This is an archived review of a discontinued item.

Ah, another Seven Til Midnight piece, you ask? Yes, indeed. I just love the style of their babydolls and chemises (if you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed that I pimped out their new items, too!) But all was not love with the Madeleine Lace Halter Chemise as this is simply a case of what-you-see-is-not-exactly-what-you get. You see, in real life, without double-sided tape and strategically placed lighting, and picture-perfect proportionate curves, this chemise simply does not make the cut. Here’s a breakdown of my complaints.

In photographs, the chemise seems a dark, red-hued purple and the print almost appears textured or velvety. In real life, the colour is blue-hued and much lighter. This is not altogether bad, but the black floral pattern contrasts more than it does in pictures, and the color just isn’t one that I love. Furthermore, the black floral print is not simply against a solid purple background. There is a tinier print going on in the background that is honeycomb-like and absolutely hideous. You cannot see it at all in the picture and, I think, that if this alone were changed, I would like the chemise much more. It just seems so busy, and the design is far less sophisticated than pictures would have you believe. I wouldn’t have purchased the Madeleine Lace Halter Chemise if I had had the chance to see it in person first.

In photographs, the three ribbons that stretch over the cleavage look hot. In real life, the halter-styled top really offers no support, and as my breasts tend to fall outward, the piece just kept stretching. I looked much flatter than I actually am. A bra remedies this but who wants to wear a bra with her chemise? Additionally, even my C cups felt ridiculously heavy as the halter pulled down against my neck and it was nearly impossible to find a good length at which to tie it and to duplicate that tying length when wearing it on different occasions. So, to make this work, I’d imagine you’d need Ds or DDs but I wouldn’t want to deal with the strain on your neck. Some supportive stitching wouldn’t hurt because this piece really has no shape.

In photographs, the corset-y ribbon that laces across the back is sophisticated and naughty, but, in my experience, this isn’t the case. I guess my ribcage is simply too small for the queen size (odd…) but I wound up pulling the ribbon so that the back of the chemise nearly touched in the center of my back. Otherwise, it was too loose, but this caused it to bunch up where the ribbon crisscrossed. In addition to this, I had quite a long length of ribbon left over, and it looked sloppy instead of falling daintily. I may try tying the ribbon at the bottom to better fit my shape, however. Again, it was difficult to tie without help.

In photographs, the model doesn’t have a spare tire. She’s super proportionate. In reality, this chemise doesn’t pull you in, and the length makes it obvious if you have extra weight in the middle or, like me, your ribs like to stick the fuck out. It’s much better suited for someone who is straight throughout the midsection than I am.

But let’s take a look at some of the positives of this piece. The polyester/spandex blend is silky and cool against the skin. The stitching between the elastic and the fabric (around the back edges) or the lace around the neck and hemline and the fabric is superb. This will definitely hold up if you hand wash in cold water, as the tag suggests, but it would probably even be safe in the washer on the gentle cycle. All the elastic is well sewn and there’s no fraying to be seen. The same is true for the ribbon, which is pretty run-of-the-mill, but the extra length makes it easy to customize the fit–if you have the patience.

The included thong fits well and is well-made. Like the other chemise and thong set I reviewed from this manufacturer, the front panel matches the chemise while the straps are a stretchy black material that is comfortable and secure without cutting into my skin. It’s something I would wear–and have worn–under street clothes and has held up fine with washing.

I enjoy that Seven Til Midnight uses silky tags on their products instead of the scratchy, white ones that most clothes contain. The tags are bright pink, so can probable be seen through Madeleine Lace Halter Chemise and matching thong but they’re kind of stylish and allude to the fact that this is a good brand.

This is technically a set as it included a blindfold featuring the same patterned material, detailed with lace and secured by straps. This is completely dysfunctional and only looks good in the pictures because the model is holding it so that it stretches vertically and actually looks like a blindfold. If you just saw it lying around, you would have no idea what this piece of fabric is intended to do. In reality, it bunches up and pulls horizontally so that it becomes really thin and it’s not functional at all. The ribbons do not facilitate a secure fit and the sheerness of the material does not block out much. The best use it for a photo shoot, really.

The Madeleine Lace Halter Chemise is really not just intended for my body size and shape. It would be best for someone who has largest breasts and/or wider ribs, a straight midsection and is taller (I believe). Still, I have to warn you that the pattern is not nearly as attractive in person as it in in photographs.

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Categories: Lingerie, Reviews