The Glorious Gilda Gown

Clothing

By missvictoryviolet on March 2, 2015 • ( 13 Comments )

I’ve been hoping and wishing for Pinup Girl Clothing to do a selection of gowns ever since I found them. Vintage inspired ball gowns are hard to come across and I’ve spent hours trawling the internet in search for affordable and well made ones.

I knew that Pinup Girl Clothing’s Supreme Overlord Laura Byrnes would create something marvellous and finally last year my wish came true.

They previewed the new velvet beauty that is the Gilda Gown and everyone went crazy, myself included.

A reasonably simple style but with maximum impact and epic construction, the Gilda is glorious indeed.

I absolutely knew that I just HAD to have it for the shoot Elizabeth J Photography and I had booked at the opulent Civic Theatre.

The Gilda Gown comes in 4 different velvet colour ways – Black, Burgundy Red, Olive and now leopard print. The rich red called my name so I ordered it in a size medium.

I wasn’t 100% sure on sizing but I took comfort in the knowledge that it was a stretchy velvet.
Looking at the size chart, my bust and waist was at the top end of the size small and the bottom end of the medium. However, as per usual, my hips were more like a large!

I decided to go halfway as I heard from friends that there was definitely enough stretch in the hips to size down. I was a little worried that the medium would be too big in the waist and could be difficult to tailor due the bengaline shaper inside but it’s perfect!

I definitely think the medium is the best fit for my bust, if I had a small, I’m not sure I’d be able to do the zip up and it might squash my breasts too much! So the medium was the perfect fit.
It is a dress that is possible to size down in but I would just be careful with how much you might size down in the bust and waist as the bengaline shaper limits how much stretch there is.

Getting this dress on is no easy task. If you have a Monica Dress, think of how difficult that can be to get on and then multiply it by 10!

There’s no way I can get it over my hips and since the dress has so much stretch, it shrinks down a lot and means a lot of wriggling to get it on over your head/shoulders.

The first time I put it on, I made the mistake of accidentally getting the train bunched up and twisted and trying to unravel that with the dress compressing on your bust is rather uncomfortable!

I’d recommend making sure that you gather up the bottom and ensure it doesn’t catch underneath as you pull it over your shoulders.

The zipper is at the back of the dress and I have to zip it up at the front and then twist it around.

The bust features a deep, plunging neckline and sewn down bows at the shoulders. It’s not often I feel like I can go braless but this dress is one of those exceptions.

I’ve sometimes been a little self conscious of how years of yo-yo dieting has left my bust feeling a little less perky but this dress does wonders! I feel quite exposed (it’s the most revealing neckline I have!) but completely safe from any wardrobe malfunctions.

The bengaline shaper works wonders and as well as smoothing everything out, also helps to eliminate visible panty lines. I’m also wearing my trusty Rago 6207 shapewear for extra strength.

My favourite part of this dress is the subtle fishtail train. It adds a bit of drama and elegance but is still completely practical and easy to walk around in. The Gilda is designed to accommodate women 5’9″ and over so if you are shorter than that, you might have to have it tailored.
I am 5’7″ but I find the length fine with heels, in fact I’d almost like it just a little bit longer!

I accessorised it with vintage leather gloves and vintage fur for added elegance and I love the varied textures.

The Gilda Gown retails for US$190 which is more than reasonable for a full gown of this quality and construction! If floor length isn’t your thing, try the knee length version for just $160. Both versions go from sizes XS to 4XL.

Thank you Laura Byrnes for creating such a wonderful gown to hug our curves! I think this will be taking a trip to New York for Matt and I’s first wedding anniversary!

Thank you also to Elizabeth J Photography for yet another stunning set of photos.

x Miss Victory Violet

Categories: Clothing, Dresses, Pinup fashion, Pinup Girl Clothing, Reviews