Marquiese Ginham dress by L'ecole Des Femmes review

The Marquise Ginham dress features crisp gingham cotton, self-covered buttons, a box pleated skirt, and lace-trimmed cuffs with ties for decoration. All these details make for a feminine and girly frock fit for spring, summer, and fall.

Fit

The bust (unwashed) in a medium is likely good for a 36 inch bust. Since the sleeves are not patterned for mobility, I do not recommend buying small if you want to be able to lift your arms.

I see evidence of some seam-ripping at the cuff. Whatever the mistake, this cuff was noticeable tighter than the other. Maybe I have wide forearms, but the elastic was a bit on the tight side to begin with. On the cuffs there are ties, but these do not tighten the cuffs, they are purely for decoration.

The neckline is not as low as some of my other dresses which makes it a nice choice for more casual days.

Over all, as it is slightly loose on me, it is a comfortable dress. The hem is long enough if you have a butt. I remember looking almost longingly at those able to wear shorts and miniskirts and have nothing show--this hem length will likely work well for all shapes. To maintain this length, however, I would not follow the tag directions for the first wash, as I anticipate the 100% cotton would shrink if casually tossed in the washer and dryer.

Quality

This was not the only item I ordered that had issues. I've limited this post to prevent this blog from looking like a brand-roast. The Marquise had the following slips in quality:

Below you can see a snag in the fabric and some stitches coming loose at the zipper.

The button panels do not exactly line up. Note this normally sells for over $200.

On the inside of the collar, it looks like a flaw in the fabric or a dull needle catching the threads and creating a run. The fuzzy section center-left is where it started to fray.

Upon close inspection, the fabric seems to be pulling at the threads. Perhaps the thread is too thick for the fabric, or the tension was not right. The photos featured in this blog are of the dress only tried on, and not worn and washed. 

Customer Service

They have a strict returns policy, so approach with caution.

I sent a message asking about what size to buy since they run small. I used two different personal email addresses in their "contact" page to send the message. I also sent an email to their paypal address, and a message on their Instagram with other questions. I called their phone number (something I never do) which no one answered. All five methods received no response.

I returned one item for store credit, and their customer service reached out letting me know it was received. I responded with my same sizing questions and FINALLY got a response.

After multiple returns and reorders with my store credit, I was finally issued a refund (this is against their policy). This was mostly due to issues on their end (improperly sewn goods, incorrectly advertised products, etc.). After all the problems I had with what I ordered, I'm not sure who is more relieved: myself, or their customer service? ;)

Unfortunately most product listings have very few details. Does it have pockets? A zipper? What is it made out of? What is its sizing? I understand it is tedious for a smaller business, but one would expect this for a $200+ product listing.
*Edit: they have recently updated their site to include more product information. Unfortunately, it shows what a large percentage is made of polyester.*

Style Profile: Everything the Original Morticia Addams Wore

Little did Charles Addams know that when his comic character appeared in 1938, he would spark the beginning of one of the most iconic goth babes. Below are pictures of the original comics featuring Morticia.

The Dress

Usually depicted with a plunge neckline, Morticia's dress was sometimes a scoop neckline instead. The drape changes from angling left to angling right. They could be different gowns, though it could suggest movement as well, possibly making this a bias-cut piece (common in the 1930s and allowing for more movement).

There is no mention of the fabric which comprises her gown. H. Kevin Miserocchi mentions "gauze" in The Addams Family: an Evilution, though it is unclear who specifically dictated this fact.

In this and other illustrations, the neckline appears to have a cowl-neck appearance.

She is perhaps wearing layers as the sleeves are tattered in two spots: along the 3/4 length line and at the elbow.

Other Outfits

This hooded mini-cape is worn by someone attending the movies with Fester. It could be a friend as the face looks very little like Tish as we know her. It could perhaps be her on an off-day.

The umbrella: often recreated with a pagoda-style umbrella or lace, this is a simple period-accurate piece. They seem to care more about function than fashion.

The Makeup

Her appearance is of the "undead" so one might assume her pale complexion and dark lips are simply a side effect of her natural state. However, if it is a created look on her part, the few colored drawings we have of Morticia usually depict black lips with pale skin. There are a handful of illustrations where she appears to have no eye makeup at all and others where eye shadow is donned.

This picture with no context features an all-natural lip.

Although a potentially unpublished comic, her lips appear untainted.

There are a very few where her lips are red. Her eyebrows are high, arched, and rounded (similar to 30s starlets). This would make perfect sense as she first appeared in the late 30s. Many women tend to cling to some trends of their adult youth.

The Shawl

They are usually tattered-looking or feature tassels on the ends. Likely not a triangle shawl, judging by the shape.

It almost looks like a kind of sweater here as it clings to her arms.

This one might perhaps be a triangle shawl wrapped around her. There are faint lines drawn at the top while her left arm is slightly visible. These could be interpreted as stripes, though it seems likely to be a lacy shawl due to its slightly sheer nature.

 The Hair

On her debut in 1938, the unnamed glamour ghoul had her hair pinned back in a low bun.

Two strands drape down each side

It is typically straight, appearing have a slight wave as its silky strands fall on her collar bone and chest.

The Shoes

With her feet typically hidden from view, here her bare toes can be seen: no stockings, no heels. Although it is maybe sexier to imagine she struggles with heels underneath that fitted frock, she appears to keep things very comfortable.

Fingernails

Given all of her hobbies, it would be almost miraculous to have manicured nails. It is no surprise that in very few (one or two) her nails display polish.

An illustration with nail polish

Hobbies

Seen moonbathing, appreciating nature, gardening, going out to eat, knitting, tending to pets, watching tv and home movies, taking car and boat rides, occasionally shopping to her dismay, playing cards, reading (though not necessarily fiction), helping in the kitchen, and spending time with family.

Notice she's not a Barbie: two or three outfits for all occasions.

Lingerie? Don't see anything special here...

Considered by many to be the original glamour ghoul, goth, fashion icon of darkness, Morticia Addams shows us simplicity with her fitted wardrobe of black. Shopping very little, her clothing is thread-bare, but her heart is full for her family.

Comics are from The Addams Family: an Evilution