Once upon a time, just as I’d first gotten into my pinup groove, you couldn’t pay me to wear a stretchy, casual dress. It was all about the cinched waists, the huge skirts, the full pinup look head to toe. Now, yes, that’s still my preferred silhouette, but you know what? I just don’t always have the time or energy for that. It’s lovely to get fully dolled up and to prance around in a skirt so large it acts as your own personal space bubble, forcibly. But it’s also nice to wear something that doesn’t cinch or pinch at you throughout the day, to not have to add necessary under layers to remove volume from one area while exaggerating it in others.

Sometimes, y’all, it’s just nice to put on a dress that requires no muss, no fuss, and damnit allows you to eat and breathe comfortably alllll day long. That is definitely a calling Karina Dresses answers.

Dress:Gumdrops Peggy dress C/O Karina Dresses
Cardigan: Ice Blue Tootsie Crop cardigan from Doll Me Up
Bag: Zara
Bangles: Assorted bamboo bangles
Necklace:Forever 21

The Peggy dress is sleeveless style that features a collared V-neck and a cross over bodice, with a defined waistband. The gently flared skirt won’t overwhelm ladies with a petite frame or those who dislike a full skirt, but it will just about fit a slim volume petticoat for a little off-the-leg lift, as I wore in the pictures above. It’s listed as a knee length skirt, which is obviously a subjective term dependant upon the height of the wearer. For me, that means the 41.5 inches length of the dress from shoulder to hem comes up literally right on the knee.

I’m still getting used to this whole ‘skirt only hitting me at the knee’ thing, because it’s been several years now since I began wearing vintage style dresses that definitely don’t do that on my 5ft 7 frame. Still, it’s really nice to have some more casual options in my closet that still feel connected to my chosen aesthetic, with all the added comfort and ease of not being a cinched waist piece with a billowing skirt and a tight bodice.

Even if you didn’t know that Karina Dresses hold a tagline of being ‘the original easy dress,’ the moment you slipped this dress on you would know it. I have a bit of a shoulder and back issue that sometimes plays up and causes all clothing seams to feel uncomfortable and restrictive, especially when driving, but I wore this Peggy dress on a recent 3.5 hour roadtrip across the country and it kept me fidget-free and comfortable the whole way.

Though this dress counts as casual in my closet, I love that the collar detail elevates the design. Plus, we haven’t even got to my favourite thing about it yet, which is this super adorable gumdrops print! Featuring stacked blue triangles interspersed with occasional orange triangles on a cream background, it feels light and airy at this confusing time of year when the weather can’t make up its mind, allowing me to welcome spring into my wardrobe even if it’s not yet in my garden.

Made from Karina Dresses signature quality stretch micro-fibre fabric, this piece doesn’t wrinkle, making it perfect for travel and for smart workwear that won’t crease as the day wears on. It’s also machine washable, and all Karina dresses are made with the aim to last you years and years when cared for properly, so each dress is an investment in your staple wardrobe.

I have this dress in the XL and it runs true to Karina Dresses sizing, with the ample stretch giving a lot of literal wiggle room. The waist flat measures 33 inches but it has stretch designed to reach 39 inches, while the bust will accommodate up to approximately 46 inches.

The Gumdrops Peggy dress is released today as part of Karina Dresses newest Playtime collection and is available in sizes XS-XXL. Karina Dresses are all made in the USA and ship internationally.