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First off, let me say that you all really outdid yourselves on the April 1 theme of Flowers! I expected a low turn-out due to my giving you such short notice, but we ended up with one of the largest number of participants of any theme so far! Be sure to go back and check out the full list of posts now that Mr. Linky is closed. Many thanks to all who joined in the fun!
Now, on to today’s outfit.
I think this particular color is pushing it in terms of the Goth-friendly palette. But when I saw this dress on sale in the Venus catalog, I knew I had to have it. The color is at least reminiscent of the Victorian era, so it is passable, and the shape of the dress seemed so perfect. I think there is nothing more feminine than a draping cowl neckline, and the fabulous darts in the front of the dress add so much interest! The knit fabric is a bit silky and hangs beautifully, making this dress extremely comfortable as well as very classy.
I paired this dress with my black filigree heart pendant from Michael’s. I thought it had a romantic Victorian flair that would play well with this dress.
The dress is actually a bit large for me, so I covered much of the interesting waist detail with a belt to get a better shape. Ultimately, this dress will probably be altered to achieve a perfect figure-skimming fit. Fit is oh, so important to me! I think it’s something that we easily overlook in the modern world of off-the-rack shopping. Now, we are often forced to settle for “adequate” fit, or pay as much for alterations as some clothing costs to begin with. That’s the number one reason I possess a sewing machine, and whatever meager seamstress skills I have managed to accrue.
You can see in the picture above that this is a bit loose in the waist. I find this to frequently be a problem, as if today’s clothing companies want us to hide our curves! Thankfully, nipping in the waist an inch or two is an extraordinarily easy fix, although sometimes finding the time isn’t…
Do you ever do alterations on your clothing to improve the fit? Do you DIY your alterations, or leave it to the pros? What types of adjustments do you find you need to make most frequently?
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That is a lovely color and paired with black=amazing
I make my own necklaces/pins with pendant's at Michael's, it's cost effective and fun!You are completely 100% right about having to get clothing altered. Possessing the skill or paying a tailor is worth the time/money to show off your figure better. Amen!
This color is really elegant, and the dress itself is lovely as well.:)Fitting is very important to me too. I have a fuller hourglass figure, which is really hard to dress up sometimes…pants, for example: if it's a low waist one, I have to widen the waist, if it's higher waisted, I have to nip it in…awful, but I'm used to doing it, and nowadays I'm even trying to sew some easier stuff for myself at home.
That color is lovely and suitably gloomy ; ) I envy anyone with actual sewing talent! I wasn't born with it, and I need a lot more instruction and practice before i begin to alter my own clothes. Can't wait to see how the dress turns out once you sew it up!
You look gorgeous in that color, my friend. Simply divine! And once again you and I are on the same page!!! Seriously, I wish we lived closer to "do" lunch! What fun we would have!!! Anyway, as you know I'm down two dress sizes and that's an issue for me. Altering clothing a bit here and there is one thing, reconstructing clothing two sizes down is beyond me. It's time to walk away from some beautiful pieces and replace my wardrobe with things closer to my actual size. ah well.
That is a fabulous color on you!I end up altering almost every item of clothing that I purchase. If a jacket fits my bust, I need to take it in at the waist, and I almost always need to split side back panels on the same jackets so they lay properly over my petticoats.
I love cowl necklines too. My mother would always "stitch up the sides" of dresses to make them fit me better. I do it sometimes but unfortunately I relegate something that needs altering to the "fix it" pile and then it just sits there for years.
That color against the grey background reminds me of the half-mourning dress Victoria wears in "The Young Victoria." I don't alter clothes often because the alterations I need – longer torso, wider shoulders and/or longer sleeves – are rather difficult. It's easy to make clothes shorter or smaller; much harder to make them longer or bigger. (Unlike math, where I find it easier to add than to subtract.)
Sometimes I turn not-long-enough sleeves into short sleeves or make a dress into a skirt.
may i suggest l'oreal color riche 805 mysterious icon nail polish to match the dress? (lol, sorry but i had to laugh a bit since i have this color on my nails right now and thought it would go nice with your dress ^^)looks beautiful on you, even though it is indeed a bit loose… i used to do a lot of my clothing on my own or change what i did not like but my machine is… um… dead. will have to buy a new one and start sewing again since i gave away most of my things while i was too wide.<3
I don't think I'm fond of the color, but it does look very good on you with black as the contrast~ [shoes, yay~!] I would love to see this with your hair in a down style, but then, I do love your lovely long hair in all styles~
The knit and color both look very soft and feminine. I would not have looked twice at that dress. Perhaps I shouldn't be so hasty in writing off dress in lighter shades. Another lovely look!
Le Professeur: my Goth-Sister!
Your local thrift store shoppers are going to LOVE the pieces you donate.Meagan Kyla, Michael's really does have some great stuff at great prices, sometimes. I find their beads and such to be shamefully overpriced, but they have a great selection of focal pieces that are very cost-effective.Lynoire, ugh! I have a difficult time with pants, too. They are always too long, and too loose in the waist OR too tight in the butt. I hate the clothing industry's assumption that slender women don't have any curves!!GothBarbie, thank you! My mom showed me the basics of operating a sewing machine – once you have the basic skill down, nipping in the waist a bit is really easy. Unless there is a side zipper. I just don't order things with side zippers because I know I won't be able to alter them myself. Zippers are a mystery…Gothic Charm School, good point! Jackets are just not made to accommodate fluffy skirts these days.Lady Bethezda, I sorta have that problem – more things needing alterations than time to alter… That's why I wore this dress as-is this time. ;-DBane, perfect! Thank you for that lovely image. I loved that movie – I wish NetFlix still had it available to watch online! Ah, good point; making smaller is easier than making larger. You could maybe buy a size up, but then you risk too-large arm holes, shoulders hitting too low, and other such tricky things to fix… I've made a couple of dresses into skirts, too!kakuidori, lol! We're on the same wavelength this week. Sorry your sewing machine is dead! I hope you are able to get a new one soon – they are so empowering!! 
Sir Isaak, I might just wear my hair down next time I don this dress… I liked it with a Victorian-esque updo since the color is a bit Victorian, but having the hair down would darken the whole look up considerably. 
heatherphillips, I go through phases where colors like this are unacceptable, but I crave variety too much to rule them out completely. An unexpected color combined with the feminine cut: this dress really caught my eye!
What a romantically beautiful dress! And I love belting almost everything baggy or just too streamlined in one color, to shake things up (I belt form-fitting sweater dresses and cardigans all the time). This look does have a very Victorian feel to it.I adore cowl necks!Alterations… hmm. The only thing I trust to myself at the moment is minor hemming. Although I have a bunch of things I need to tackle anyway, costume-wise or everyday wear wise, so I guess I better take the plunge.
Lovely! I really like the dusty mauve color-I think since it's purple, it's sufficiently Goth-y. But my definitions may be more flexible than most.
I do alterations all the time-a nip here, a tuck there…I have a very hard-to-fit figure (broad ribcage but smallish bust, small waist, large hips and thighs but small calves) so I often end up taking in waists, putting in godets, all kinds of things! Not so much here, since I don't have my sewing machine, but I definitely need to alter things. I love button-downs but they are hard to fit due to my wide ribcage, so I usually end up either taking them in through the waist or inserting panels of coordinating fabric into the sides. I have a couple sitting at home waiting for me to finish when I get back!
I love everything about this. And I agree with everyone above, the color looks amazing on you.
I rarely alter my clothes, as I do not have a sewing machine and it's so expensive! I try to find things that fit relatively well and then just make it work. Almost every pair of pants in existence are too long, being that I'm 5'3" and most bottoms are too tight in the hip/butt/thigh area if they fit my waist or too big in the waist if they fit everywhere below. Clothing manufacturers don't usually cut ANY size clothing for curves.