If you read my Titilated by Tartan blog post a few weeks ago listing the tartan/plaid options currently available in the retro clothing market then you’ll remember I was smitten with both of the tartan print dresses Voodoo Vixen have in their A/W line, the Lori dress and the Daphne wiggle dress. When I decided I had to own one of them it was a tough choice as to which I should get–I loved Daphne more but I don’t often wear wiggles, yet while the Lori was super cute with the tied pinafore straps, it also lacked the full skirt that I require almost all my non-wiggle dresses to have. What to dooo, what to dooo.

In the end I got the Lori, and though I’d still love the Daphne I’m glad I got this dress of the two. Being a pinafore dress means it can be worn alone but is also perfect for winter because it’s so easy to layer this dress with various tops or shirts you might add beneath it to not only keep warm but change up the look. For this post I went with a clean crisp shirt underneath to show how versatile the dress is in addition to the obvious styling choices of adding roll neck jumpers, cardigans, boat neck tops, bardots…all sorts!

Can you say ‘dork’?

Dress: Lori dress by Voodoo Vixen
Brooch: Actually a hair clip handmade by me
Shirt: £4 Asda basics shirt
Green Ballet Flats: H&M

I love the print of this dress! Unless you use the zoom function on the Voodoo Vixen site to take a close look at this print I feel like the colours are a delightfully surprising pop when you get it in your hands IRL compared to the online pictures. It really is a perfect plaid winter print.

This dress was a little bit awkward to me at first just because I am so disastrous with tying neat bows that having to tie two bows perfectly–and over my own shoulders, with the dress on–was just not an easy feat. Those more talented with bows than I may manage it, but otherwise you’ll probably find it easier to get someone else to tie them for you so that they sit nicely.

When it comes to fit I felt this runs true to size, which is always a relief. I could do with the waist sitting a tiny bit higher, but that’s just about my own proportions. The dress comes with it’s own belt, but I’ll probably like switching it up by adding a black thin belt on times I wear this with a black sweater underneath. The skirt is flared but not full, only capable of fitting a slim petticoat beneath if you insist upon one but probably best without. The thing I really loved most about this dress, apart from the print, is that it has pockets. Pockets! That rare and joyous novelty that we women so covet in a dress.

Overall I think this is just a really cute casual dress, which is great in winter because sometimes when it’s cold and a bit dim you really don’t feel like faffing around with your wardrobe. It’s also comfortable, something I was able to throw on with ease while away for a long weekend with my girls at the end of last year. Wearing it I felt stylish but still relaxed, both when we were out about and while chilling back at our holiday home.

The price of the Lori is £42.99, but if you subscribe to their newsletter through their site you’ll get 10% off your first order. Voodoo Vixen also ship internationally, and at reasonable prices too, so all you non-UK readers won’t miss out.