I Avoided Velvet Black for Weeks. Now I Use It on Everything.
An honest review of the most dramatic fabric in the game. Is it worth the $180 price tag? When should you use it? And when should you definitely not? I tested it so you don't have to.
📑 What's inside
Quick verdict
Let me start by saying this: I fully expected to hate velvet. I saw the $180 price tag and laughed. "Who in their right mind spends that much on one fabric?" I said to my cat, who did not care.
I was wrong. So, so wrong.
Velvet Black isn't for every commission. It's not even for most commissions. But when you're working on a formal, mature, cool-toned gown? Nothing else hits the same. It's like bringing a bazooka to a knife fight — overkill for everyday use, but man does it get the job done.
How I went from "velvet is a scam" to "I need velvet in every color"
Here's the thing about me and velvet: we got off on the wrong foot.
I first unlocked it around chapter 4, I think. The fabric shop guy was like "check out this new luxury fabric!" and I was like "$180??? For ONE fabric??? No thank you, sir." I bought one unit just to say I had it, and then forgot about it for literal weeks.
Then came Midnight Gala.
I tried that commission... let's see... 5 times? Maybe 6? I kept getting 4 stars and I couldn't figure out why. I was using Satin Blue + Lace Cream + Tulle Ivory — my go-to "fancy gown" combo. The style was good, the colors were right, the quality was there... but I was always just short of 5 stars.
I was so frustrated I almost threw my mouse. Why is this 4-star commission harder than the 5-star ones??
Then I remembered the velvet gathering dust in my inventory. "Fine," I said. "I'll try the stupid expensive fabric. If it doesn't work, I'm writing a strongly worded letter to the devs."
It worked. First try. 5 stars. No sweat.
I sat there staring at the screen for a solid 10 seconds. "Oh," I said out loud. "Oh, that's what the velvet is for."
I've been a velvet believer ever since. 🖤
Stats & tags at a glance
Style tag breakdown
Look at those stats and tell me this isn't the most dramatic fabric in the game. 90 Formal, 88 Mature, 80 Cool — it's basically the goth girlfriend of fabrics. Meanwhile Casual and Cute are at 5, like "ew no, we don't do that here."
I love it. 10/10 for commitment to a vibe.
Commissions where velvet absolutely slaps
Okay, so where should you actually use this stuff? Here are my top picks:
Midnight Gala
The velvet showcase. Formal + Mature + Cool requirements? That's velvet's entire personality. Pair with Satin Blue and you're looking at a very easy 5 stars. I cannot stress enough how much of a difference velvet made here — I went from "stuck at 4 stars for days" to "first try, no problem."
Violet's goth commissions
Black + purple, Elaborate + Formal + Cool? Velvet was basically designed for Violet's whole aesthetic. I swear her commissions were made to sell velvet fabric. Pair with brocade red if you need more Elaborate stat — chef's kiss.
Any "formal + black" commission
Here's my rule of thumb: if a commission asks for black fabric AND formal style, velvet is almost always your best bet. No other black fabric comes even close to the Formal stat. Cotton black? Please. Satin black? Close, but not quite. Velvet black? *Chef's kiss.*
When to save your money and skip velvet
As much as I love velvet, there are definitely times when buying it is just wasting money. Don't be like me and buy three units "just in case" and then never use them.
Velvet has 5 Casual and 10 Playful. It will actively drag your score down on anything cute or casual. I learned this the hard way when I tried to make a summer dress with velvet accents. Don't ask. It was bad.
If the commission only needs 60 Formal and you can hit that with Satin Blue at $120/unit, why are you spending $180 on velvet? Save the money. I know it's tempting because velvet feels fancy, but fancy doesn't always mean better for this specific dress.
You won't even have access to velvet early on, and that's fine. The early commissions are easy enough with basic fabrics. Save your money for sewing speed upgrades instead. I promise it'll serve you better.
If you're going for the Budget Baron achievement or just trying to maximize profit, velvet is usually not cost-effective. It's a premium fabric for premium results. Use it when you need 5 stars on a hard commission, not when you're grinding for cash.
My go-to fabric pairings
Velvet is great, but you almost never use it alone (it's too expensive, for one thing). Here's what I pair it with most often:
💙 + Satin Blue
My ride-or-die combo for Midnight Gala. Velvet brings the Mature and Cool, satin brings the Elegant and Shine. Together they cover basically everything you need for a formal evening gown. I've used this pairing so many times I could do it in my sleep.
❤️ + Brocade Red
Goth commission? Need more Elaborate stat? Brocade is your answer. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it worth it for that extra Elaborate push? Also yes. I save this combo for the hardest goth commissions only, but when I use it — chef's kiss.
🤍 + Lace Cream
Want to soften the velvet look a little? Lace cream adds Romantic and Elegant without diluting the formality. It's great for formal commissions that also want a touch of romance. Plus, black and cream is just a classic color combo. You really can't go wrong.
✨ + Silk Gold
Black and gold is a legendary combo for a reason. Velvet black + silk gold = pure luxury. I will say, though — only use this on commissions that specifically ask for gold. Silk gold is $200/unit, and you don't wanna waste that kind of money if you don't have to. Your wallet will cry.
The dumb mistakes I made with velvet
I went through a phase where I tried to use velvet for everything. It was bad. Don't be like me. Learn from my very expensive mistakes:
❌ Using it on 2-star commissions
I had this dumb idea that "expensive fabric = better rating on easy commission." It technically works, but you're spending $180 on a commission that pays $200. That's not a profit, that's a hobby. I am embarrassed by how many times I did this.
❌ Using too much of it
Velvet is strong! You don't need 60% of your budget in velvet. 30-40% is usually enough to get the Formal/Mature/Cool stats where they need to be. I was using 50%+ and wondering why I was broke all the time. Mystery solved, I guess.
❌ Buying it before I needed it
"I'll just stock up for future commissions!" I said, as my bank account sobbed. Don't hoard velvet. Buy it when you have a specific commission that needs it. It's not like it goes bad or anything, but your money could be better spent on upgrades in the meantime.
❌ Forgetting it's black
More than once I used velvet on a commission that wanted... not black. And then I'd stare at my color score like "why is this so low??" and then I'd look at my fabric choices and I'd be like. Oh. Right. The velvet. Read the requirements, Megan! Read them!
Final thoughts
Velvet Black is a luxury fabric for luxury commissions. It's not for everyday use, it's not for beginners, and it's definitely not for your wallet.
But when you're staring down a Midnight Gala or a goth ball commission and nothing else is quite hitting the Formal stat you need? Velvet is worth every single dollar.
Just... don't start using it on every commission like I did. Your savings account will thank you. 🖤