Elegant Black Off Shoulder Gothic Wedding Dress with Lace Appliques & Train – Perfect for Gothic, Vintage & Alternative Brides – Ideal for Church, Beach & Evening Weddings

I was so nervous buying this dress! I bought it the month before my wedding with express shipping. I got it exactly when it said it would come in! I was able to do my own alterations two weeks before my wedding as I am a seamstress and I had my mom help as well. It came in a small bag and when I opened it up and let it hang for a bit it poofed up nicely. I do recommend buying this way before I did to lessen your stress ? now onto the dress itself! Amazon recommended I buy a size 16 based on my measurements but when I’ve bought 16s in the past the dresses are always too big, so I decided to go with my size which is a 14 and it honestly fit like a dream! I didn’t need to make any alterations to the size or the top of the dress at all! It felt like it was made for me. The corset back really helps with that. I will say that if you go with your actual size, you will need help getting in and out of the dress. I have to take the lace out of the back completely in order to get it over my hips however that was not a big deal to me as once it is on and laced, it’s perfect!I am a true 14 in dresses, a size 13-14 in pants or L-XL, a size L-XL in shirts, and I wear a size 45DDD in bras or XL. I am apple shaped with most of my weight in my tummy and chest but I also have a bit of a butt. I am 5’6 and 195lbs.The corset back is really great quality! I laced it up pretty tight to give me some curve on my wedding day and it held together nicely.Some small complaints I do have:The fabric that goes along the corset back could benefit from a hook and eye. It’s already tough to lace it up but the fabric falling down and not being straight makes it a lot harder. I didn’t have to wear a bra with the dress but it also didn’t have cups or a built in bra. I wish it had but you can also sew cups into the top. I unfortunately ran out of time to do so. The dress is very long! I’m not short by any means and I had to take 4inches off the bottom and left the train alone. It’s not a very long train but with the fabric that you take off the bottom, you can add a longer train. I just hemmed the ivory part, and the thicker mesh lining. I left the two top lace layers alone since they were light enough to not trip me when I walked. If you plan to wear a petticoat, it could help with the length. I could have taken more off the bottom but I still wanted the princess feel of walking in a ball gown. The lace on the bodice is lovely but is a little sloppily cut. It’s not a huge issue and honestly not noticeable unless you are looking for it. Just something I want to mention if that is something that’s important to you. The gems on the bodice are barely glued on and will pop off. Luckily it was not very noticeable as it fell off randomly and only one at a time. The arms are tight! I have muscular arms so the arms were slightly tight on me but I did appreciate it as it helped keep the bodice over my chest since it is a lower back and I have a larger chest. I was unable to reach my arms up higher than just below my shoulders. I had to get another dress for after so I could eat but I recommend that anyways because the corset made it very tight. If you want a dress you can also enjoy your reception in, I don’t recommend getting a corset back or an off the shoulder with thick arm sleeves like this one. I had a unique wedding so I was always going to get another dress for my “reception”. All these issues were not a big deal to me and I still love my dress and how I looked in it. I truly felt like a princess on my wedding day and my husband loved it so much! I definitely did not regret my purchase and people couldn’t believe how much I spent on it or that it came from Amazon! In person it looks like a $700 dress easily!I had a Gothic themed wedding on The Queen Mary in Long Beach. We got married in the Wheel House by the captain and had dinner on board at the restaurant instead of a reception. I made my own veil as I couldn’t find one that was black and white. I made the veil using ivory lace and black lace sewn together to two head clips. The wedding was only our closest friends and family so I didn’t want a huge dress and I didn’t want a traditional one either. Seeing this dress for the first time online, it took my breath away. I knew more than anything that it was dress! I’m so thankful everything worked out and the dress looked like the pictures! I can’t recommend this dress enough especially if you are an unconventional bride like me!