The BlackMilk x Legend of Zelda collection launched in October, and many of us here at Zelda Universe could not wait to add some of these pieces to our closet!
For those that are not familiar with BlackMilk, they’re a clothing company based out of Australia that, along with carrying original designs, frequently collaborates with popular franchises such as Nintendo, Sanrio, and more. They’re sold exclusively online and can ship worldwide.
Online shopping can be difficult at times, so three of us here from the Zelda Universe staff got together to give you our thoughts on the pieces that we bought!
Shona Johnson
I’ve been a fan of BlackMilk Clothing for about a decade and still have a pair of their old-school galaxy leggings in my closet. When they released Pokemon and Mario collections I dreamed of a Zelda release, but didn’t quite believe one would happen — until it was announced, that is! I remember the days when the only Zelda clothes I could find were men’s t-shirts, so it’s pretty exciting to have designer Zelda clothes.
I’ve owned quite a few BlackMilk pieces over the years, so I was pretty confident in the quality and what to expect. They’ve all worn and washed really well, and I’ve had some for over 10 years. They are more expensive than something like the typical t-shirt you’ll find at Hot Topic, but the quality is far better. They’re pieces that you’ll own and wear for years to come.
There was a lot to love in BlackMilk’s Zelda collection, with a good variety of styles and designs. When deciding what to buy for myself, I started filtering based on styles I would actually wear as, unfortunately, I knew that some wouldn’t suit my figure. While there were some prints I would have loved to see on other items, I’m a huge Zelda fan overall so I wasn’t too picky about specific games.
BlackMilk includes handy measurement charts on their website along with a tool where you can enter your measurements and it will recommend a size. I took all my measurements before ordering because it’s been a while since I last bought any of their clothes. Everything that I ordered from the Zelda collection fit perfectly and also matched my regular sizes. All of it is very comfortable to wear.
I loved several of the legging designs in the Zelda collection, and it was hard to narrow down to just one pair lest my bank account hate me too much! I chose the Divine Beasts because I loved the Sheikah-inspired design, but I also really liked the ones with the map of Hyrule and the Majora’s Mask ones.
These leggings are so comfortable! I prefer a high waist on leggings, so these are perfect. The only tiny downside to them is that I sometimes like to wear long tops over leggings, but poor Vah Ruta’s emblem is quite high up on the hip and may get covered up!
According to BlackMilk, you can swim in these leggings. I’m not sure if I want to put that to the test in case salt or chlorine ruins the beautiful print, but it’s a pretty neat feature!
I’ve worn some of BlackMilk’s other “evil” style dresses before, and it’s a cut that I find really flattering. I’ve got broad shoulders and small hips, and so the way that the skirt flares balances out my shoulders. There were mini and longline versions of this dress, and I ordered the longline one. I’m tall and appreciate the extra length.
I haven’t really worn velvet before, so I was pleased that the fabric has a decent amount of stretch. The enemy print looks fantastic; I would have never thought that you could print with that much detail onto velvet. I love Zelda enemies, so it’s fun to have them on an outfit. (I’m glad they included Ganondorf too!)
The velvet and long sleeves mean that this is a dress for the cooler weather, and I can see it layering well with other clothes and tall boots.
This jacket feels amazing. It’s so soft and padded and warm. It’s the coziest thing and is going to be amazing in winter.
The print on this jacket is both subtle and striking as the eye is drawn to the detail in the pattern, and Link and Wolf Link from Twilight Princess look fierce on the back.
On me, I think this jacket looks better when worn unzipped. The padding makes it a bit bulky, and I’ve got a large bust and shoulders, so if I tried to wear too much underneath and zipped it up, then I feel like I look kind of boxy and top-heavy. Luckily, it’s quite warm on its own, so you shouldn’t need to wear too much underneath.
This dress is cool because it’s subtly nerdy. If you didn’t recognize the lobster shirt from The Wind Waker, you’d never know this was a Zelda-inspired dress. It’s such a bright, fun design that makes for a really cute summer dress. That said, the fabric has some weight to it, so you might not want to wear it on those really stinking hot summer days. But it’s incredibly comfortable to wear. Like the Enemies dress, this came in both mini and long lengths, and I was glad that there was a longline version available.
This is a really beautiful, floaty dress that I’d totally wear to fancy parties. You’ll have to look closely to see the subtle detail of the Breath of the Wild weapons (swords, shields, bows, arrows, and Sheikah Slates). So you can both dress up and still rep Zelda at the same time!
This dress comes with a separate waist tie that’s optional to wear. It looks good with and without it. One added bonus to this dress is that it’s nursing-friendly due to its wrap front. It’s very easy to pull either side down, and I was able to wear it over a nursing bra without any of the bra showing.
Mary Stowe
BlackMilk is a brand I’ve been a fan of for years, but haven’t always had the extra spending money to invest in. In more recent years though, I’ve been able to purchase a few things here and there from the Animal Crossing and Pokemon collabs. Like many other Zelda fans, was very excited for the Legend of Zelda collection!
The sticker shock can hit pretty hard, but I’ve been really happy with the quality of clothes from the fabric selections, the print quality, and the overall fit of the clothes. Especially the fit.
I sometimes have a hard time finding clothes that not only look good on me, but make me feel good, and I feel stunning in these clothes. The styles and cuts that BlackMilk carries are very flattering on a range of body types, and they have a super helpful sizing guide on their website to help you determine what size you might need.
I’m a sucker for hoodies and sweaters and will jump on the chance to add one to my collection any chance I get. Plus, I hadn’t bought a hoodie from BlackMilk before, so I was really curious what it would be like (especially with the price being just over $55 USD!).
This might be the softest, most comfortable hoodie I own, and it’s thick without being too heavy or hot. The full print art is a personal favorite, I’ve always enjoyed this depiction of Skull Kid holding Majora’s Mask and how it captures the ominous and foreboding mood of the game.
I also am someone who appreciates little details that are added, even if they may not be visible while being worn. The pockets and hood are lined with a pink and purple mask pattern that can be spotted a few times in other pieces!
The Longline Romance Dress style is one that I purchased before (I have a purple Espeon dress in the same cut), and one that I would gladly purchase again because of how flattering it is on me and how confident I feel in it. I love how loose and flowy the skirt and sleeves are, without it feeling like the fabric is swallowing you.
I find this dress to be really flexible in the sense I can see myself wearing it for both casual and formal occasions with the right styling. The dark green is a really nice color and adds a splash of color to my typically very dark wardrobe, and I really appreciate the gold design around the neckline to give the classic Zelda green and gold combination. The dress looks great on its own, but it also pairs well with a belt or underbust corset/vest. (I bought the Route 66 Brown Underbust Corset, which is currently out of stock.)
I think it’s important to note about this style that the fabric has a good amount of stretch. So take that into account when selecting a size. I was able to size down from what I normally purchase for this dress!
Overalls, and shorts in general, aren’t usually my cup of tea, but I took the leap with these. I’ve been trying to add different styles to my closet, and some The Wind Waker-themed overalls seemed like a good choice.
The shorts aren’t too short in my opinion and look great either on their own or with leggings underneath. If you don’t want to wear the overalls with the straps up, you can leave them down and show the hidden Triforce that’s printed inside!
As a lover of The Wind Waker, I’m really sad we only saw this pattern once. It’s too good to have such a limited use! We see other map prints in the Hyrule Map Green Cargo Pants and the Termina Map Sheer Romance Dress, but I really wish the Great Sea print could have also been used for pants or leggings.
This dress was love at first sight. I could imagine pairing it with the Princess Zelda Robe and strolling through Hyrule Field at dusk.
The dress material is light, but not so sheer that it is see-through, and has a built-in lining as well. Like with the Royal Crest dress, the fabric has a good amount of stretch and I was able to size down and still feel very comfortable. When my order arrived, this was the first thing I put on and spent a good amount of time just spinning in the mirror.
Paying $92 USD is steep for a robe in my opinion, but I really wanted to have it to complete the look with the Twilight Realm Dress, and I think it’s something I could wear with a lot of different outfits. No regrets on buying it, but I’m definitely going to get my money’s worth from this one!
Amanda Vanhiel
I absolutely love everything I’ve gotten from BlackMilk Clothing over the years. While they are more expensive than what you would find at places like Hot Topic or Box Lunch, the quality more than makes up for the difference. Their clothes aren’t going to wear out and get holes in them after a couple of washes, they stay looking and feeling new. Prior to the Zelda collection, I bought two longline Pokemon dresses and an Animal Crossing apron dress. Anytime I wear something from BlackMilk, I get tons of compliments everywhere I go.
Island Lobster Longline Evil Tee Dress
Like Shona, I also got the Island Lobster dress. I already have two Pokemon dresses in the same style, so I knew this would fit well. It’s a flattering cut on everyone. I’m also a huge fan of how the skirt spins when I twirl around. I really like the weight of it as well as the length. I’m very much pear-shaped, so finding dresses and skirts that aren’t too short while still having a youthful appearance can be a challenge. I cannot wait to wear this with a pair of strappy sandals next time I’m at the beach.
This dress is amazing. It’s a little on the short side, which was to be expected since it’s described as a mini-dress, so I’ll definitely be wearing tights and dance shorts with it. Like the Longline dress, it has a nice weight to it and spins well. The velvet material gives it a more formal look, making it perfect for a night out … or it would be if I actually went out.
The moment I saw this dress on the website, I absolutely fell in love with it. If I were to only get one dress all year, it would be this one. Every time I put it on, I feel like a princess. And this is coming from someone who regularly cosplays Disney princesses. The sleeves are my favorite, as I’ve always been drawn to puff sleeves, but what’s really cool is that they can also be worn off the shoulder. My only real complaint about this dress is that it doesn’t spin like the others do, and every good princess dress needs sufficient twirl-ability. Attempting to do so brings up the outer layer to show the form-fitting white slip underneath.
Some items in the collection have sold out, but there’s still a wide selection available! Limited items that are sold out unfortunately will not be restocked, but other pieces that aren’t limited will be restocked in the future. Fans can sign up for restock notifications on the product page by selecting their size and subscribing their email address. We hope this has been helpful to both new and veteran BlackMilk buyers.
Consider this collaboration Zelda Universe approved!
by Zelda Universe staff on December 31, 2021
