I was recently very excited to attend the launch party for Atypical-girl.com, a brand new clothing website stocking a selection of carefully curated original vintage and reproduction clothing, aimed at retro loving dolls and girls with a fashion edge. Atypical Girl is different to your typical pinup clothing site because the focus is on finding your own style, whether that be with a truly authentic eye to a classic era or with a modern take on vintage looks you love. So I was very curious to attend to the launch party and see just what Atypical Girl would be about–and of course, it was no surprise that it was a great event held in a funky private member’s club, featuring a variety of excellent retro music, vintage canapes and even some kick-ass Go Go dancers. I was thrilled to meet Atypical Girl’s founder Simone Hadfield, @missturnstiles to you Instagrammers, who, yes, is as gorgeous, chic and lovely in person as you’d expect. I love me some Girl Bosses, and Simone is definitely one of them. Pictures of the event can be found on the Atypical Girl’s Facebook page, which you should go like. Bonus points to the first reader to count up the number of times I’m caught pulling a stupid face while actively engaging in conversation (It is, I’m ashamed to say, many times.)

After attending such a wonderful event it was obvious I needed something from the Atypical Girl range, and at Simone’s own suggestion I couldn’t help but agree that the Joan dress had to join my wardrobe. This green wiggle dress is a true classic, made of knitted twill it’s comfortable as well as flattering, and I love the waist detail of pleats settled beneath a fabric kind-of-belt that crosses at the front then fastens behind with a single button. The dress is truly timeless, and considering how killer it would look on Christina Hendricks’ character in Mad Men it is no surprise at all why this hot little item is named the Joan. All you redheaded ladies definitely need to pick up this colourway as it will be true magic with your ginger hair, but it’s such a universally complimentary colour that I can’t think of a single hair colour or skin tone that wouldn’t wow in this dress.

This dress is obviously gorgeous, so let’s get practical and talk fit. I’m a UK 12-14, more 14 than 12 at present, and the L fits me wonderfully. Tummy touting ladies like myself might like to know I’m wearing the Rago longline girdle underneath for a bit of much needed support, not to mention that fun kick of donning underwear as retro as the outerwear. This dress is so comfortable it could easily be worn for a full day at the office or running around town, and it’s such a classic piece that it doesn’t take much more than throwing it on before dashing out the door to look good in it. It’s so comfortable I could easily wear this for a full evening of sitting at dinner with friends without finding it grows tight, pulls anywhere, or shimmies up my thighs throughout the night, which is yet more ticks on my list. This dress has instantly become a favourite, and I look forward to wearing it to death in these colder autumn/winter months as it’s warm on top of all it’s other positives.

The other item I got (as a lucky little preview) from Atypical-girl.com is this fun Beatnik headscarf. I don’t wear headscarves a lot because somehow I always find that when I wear them casually at home I can tie them perfectly, but the second I want to incorporate them into my outfit to wear out I become a butterfingers who can’t form a decent bow. There’s no problems like that with this headscarf because it’s a made ready to wear piece, a simple slip-on-and-go job: in other words, my favourite kind of item. The leopard print is cute and fun, which is always a relief because leopard print can be tragically mishandled with the greatest of ease. Considering leopard print paired with black has recently become one of my new obsessions I’m definitely going to have to perfect my beehives so I can rock this piece all the time. Yes, I am envisioning pairing it with black capri pants and a black cropped leather jacket. Yes, I do know that might make me look a bit like an extra from Grease. No, I’m not sorry. Fabulousness never apologises. Ha!

This Beatnik scarf will be available soon on the site, additionally in another colourway, along with other soon-to-be-added stock, so snap up your Joan dress now while there’s stock and then keep a sharp eye out for the newly added items as they roll in.

Thank you Simone for including me in your lovely launch, and for being such a gracious host. I’m so excited to see Atypical-girl.com grow, and I’m especially stoked to keep an eye on the true vintage section of the site for newly added stock so I can be first in line to snap up some of the steals. My debit card is poised and ready!