Started because of a lack of good suspender belts - they’ve really got an outstanding range of sussies and girdles to make you feel like you’re just a touch more special than your rival. Give your enemies a smile - they’ll see the glint in your eye and crumble!

As always, we hope that Kiss Me Deadly don’t mind us pinching pics - if you do guys - contact me: theapprentice@theseamstress.co.uk

In steps What Katie Did, with their stunning 1940’s inspired lingerie, ranging from the phenomenal Bullet Bra to their authentic Seamed Nylons. You could either mix and match, or you could go for the full ensemble, like our favourite, the fabulous “Lily” set:

What better than knowing that everything from your toenails to your hair fits how you feel!

Started by a corset-maker who couldn’t get hold of decent stockings (necessity is so often the mother of invention), What Katie Did are still run by the founder and a couple of close associates and all of their products are made in a factory in India (we wish it was the UK, but how much do you want to pay for your undies?) which Katie herself visits regularly.

As always, we hope that What Katie Did don’t mind us pinching the pics - if you do guys, just contact me: theapprentice@theseamstress.co.uk

And how could we mention underwear without suggesting some of the corsets made by Angelic Weapons, Velda Lauder or Maya Hansen?

As always, we hope the guys don’t mind us pinching their pictures (but if you do - contact us: theapprentice@theseamstress.co.uk).

Probably the ones which made the most impact on me was the Yamamoto womenswear collection, with phenomenal tailored styles which any corporate goth could hold their head up high in, and the gents collection from Ralph Lauren’s Purple Label - fantastic pin-stripes, 3 piece suits and sharp lines without a polo shirt in sight thank heavens!

However, what we wondered was who is influencing who? There has been an explosion in the US goth clothing market recently, with designers such as Kambriel and Taeden Hall of Gloomth producing primarily gothic clothing which seems to sit above the catwalk and drip down their sanguine influence on those below.

And the best thing is that these cult designers are producing their own clothing in their own countries, often running the sewing machines themselves. These guys are making fantastic clothing without the fantasy pricetags - check out our favourite Gothic Designers.

the apprentice.

Handmade in Nottinghamshire (rather than imported from the far east), all of their corsets are steel boned and made to your measurements, which is essential for a flattering fit. You can always tell when someone has crammed (literally) themselves into an off-the-shelf corset, so treat yourself!

All of the corsets are true minimising (reduction) corsets, built to draw in your waist by between 2″-4″, to give you that hourglass figure that your admirers will drool over and your enemies will be sick with envy about.

Our favourites include the Bridal Corsets (though the pictures don’t quite do them justice), with fully tailored skirts and accessories, as well as the wonderful Lingerie Collection designed to complement the corsets.

As with much of the work we tend to gravitate towards, their work isn’t out and out goth, with black lace, drippy velvet and cheap patterns everywhere, but we feel it sits perfectly with the grown up individuality and drippingly dark sensuality that we are drawn to.

Objects of desire indeed.

(As always, we hope that Angels Carrying Savage Weapons don’t mind us pinching their pictures, if you do then please contact us guys: theapprentice@theseamstress.co.uk.)

The Satin Shawl Collar Dress is a beautiful piece, understated, cut to flatter and of course, black.

The Gothic Lace Dress is a little more risque, almost see through and figure hugging, which should leave any goth boy drooling.

Though none of her sizes really cater for “real” sized goth women, she will make her stuff to your sizes with her bespoke service, so we’ll forgive her for only doing dinky stuff.

(Thanks to Nora from The Black Wardrobe for allowing us to pinch the pics.)

theapprentice@theseamstress.co.uk)

UPDATE: Nora got in touch with us recently to let us know that she’s re-jigged her sizes. Being european she works in cm (much to The Seamstress’ distress, as Herself refuses to work in anything but imperial measures), but the larger sizes will now go up to around a UK size 16, which will hopefully broaden the appeal of her work. A big thank-you and appreciation to Nora for taking up the comments and acting on them - the sign of a company who really do take their customers seriously.

Partners - do not panic, this is one shopping experience you will enjoy too. You get to sit on the sofa with a drink (”tea, coffee, or something a little stronger?”) and relax. A record of your lady’s favorite items and their size is kept, so for special occasions you can choose a present, comfortable in the knowledge that she’ll love it and it will fit. Talk about bonus points!

A very personal recommendation; I won’t shop anywhere else. I travel half way across the country for bras that fit my 32GG curves (depending on the day and the bra - something every woman will appreciate, and which Kathryn understands as the expert she is), and have been welcomed back every time since my first visit one day, hoping to escape the pain of my ill fitting scaffolding.

Corpgoth (don’t you just hate portmanteau words) has developed over the last 10 years or so out of necessity. Those of us who used to lounge around in colleges and universities wearing black silk and silver jewellry all day finally had to get jobs. Unfortunately wearing floor length victorian velvet dresses or huge Byronic shirts and the like isn’t really suitable for “cube” wear, so we had to make do with the mundanity of normal clothes.

So for a decade or so we had to make do with black shirts, well cut pin-stripe suits, plain dresses and skirts and nothing more exciting than a pair of patent monk shoes or boring boots, but times are changing.

There are a whole host of designers who are now looking to re-define both Goth and Corporate clothing, combining the two so you not only look like you mean business, but you could probably kill them with little more than a look if they don’t agree during the weekly meeting!

So have a search around, don’t settle for the mundane.

the apprentice.

With influences such as Francis Dashwood (Chancellor of the Exchequer and founder of the Hellfire Club), Beau Brummell, Oliver Reed and Richard Harris, who could doubt the individuality that Mark Jeffery and Guy West are trying to capture with these objects of desire!

As far as pure dark fantasy is concerned, have a look at the Rochester Terrence skull detail boot, which is a classic design which only the real shoe fetishist will notice has the tiny (but beautifully formed!) skull details on them. However EVERYONE will notice the points and the quality!

However, as we rarely get a chance to go fully fantasy (we need to earn money as well, and these shoes are capable of being both corporate and goth at the same time), we’re going for the Dashwood Leather Chukka Boot. The flat toe draws slightly less attention than the good old “winkle picker” points (which I could never pull off - even in the eighties), but with closer observation the brogueing shows something just that little bit more interesting than the carbon copy boots found elsewhere.

So if you’re growing too old for the New Rocks, and the biker boots don’t really go with the suit and tie, then corpgoth shoes are the way to go!

(Many thanks to Dan Evans on behalf of messrs West and Jeffery for giving us permission to pinch the pics)

theapprentice@theseamstress.co.uk)

Well now you can do it from your sofa, with a coffee.

MacCulloch & Wallis Fabrics and Equipment is just astonishing. They supply some of the finest period costumiers in the country and have such a huge range of fabric that I have yet to scratch the surface and I already want to sing their praises.

Embroidered Silks, Brocades and Lace to make you weep. They also supply everything you need from thread to corsetry supplies (including the all too rare steel boning, in a huge variety of sizes and thicknesses!).

Just go and lose yourself for an hour or so. But beware the temptation……!