The Erin dress by PUG has been a wiggle dress staple offered by the company for a long time now. Available in many colours, it’s made of stretch bengaline and features a wrap-over bust detail. Recently redesigned, it’s now available in extra colours as well as two more cuts, one a wiggle with sleeves and the other a three-quarter sleeved swing dress.

I hardly wear wiggles, so while I loved the wiggle version with the capped sleeves I knew it would be an unnecessary addition to my wardrobe. The swing, though, tempted me. Yet I had pause. I love a full swing skirt, requiring a full circle skirt or then some, and very rarely do skirts with less than a full circle feel right on me. This skirt looked like it wouldn’t hold the petticoat I require and that it might cling to my fabulous love handles, so I overlooked it for several weeks.

Once it was released and customers began buying it up, I started seeing pictures of ladies looking fabulous in it splashed across my social media. Eventually I decided to give it a try.

Above with petticoat, below without

Dress: Black Erin Swing dress by Pinup Girl Clothing
Shoes: Primark

I’m pleased to say I was pleasantly surprised, as I was near convinced it wouldn’t work on me. The material is good quality bengaline so it’s stretchy but has weight, meaning it’s flattering and skims over rather than clings to. The skirt is longer than I pictured somehow, which is always good because I prefer skirts at least below the knee, but preferably well below. It fits my slim petticoat but that’s about it, because a really full one would make the skirt look full to bursting, not a good look. I would still much prefer this dress with a fuller skirt, as those are my life blood, but the slimmer skirt doesn’t cling to my hips unflatteringly as I thought it might, which was my main concern.

The size boundaries are different for this piece compared to PUG’s usual sizing perimeters, just like they were on the Junebugs and George Peaches line earlier this year when I bought the Amanda dress. Normally I size as L into PUG unless it’s a wiggle with no stretch or a boned swing, but the Amanda dress size chart was correct to state I should order an XL for that dress so I followed the size chart with an XL for this swing Erin too. It was the right choice. Yes it has stretch and I probably would have been able to fit into L, but this skims my body better in this cut in the XL and has more movement and comfort across shoulders and upper back. Had I purchased the L, I’m sure the shoulders and arms would have been tight on me, even if the waist was bearable, so this fit is preferable for me. If you have broad shoulders, a big bust or prize comfort, follow the size chart. If you’re on the smaller side, though, and love a tight fit, yes, you could probably get away with sizing down.

The Erin swing dress comes available in black, red and emerald green in sizes XS-4X and costs $108. Pinup Girl Clothing ship internationally for a flat rate of $28, as well as offering priority shipping, but remember to factor in potential customs and import fees in your company when ordering from abroad. Failing that, PUG have stockists all over the world, so searching for your nearest stockist might suit you better.