Apparently, I’m still in my Sherlock Holmes era. 😂🕵️♀️
You know when you watch something and the whole atmosphere just sticks with you? The old buildings, mysterious little streets, antique details, and everyone looking like they’ve stepped out of a storybook? Well, that has apparently made its way into my closet, too.
Today’s outfit is black, burgundy, and a little gold—and I feel like I should be wandering through London with a mystery to solve. Preferably after stopping for tea, of course. ☕
❧ A Little Mystery, A Little Romance ❧
I started with a black button-front midi dress, then added my black faux-suede blazer. I love how that soft, almost velvety texture brings some richness to an otherwise simple black outfit. It feels a little vintage and a little dramatic without looking like an actual costume. 😂
The burgundy belt with its gold double-circle buckle breaks up all the black and gives the look a little definition. Those gold buttons on the dress pick up the same warmth, too. It’s one of those small things that makes the whole outfit feel pulled together.
❧ And Then There Are the Shoes… ❧
Because, really, we know I wasn’t going to keep this entirely practical. 😂
The deep burgundy heels with their sweet little ankle bows might be my favorite part. They’re feminine, slightly old-fashioned, and just a bit dramatic. Exactly the kind of detail I love.
I added my black handbag with gold hardware, simple gold hoop earrings, and a black bow in my half-up red hair. Everything feels coordinated without being too matchy-matchy.
❧ Still on My Sherlock Kick ❧
I think that’s one of my favorite things about getting dressed: whatever has been inspiring me lately seems to sneak into what I wear. Sometimes it’s a cottage garden, sometimes it’s an old novel, and right now it’s a Sherlock Holmes mystery. I don’t think I’ll be over this particular mood anytime soon. 😂
It’s not about dressing like a character exactly. It’s taking a little piece of a story I love—the colors, the atmosphere, the feeling—and making it work for an ordinary day.
Now, if only that ordinary day came with a horse-drawn carriage and a very interesting case to crack… ♡
❧ A Little Victorian Fashion History ❧
Since I’m clearly still on my Sherlock kick, I got curious about what women actually wore in Holmes’s world. And here’s the fun part: there really is a little history behind the mood of today’s outfit!
Sherlock Holmes first appeared in A Study in Scarlet in 1887, right in the Victorian era. Fashion in the 1880s could be wonderfully elaborate: fitted bodices, long skirts, layers of trimming, and those famous bustles that added shape at the back. It makes my black dress look positively low-maintenance. 😂
One detail that made me smile? By 1885, some fashionable women’s walking outfits borrowed collars and lapels from men’s jackets. So while my black faux-suede blazer is completely modern, that slightly tailored, menswear-inspired feeling has a real connection to the era. I love that.
And while Victorian dresses had their own carefully structured silhouettes, I can still borrow the feeling of the period with my longer skirt, defined waist, burgundy accents, little bows, and antique-looking gold touches. No corset or bustle required, thank goodness. 😂
❧ Books to Match the Outfit 📚 ❧
Because obviously, if I can dress for a book, I can also pick a book to match the outfit! Here are a few stories I’d reach for when I’m in this particular mood:
- A Study in Scarlet — Arthur Conan Doyle (1887). The very first Holmes mystery. If we’re going to have a Sherlock-inspired outfit, we might as well start at Baker Street.
- The Woman in White — Wilkie Collins (1859–60). Secrets, strange encounters, and lots of Gothic suspense. A little earlier than Holmes, but exactly the kind of dramatic Victorian atmosphere I’m craving.
- Dracula — Bram Stoker (1897). Dark, atmospheric, and wonderfully Gothic. My black-and-burgundy outfit suddenly feels quite appropriate. 😂
- The Hound of the Baskervilles — Arthur Conan Doyle (1902). Technically published just after the Victorian era, but with that foggy moorland mystery feeling that makes me want a warm cup of tea and an evening of reading.
So there you have it: a little outfit, a little history lesson, and now I’ve somehow made myself a reading list, too. This Sherlock phase is apparently becoming a whole lifestyle. 😂♡
My little history rabbit hole: the Fashion History Timeline’s 1880s overview, the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Victorian dress history, and its 1885 tailor-made dress example.
With a little lace, a little mystery, and a lot of style,
Katie ♡
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