Okay, so I’ve been totally obsessed with the gothic Victorian fashion aesthetic lately. It’s just so darkly romantic and elegant! I decided I wanted to try and incorporate some of that vibe into my own style, so here’s how I went about it.
Diving into Research
First things first, I needed to really understand what makes gothic Victorian fashion… well, gothic Victorian! I spent a good chunk of time just browsing images online. I looked at tons of pictures of actual Victorian-era clothing, as well as modern interpretations of the style. I wanted to get a good feel for the common elements, shapes, and fabrics.
Gathering My Materials
Next up was figuring out how to actually make something. I’m not exactly a pro seamstress, so I decided to start with modifying some existing pieces. I hit up a few thrift stores and managed to find some great stuff:
- A long, black velvet skirt that was a bit too plain.
- A lacy white blouse with a high collar.
- An old, slightly damaged black corset. Perfect!
The Transformation Begins!
I started with the skirt. It was pretty basic, so I decided to add some drama. I bought some black lace trim and some little ribbon roses. I hand-stitched the lace around the hem and then scattered the roses around the bottom. It was a bit time-consuming, but totally worth it! The skirt looked instantly more intricate and, well, gothic.
The blouse was already pretty close to what I wanted, but I added a black velvet ribbon around the collar to tie it in with the skirt. Simple, but effective!
The corset was the trickiest part. It had some tears in the fabric, but I saw that as an opportunity! I carefully patched the tears with some more of the black lace, making it look intentionally distressed. I also added some chains I had lying around for extra detail.
Putting it All Together
Finally, it was time to put the whole outfit together! I wore the blouse tucked into the skirt, with the corset layered on top. I also added some black boots and some simple jewelry – a cameo necklace and some dark, dangly earrings.
I was pretty happy with how it turned out! It definitely felt like I had captured that gothic Victorian vibe I was going for. It’s not perfect, of course, but it was a fun experiment, and I learned a lot along the way. I’m definitely going to keep playing around with this style and see what else I can create!
