Chic Belle

Belle has been requested a lot lately. So I moved her along quickly once I determined her style. I wanted Belle to be independent, strong, smart, but still cute and feminine. Beauty and the Beast was at the front of Disney’s revival, along with the Little Mermaid, Aladdin and many other instant classics. Of these, Belle was one of Disney’s first “strong” leading ladies. Before Pocahontas saved her people, before Tiana worked her way to the top, or before Mulan saved China, Belle put others first, befriended a terrible beast, defied the misogynistic thoughts of her time. She was a reader, a learner, a fighter, a friend.
I wanted her to project the time that I drew/designed her. She’s very different than any of the other ladies in the collection. Of everyone completed at this point, she’s probably the most dressed down. She’s not going to a party, a red carpet event. She’s more likely on her way to a relaxing, quiet place to study. Or work on a PowerPoint presentation for work. She’s equipped with caffeine to make sure she stays focused on whatever it is she needs to accomplish. And when she hits that out of the park, she has a V. E. Schwab novel to help her relax and take her mind to a place of magic and spells.
But whatever her goal is, she’s still concerned with showing her slightly hipster, cute, power style. I didn’t picture Belle concerned with name brands. She’s more into the thrift find, retro throwback style. The floral print of her casual blazer as well as her rose necklace helps convey her story.