Adult Disney Princess Parties Are A Thing, Are Amazing

Everybody had one: the Disney princess party. It's a special day where little kids get to dress up and pretend they live in a castle high atop a mountain, to believe that one day prince Eric will put a ring on it, and to think that animals can talk and it's totally chill if you ate their cousin last year. (Sorry, Sebastian.) Past a certain age, though, it's hard to #treatyoself à la Cinderella without giving off some serious 40-year-old virgin vibes. So we decided to take it upon ourselves to reimagine the Disney princess party for the modern age — and the moderately aged among us — so that your inner child can live it up a little without retreating to the kids' table.

Mulan

It's okay if all you remember of Mulan is Christina Aguilera belting out "Mi Reflejo," the Spanish-language version of the movie soundtrack's breakout single. We're right there with you. Most of our inspiration for this table came from an imagined Imperial Army feast, anyway — equal parts fierce and fanciful. The tablecloth and placemats make a graphic nod to the art of Chinese calligraphy, while the flatware's sleek midcentury lines seem defiantly more fearsome than your average butter knife. The asymmetrical matte black dinnerware is elegantly edgy, just like our heroine.

Ariel

A seashell bra can go Red Lobster real quick. Our goal here was to elevate some of the movie's more obvious design tropes while imagining new ones to create a table that looks as if it just washed ashore. The dinner plates' unique coloration mimics algae and barnacles (in an appetizing way), bringing to mind the ocean floor. Green glassware evokes sea glass. Rumpled linen looks like sand onto which the whole party had been tossed from a whaling boat — chicken of the sea need not apply.

Jasmine

We brought princess Jasmine down to earth for this table, creating an imagined scene she might stumble upon in a bazaar. The mix of textures in a range of super-saturated hues is complemented by pops of gold and glassware in jewel tones. Petals float in an oversized bowl in lieu of a vase while a sumptuous mix of finger foods sits close at hand. We think Abu would find plenty to pocket from this spread.

Belle

Inspired by Belle's humble home life, we created a table that melds the rustic and Provençal with a more refined teatime sensibility. There aren't any singing and dancing teapots, unfortunately — but we do have macarons. Platters provide extra space for glassware and other accouterments while a smattering of rosebuds rounds out this French country feast.

Merida

For this moody table, we drew inspiration from the Scottish moors to create an overgrown, mystical tableau that's part woodsy adventure, part Renaissance Faire. The "emo-plum" tablecloth is the perfect backdrop for elaborate florals, woven tapers, and a set of napkin rings embellished with braided silver rope. The gilded weave pattern on the dinnerware references the Celtic cross embroidery of Merida's dress, while a pair of handmade cuffs is at the ready should she need a little extra protection during target practice.