Lace and pearls that look made to measure
Corset lace, opera gloves and pearls at the throat, from a $55 barrette to a $438 gown.
made to measureCouture isn’t a price tag. It’s a posture.
It’s the corset that makes you stand like you own the building. The gloves that turn picking up a glass into an event. Pearls at your throat, a bow in your hair, lace that looks like somebody measured you twice.
So we went looking for pieces that look made to order without the six fittings. A lace corset dress that comes with its own shrug. Satin opera gloves handmade in England. A pearl choker that ties with a ribbon. An embroidered lace gown for the black-tie invitation you almost said no to. They run from $55 to $438 USD, and not one of them is shy.
The picks
Prices at time of writingAurora Faux Pearl Barrette
Faux pearls gathered into a bow on a goldtone-plated barrette, about 2.5 inches across. Small, bright and completely sure of itself. Clip it at the back of a slick low bun and let them find it when you walk away.
Layered Freshwater Pearl Choker
Layered strands of freshwater pearls, 3 inches deep and 12.5 inches long, closed with a satin ribbon tie. It sits high and tight like a collar, not a necklace. Wear it on bare collarbones with a strapless dress and leave the ribbon ends long.
Cadie Black Satin Corset Top
Duchess satin with defined boning, gathered panels and back lacing finished with lace ties. Scalloped lace edges the bustline, and it comes in Black, Blush Pink and Vintage Ivory. Wear it with tailored trousers and a blazer over your shoulders, never your arms.
They'll ask who made it. Tell them you did.
Hermione Satin Opera Glove
Handmade in Sussex, England, in stretch duchess satin, 16 inches from the thumb seam to the opening. Shades run from Black and Pearl to Midnight Blue and Dark Amethyst. Pair them with a strapless dress and let your hands do the talking.
Gaia Black Lace Corset Midi Dress
Scalloped stretch rose lace over a boned, mesh-lined corset bodice, with a side zip and lacing at the back. It comes with a matching lace shrug with semi-sheer fluted sleeves. Wear the shrug to dinner, lose it for the after-party, and put pearls at your throat.
Cardigan with pearl flower collar
A cropped black knit with a round neck ringed in beaded flowers, beaded buttons and piped pockets. Button it to the top and it stops being a cardigan and starts being a blouse. Wear it with a lace midi skirt and red lipstick.
Embroidered Lace Long Sleeve Gown
Embroidered floral cutouts and shimmering sequins on a lined A-line gown in black and nude, with a jewel neck, long sleeves and a floor-sweeping length. Nordstrom says it runs large, so order one size down. Slick your hair back with a pearl barrette, skip the necklace and arrive late.
How to wear it
Pick one couture piece and keep everything around it plain. The corset top with black trousers. The gloves with a simple strapless dress. The pearl collar on bare collarbones. The cardigan buttoned to the top like a blouse.
Then do the one thing couture really asks of you: arrive like you meant to. Take the long way across the room. They’ll ask who made it. Tell them you did.
Photos via Unsplash
