I have wanted one of Wax Poetic’s Lydia gowns for aaaages. At this point, I can’t even remember which colourway came first, I simply know that I completely fell for the sheer leopard print version at some point during the chaotic full throes of the pandemic. By the time I told myself I could justify buying it as a little treat it was sadly sold out in my size. I’ve asked a couple times since then whether the leopard would be restocked and was told it would be, but so far I haven’t heard any rumblings on whether that still holds true. And y’all, I am not a patient person. So much so that despite the fact that I cannot sew, several months back I began to toy with the idea that maybe I could make myself a sheer leopard gown of some (much simpler) description instead of waiting for that which may never be mine.

My journey in sewing has not much progressed since I made that decision in the New
Year—as in, I have sewn myself only an apron so far—so, you know, my impatience does occasionally run up against the unstoppable force of my laziness, leading to outcomes such as this: me, snagging myself a pre-order of the flocked leopard mesh Lydia gown as a gift from me to me for my birthday.

Well, my birthday is here, and so is my darling Lydia!

Dress: Black Leopard Flocked Mesh Lydia dress by Wax Poetic Clothing*
Slip: Champagne chemise from Amazon

This dress is as beautiful as it looks. A wrap dress, it is comfortable and fits just as you wish, and sheer, it is as sexy and as daring as you wish. Here I’ve worn it with a champagne slip so you could best see the fit and print, and moving forward I’ll likely swap that pale slip for a black one. For the more saucy folks out there, you could rock this sans-slip with just your underwear beneath it for a peekaboo look, whether out in the world or at home (especially with a no-doubt-grateful partner,) or hell, go full peekaboo, and rock it with nothing under it at all–understandably though, that look will definitely have to be at home only, with your even-more-grateful partner. It’s a seducing, enticing dress that exudes confidence and allure, even when you layer something underneath it to achieve full modesty. Such is the power of black sheer fabrics and  leopard print. 

The leopard print in question here is rendered in black flock, adding a level of sumptuous texture to this material. The leopard spots are small and could easily be mistaken for varying sized polka dots at a distance, so closer inspection enhances their charm. The Lydia dress is available in several other fabrics and prints beyond this mesh leopard version, but through them all it remains a classic wrap dress style that never goes out of fashion. The different prints have different sleeve types; this particular Lydia has short flared sleeves that end just above the elbow. As a gown, this dress is full length, and with almost 6 yards of fabric in each dress the skirt has an incredible fall that swishes beautifully as you move, and excellent twirl-ability. 

Since it’s a wrap dress there’s obviously a lot of wiggle room on the sizing, and I find the size chart to be very accurate. My size 2XL measures 38 inches in the waist laid flat with stretch in the fabric for an additional 5 inches, and even more room afforded in the fit if you were to loosen the tie from it’s tightest placement. The bust lays flat at 44 inches with, again, more room afforded by the stretch in the fabric up to approximately 50 inches. If you loosened the belt obviously this would gain you more room in the bust but would decrease the overlap and, thus, the coverage, giving a more boob-y display of cleavage, so I would bear that in mind depending upon what amount of décolleté you’re comfortable showing. The flared sleeves mean there’s free movement in the upper arms so there’s no plus size worries there. From the waist seam the skirt measures 42 inches.

The Black Leopard Flocked Mesh Lydia dress seems to have sold out, but there are 5 other Lydia dresses currently available in different prints/fabrics. Wax Poetic Clothing make all their clothing in the USA, and ship worldwide. New customers can get 20% off their first purchase by signing up to their newsletter. 

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Disclaimer: Items marked with an asterix* are items I bought myself from companies that have previously gifted me other items for review. All opinions expressed are truthful and my own, with no input from any of the companies listed or any other individuals.

COVID-19 NOTE: These pictures were taken alone and safely in a secluded outdoors area with no other individuals present, thus practising strict social distancing measures in an effort to help reduce the spread of Covid-19.