Presenting the famous 'Enchantress' gown by Naf Naf, especially selected from my closet to you.
This Naf Naf Paris gown reissued in France for several years in white, ecru and antique rose, renewing each season in a new colour like teal in the fall of 2013 when I bought it. As seen on Leighton Meester, aka Blair Waldorf of Gossip Girl, modelling the campaign. Around a year later, the much adored Parisienne dress discontinued. As such this is not a dress reveal of a latest style, but I would like to share my personal experience; and pass along my impressions, style tips and tricks; in case you’d ever want to rent this gorgeous dress for your special occasion.
Photo by lylamod
Why I adore it
The material. This goes first by the quality of the tulle: it is very flexible and soft, making it very pleasant to the touch. For those of you whose had the chance to try on a gown with this much thickness of tulle you can see how important this is. And this is not only based on the quality of the vast unlabelled gowns from China, where masses of cheap tulle also come from. Even known designers in Europe left me disappointed with their choice of material. If the tulle has any lift to it, it may be not flexible at all, and imagine wearing layers and layers of stiff, mesh fabric. For tulle dress lovers: another gown with beautiful tulle construction I recommend is the Scallop Tulle Gown by Needle & Thread.
The value. A high quality princess gown at a low price is a dream come true. At less than 200 € when I bought it in Europe, I thought I was dreaming! Compared to all the other gowns in the famous store in Paris where I visited, this was unbeatable.
Photo by PixabayThe colour. My favourite colours are blue and green; turquoise, mint, aqua and all the variations. The teal of this gown is a gorgeous combination of forest green and dark blue. The perfect darker shade for ballroom weddings without having to wear all black. It also colour changes in the light, turning brighter in blue, created by the sheen of the satin bustier peeking out from underneath the tulle.
Photo by lylamodThe reaction. So many compliments received in one night! (I confess, like many special occasion pieces I own, I've only worn this once - to a brilliant Empire drama-series themed ballroom wedding in 2014.) The first question everyone asked when they saw me was: Where did you get that dress! And the feeling as I waltzed across the ballroom looking for my table was unforgettable. I loved how soft and pretty it felt, the gown swinging at my feet, accompanied by the oohs and aah of other guests. It felt to me like I was a mysterious princess with a magical dress. A priceless Cinderella moment.
Image source: Pinterest.com
Size & Fit advice
The bustier. It is a soft touch bustier and not rigid at all. Which means it has to be perfectly adjusted with the hook-and-eye closure at the back to avoid any tendency to slip down during an event, especially for us with smaller cup size. Even so, if you worry about slippage we can fix this by the customisation of adding halter-neck straps. Judging by the testimonials of other reviewers, it seems the gown may not suit larger cups, and thus I always encourage fittings for gowns.
The length. The gown length is fitting for petite to standard size UK 6 frames. For example, I wore my YSL Tribute heels with the gown managing to lift itself just above the floor (I am about 5’4”). A good length for me with my mini-me in tow. If you are tall (170 cm+) you may find the dress a little short for high heels. The skirt will raise up too high to be at the perfect floor length, but wearing a lower mid-heel is still possible.
Alas, if you do not fit close to the measurements, it can be a problem. For most parts of the dress, alteration is unfortunately not possible.
Image source: Pinterest.com
Tips & Tricks
This is definitely one to do a photoshoot in and I recommend it. I would love to shoot in A Tale Of Wild Hearts scene with cute enchanted creatures and wild mushrooms.
Photo by lylamod
But it can also work to bring out the glamorous side of the gown (for those of you not so inclined to be in a fairytale situation). Here are the ways:
1) Low-angle shots are good to lengthen your silhouette and works amazing with this dress.
2) You can also play with lighting to highlight the different layers and thickness of the tulle.
3) Have a dance under the moonlight in it and get your significant other to take the shot.
Go on then, now you can rent the dress and live your own fairytale moment.
Image source: Pinterest.com
