Look, I don’t want to be dramatic but: me and this dress have been a long time coming. No, for real. So long.

For those of you who aren’t keeping up to date on Micheline Pitt’s incredible Vixen line you may not be aware that she sometimes posts sneak peeks of upcoming designs in her Facebook Vixen Salon group, wherein she will also ask for feedback on said designs. It was in this group that I first saw the design sketches for this striped glory that is the Dollface dress, many months back. It wasn’t scheduled to be released until SS17, so even back then those of us who were drooling over it knew we would be in for a wait.

I decided I would buy mine through Doll Me Up, a website I love to support when I can, so I mentally committed my purchase to DMU and excitedly awaited the dress’s release with cartoon-like wide fluttery eyes of anticipation. As it happened, this dress was so popular that it sold out through three wholesale pre-ordered phases over the entire spring season before DMU got their original pre-order finally fulfilled in July. As those months passed, I watched in the FB Salon and on Instagram as gorgeous pinup after gorgeous pinup got their Dollfaces from other stockists, while I waited, whimpering only a little, wondering if we were ever meant to be. Do you not love me as I love you, Dollface? Did I do something to forsake you before even we had been united? My heart (my closet) ached at the empty space set aside for this beauty, the money saved and sat waiting to be spent on it. 

And finally, finally, it has happened! We are one! After a long journey, only a touch of jealousy but a great deal of excitement, I have my Dollface dress and she is just as wonderful as I hoped.

Dress: Black Striped Dollface dress by Vixen by Micheline Pitt from Doll Me Up
Heels: Old New Look – Similar
Cardigan: Burgundy Tootsie Cropped Cardigan from Doll Me Up
Bangles: Charcoal + Black Fakelite by Splendette
Petticoat: Samantha by Malco Modes
Bag: Vintage

Looking back, the thing that first and most drew me to this dress was the exquisite pattern matching. Sometimes you can see a beautiful patterned dress online and place an eager order, only to be disappointed when it arrives and you discover the perfect pattern placement was, apparently, cared for only in the sample garment, and not a reality carried through to the stock production process. Exact pattern matching is difficult and time consuming, and as such typically boosts the cost of a piece containing such delicacies in its production process, but when done well it is striking and worthwhile. This dress is just such an example of pattern matching done beautifully, with the lines meeting up at each seam perfectly. It seems a simple dress at first glance, but it is truly a work of art.

As so much of its eye-catching nature is owed to the stripes, I love that the classic, monochrome choice of the black and white together means this dress is not just season-less but age-less on the whole, made to look incredible on any day, at any point in time. The construction of the bodice is brilliant quality, with the seamless bust allowing large busted ladies to wear this dress without finding a bust seam awkwardly sitting half way up their cup. The bodice is lined and fused, with the waist well fitted, meaning you may be able to rock this dress without a bra if you feel comfortable doing so, as I’ve heard many ladies are doing. It comes with a cotton sateen covered matching grommet belt. The straps are adjustable and the skirt pockets so deep you could probably fit several kittens in there–I don’t suggest you do, but you probably could, I’m just saying. Or, you know, just your phone and a bunch of other essentials, it’s your call. I’m just saying the depth lends itself to options.

As this dress is so chic the styling options are infinite, allowing you to lean towards either cute or devastatingly femme fatale. The true vintage lovers among us can add all manner of spectacular vintage hats and accessories to create an avant garde timeless look, while more casual girls can throw their hair in a bun, dab on some red lipstick and look great wearing this dress with sunglasses and flats as they saunter through life. It is one of those dresses that’s limitless and I love that.

In terms of sizing, I’m between the XL and 2X for Vixen’s sizes so I’m always unsure which to order. For the leopard Troublemaker swing I reviewed recently I opted for the 2X but definitely could have comfortably fit the XL, so I dithered over this dress even more intensely. After some feedback from fellow pinups who said it’s a structured piece with minimal stretch I opted for the 2X and decided I could alter it if need be. As it happens, it’s a great fit with no need for adjusting. The waist flat measures 35 inches with stretch to 37 inches, matching up against the 36-37 listed for 2X on the size chart, and the bust covers 45-47 inches comfortably. Overall I would say it’s very true to size and you can follow the size chart without too much concern. The excellent quality makes it wonderful to wear, no surprise given it’s handmade in LA with quality materials.

The Dollface dress comes in black and white stripes or white and pink stripes, in sizes XS-4X for $150. Doll Me Up only have XS and 4X still left in stock, UK stockist Deadly is the Female have select smaller sizes in both cololurs, European stockist Top Vintage have select sizes left in both colours, or you can get it direct from Vixen’s own website where they’ve just done a final restock of all sizes for this season before new colours are released for Spring/summer next year.