair” in my Jasmine running costume? Or my ’50s bangs as Cinderella in pink? Or my Cinderella at the ball up-do?

Belle was easy to do. I parted my hair in the middle, then rolled each side backward into itself, pinning it in place, to create the soft pouf and wave of Belle’s hair. Then I simply pulled the rest back into a low pony tail and used bobby pins to fasten the bow into place. I made the bow from scraps of the sparkle shirt fabric.

Then, I sprayed the heck out of it. Super hold hairspray is an essential part of most of my running costumes.

The Shoes

I finished off the costume with white bows tied to my running shoes. Why? Why not?

Sparkle Athletic also sells some really cute Shwings for your shoes. I have the Princess Crown Shwings for my Cinderella running shoes.

Belle Running Costume

And that’s it! If I hadn’t been racing in this one, and instead opted to stop for photos, I would have carried a basket with a book in it. Those would have really completed the look.

Want to check out the costume in action? Race Report: Walt Disney World 10K

I attended the 2014 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend courtesy of runDisney. But as always, all opinions are purely my own. I really do believe in being honest about my experiences and Disney is no exception. For more information read my Disclosure Policy.