The Gothic Coat in a Ruined Chapel

The Gothic Coat is utterly, impractically enormous. It is, ironically, longer and larger than the coat from Elizabeth that was, in part, the inspiration for it.

The coat is made of a heavy dark grey (almost silver in parts) brocade patterned with huge flowers (some of them roses if you squint enough). It is unlined (which is somewhat unwise in retrospect, due to the way the fabric falls). There are some beautiful pleats around the back which become rather lovely folds in train.

The coat is fastened with hooks and eyes around the front (see photos under the cut for more detail).

I have to add that these photos show the coat-dress in a rather flattering light. It is somewhat less sweepingly majestic in reality and more unwieldy. It does encourage feelings of gothic grandeur, however, just as the Steampunk Coat induces feelings of mad scientist cackling.

The Gothic Coat is worn over a black-and red cotton brocade dress and a black brocade underskirt. The rather exquisite Dragon Katana is borrowed from Character Kit, where it is available.

The Designer and myself have been talking about improvements, perhaps adding a detachable black velvet collar (to give it all some more feature) or a bit of detailing around the back of the waist.

The entire photoshoot makes me want to break my ban on photoshopping and caption everything with ridiculously pretentious quotes, such as "I am half sick of shadows" (ala Lord Tennyson's The Lady of Shalott). Perhaps it's simply because brown stone just isn't very gothic and slapping a monochrome filter on would totally make it moreson. The results of that 'shooping binge will posted at some point, when I feel like I can live it down.

To commission a similar coat from the Costume Mercenary would cost in the region of £110-120. You could also buy this one off the Mercenary at a reduced cost. Email her for more details.

More photos under the cut.