Sky Full of Bats

 

Now that I've mourned the passing of Halloween this year I can focus on other things: mostly spooky inspired things. Selkie recently dropped this Bats and the Bees print so of course I had to grab something to add to my collection. This is my first Cupid dress from them but certainly not my last. I feel like an absolute princess!

Dress- Selkie

Shoes- Steve Madden

Bag- Wicker Darling

Hat- old

Bracelet- Forever 21

The Cupid dress has so many stunning features that I don't know where to start! The bodice is a true corset with boning and a lace up back. The bust features underwire and bust cups (not my favorite) and the skirt is voluminous with the option to bustle it. I'm currently wearing it bustled but it looks beautiful on its own.

What I love: The print is my favorite print Selkie has ever offered. It's feminine but also spooky so it speaks right to my soul. I love the corset bodice. I'm not wearing anything underneath and I feel gorgeous and comfortable. I will also buy everything with a basque waist because it's always flattering on me. I truly love so many things about this dress and hope to add more to my closet soon!

What I'm not loving: As I mentioned earlier, the bust cups. I know that every body is different and unfortunately, I have to size up to get my bust to fit into cups. I'm a straightforward size small in Selkie but I sized up to a medium for this one. I kinda wish I hadn't because I can completely close the corset back and it still feels big. I'm also not a big fan of the gold lace trim but I can live with that.

You can find many different pieces in this print and lots of other Cupid dresses on the Selkie website now. What version of the Cupid dress should I grab next?

xoxo

Ashley

A Vampire's Kiss

 

Happy Halloween! Today is my favorite day of the year and I'm really leaning into my true form. Although this Ellen dress is based off a style our heroine wears in Nosferatu, I feel like it works as a great witchy dress too. There's nothing more chic than a black dress and this one has so many stunning features. Today felt like the right day to give it some love!

Dress- c/o La Femme En Noir

Boots- Steve Madden

Hat- The Beheaded

Rings- Disturbia and vintage

Necklace- Disturbia

Petticoat- c/o Vixen by Micheline Pitt

The Ellen dress is made from a sturdy cotton sateen and has one of my favorite features: statement sleeves. Close up you can see how much shirring and ruffles there are, it's truly a work of art! The neckline is off the shoulder and has beautiful lace trim. The basque drop waist has that elegant Victorian feel and the skirt is full with deep hidden side pockets. The zip closure makes this dress easy to step into and go. I'm wearing my usual size small and it is a structured yet comfortable fit. This fabric is non-stretch so make sure you choose your size wisely!

This dress is currently on pre-order (it sold out the first time around) but it's going to be shipping *very* soon! You can check out this dress, the film accurate version and the rest of the Nosferatu collection HERE.

xoxo

Ashley

Katrina

 

Is there anything more spooky season coded than watching a Tim Burton movie? Bianca recently watched Sleepy Hollow for the first time and *loved it*. I had those same sentiments when I saw it for the first time but I wasn't nearly as brave as she was! La Femme En Noir has licensed collections for a few Tim Burton movies but Sleepy Hollow has such a hold on my heart. I have been eyeing this Katrina dress for literal years and I'm glad it's now in my collection. It's absolute perfection.

Dress- c/o La Femme En Noir

Bag- c/o La Femme En Noir

Shoes- Steve Madden

Hat- vintage

The Katrina dress is a homage to Katrina Van Tassel's fabulous New York City outfit in the film. I remember seeing it for the first time on screen and falling in love! This version is tea length, so it has versatility (a much as I love period accurate pieces they tend to sit in my closet for eternity). It features a thick and stretchy fabric, ruffle detail on the neckline and bust, ruffled 3/4 sleeves, a-line skirt with deep hidden side pockets and is finished with a back zip and removable black grommet belt. As usual, I'm wearing a size small and it's the perfect fit.

I love that there's a matching pumpkin bag! I'm carrying the baby version and it fits everything I need for a brisk walk into the woods. Both versions of this bag are currently on sale so make sure to grab yours!

Tomorrow is the first of October and I'm not quite ready for it to be here. I feel like I anticipate this season all year and it always passes by too quickly. I'm going to enjoy every single day but like, I need more! Hope you enjoy spooky season as much as I do!

xoxo

Ashley

Corpse Bride

 

Can you believe it's the 20th anniversary of Tim Burton's Corpse Bride? It's a film I've loved from the start and something I was able to pass down to Bianca (of course she's a big fan too). Obviously, I was incredibly excited when Harvey's announced a collection with Corpse Bride. I immediately threw on my best Emily gown to match the spooky ethereal vibes of this bag.

Dress- c/o La Femme En Noir

Bag- c/o Harvey's 

This medium poster tote is the perfect size and features the iconic poster on the front and a blue to black ombre effect on the back. It comes with a Victorian inspired portrait charm that has Emily on one side and Victor on the other. The inside is lined with all your favorite characters from the movie and features one zip pocket and three slip pockets. It also comes with a detachable crossbody strap for an easy carry.

You can shop the Harvey's x Corpse Bride collection (yes, there's more!) on the Harvey's website on Tuesday, September 23rd at 8am PST.

xoxo

Ashley

Ambrosia

 

Welcoming the spooky season ahead with a warm weather appropriate dress from La Femme En Noir. When people think of fall it's always chunky sweaters, layering and crisp cool days but here it's basically summer until November. I appreciate that La Femme En Noir offers spooky inspired dresses that can be worn in all seasons. The Ambrosia is a new-to-me dress and I really love the dark cottagecore look it creates, even with minimal styling.

Dress- c/o La Femme En Noir

Shoes- Swedish Hasbeens

Bag- Unique Vintage

Bracelet and earrings- Forever 21

The Ambrosia dress is made from a thick, stiff but comfortable cotton sateen and features a Basque waist, lace up bodice that mimics a corset, adjustable straps, gathered skirt with hidden side pockets and a back zippered closure. The bodice also has boning throughout, so it really maintains that beautiful shape in the bodice. The straps have a button closure and you can adjust the length and wear them either criss crossed or straight.

Let's get into the fit. This one was tough! I am *always* a size small in La Femme En Noir and this dress fits much different. I am a busty person and heard this dress was very small in the bust. I ordered up to a medium and while it fits in the bust, I have a much harder issue with the fit everywhere else. The waist is quite roomy so I laced up the corset in the front as much as I could for that snatched feel. Unfortunately, I had the most problems with the straps. They're much too long to wear them straight so I crossed them in the back. The middle hole (there are three) seemed to be the most comfortable but the straps are still just a little too loose. If I button on the shortest hole the bodice is too high and creeping into my underarms. I know not everything is going to fit tailor made and while this works, I really wish my bust were smaller so I could enjoy my usual size. My suggestion is to stay with your normal size if your bust is on the smaller side.

If you want to hear me talk about this dress and offer a more detailed review, you can watch my TikTok video HERE!

xoxo

Ashley

xoxo

Ashley