If you feel like it’s unusual to see me in purple it’s because it is. It’s one of the few colours I don’t usually wear, to the point that I generally gloss over any purple styles I see whilst shopping, not even registering on my radar. However, the moment I saw this Lady V Amethyst Dirdle dress I was in love, immediately envisioning pairing it with a green cardigan to lift up the purple and put one in mind of rich toned, previous jewels.

Plus, something about purple makes me think of my mum, which is lovely given we just celebrated Mother’s Day yesterday. So let’s look at the dress that almost could have passed me by, but was much too stunning to do so!

Dress: Amethyst Rose Border Dirdle dress C/O Lady V London
Cardigan: Kelly Green Tootsie Crop cardigan from Doll Me Up
Necklace: Splendette
Bangles: Dark green and purple Splendette fakelite, Sage Bow & Crossbones bangle
Shoes: Diana Crocodile heel by Lulu Hun
Bag: Lilac Lola Von Rose

Even though I completely fell for this dress the second I saw its pictures online, when I got it in person I was surprised at just how much more obsessed with it I became! There’s moodier steel blue tones included in the gorgeous rose print that look even more beautiful in real life than they do in pictures. The colour pairings in the print along with the placement and style of the rose border scream authentic vintage to me, which is something I always cherish in a repro piece as someone who is mostly sized and priced out of being able to buy true vintage. The fact that this piece looks so authentic while also being reasonably budget friendly, high quality and made in England makes it a real gem of a dress. And that’s all without even touching on the shape of the dress, with which I am smitten.

Featuring a classic square neckline that flatters every body shape and thick straps that won’t force you to opt for that strapless bra you always resent having to wear, it’s as pretty as it is practical. The bodice cinches you in at the waist before flaring out into a lovely gathered skirt that holds wonderful volume even when worn with a slim, cheap petticoat as I did in these pictures. Plus, there’s no side-zip-struggle because it closes with a centre back zip flowing down from the V-shaped back, and it has pockets (!), elevating this piece into Perfect Dress territory.

I opted for this style in the size 18 mostly to accommodate my bust and it’s very true to the size chart. The dress is made from a non-stretch cotton so the waist flat measures 36 inches with no stretch, while the bust measures 42 inches on a flat surface with room for up to 45 inches once you take the room in the bust darts into consideration. The skirt is 25 inches long and will happily take a medium volume petticoat for plenty of poofy goodness, and the dress is machine washable. It’s a winner all round1

The Amethyst Rose Border Dirdle dress comes in UK sizes 8 – 22, and comes in 2 other lovely spring floral prints in the same size range. Lady V London ship internationally and have select stockists around the globe.