Look, sometimes a dress is so cute there’s just no point in prefacing it with any chatter, okay? This Bardot definitely fits that bill, so let’s waste no more time and get right to it.

Dress: Black Gingham Bardot dress by Vixen by Micheline Pitt
Bought from Deadly is the Female
Bag: Lola Von Rose

I ordered my Bardot dress through Deadly is the Female, which, while ‘only’ a charming little vintage style boutique located in Frome, Somerset, is now Vixen’s largest European stockist. Even so, their Vixen items often sell out fast when they come into stock, so if you have your eye on a Vixen item it’s best to request to be signed up to their stock waitlist for said item, like I did for this dress. They’ll email you when the item arrives in stock with no commitment to buy, but it’s your best chance on snagging your size in much-anticipated items. At the time of writing this post this Bardot dress is only available in select sizes, with almost all sizes still available in the pink gingham. Deadly are always very good at broadcasting their anticipated incoming stock pieces on their Instagram and Facebook profiles, but if you’re ever unsure of whether they’ll be stocking a certain item you’re lusting after or in need of sizing help they’re always happy to reply to messages and emails to get you the answers you need.

And now, onto the dress itself! The Bardot gingham dress is, of course, designed with the inspiration of Brigitte Bardot in mind. Oozing sweet summer sensuality, it’s made from soft, high quality cotton stretch sateen with a fully lined body and front fusing that gives you all the support necessary to stay both comfortable and sexy in the summer heat. The peasant sleeves can be worn up or down depending upon your preferences, while the white cotton eyelet trim that decorates said neckline and sleeves adds sweetness alongside the contrast black trim and bow at the bust.

As with all Micheline swing styles, this dress features pockets, superlative pockets that will fit a Plus iPhone with ease and room to spare. The dress closes with a quality back zipper that doesn’t struggle over the dreaded waist-seam bump and comes with a matching vinyl-backed 1 inch gingham belt. Finishing off the details with the fact that this dress was made ethically in America and it is, quite clearly, a summer gem ready to make any woman look fabulous.

I’m a huge fan of gingham anyway, but I somehow don’t own any that evokes the sultry feel of icon Bardot, who’s image is so closely associated with the print. Micheline perfectly channeled Brigitte as inspiration for this dress, and I love that it is both sugar sweet and plenty sexy all at once, depending entirely upon how you choose to wear and embody it. I was slightly concerned before I got my hands on it that the peasant sleeves might cut into my upper arms, as almost all peasant sleeves do, because we who have chubby uppers are rarely catered for. However, this dress is blessedly constructed and there is more than adequate elastication in these sleeves so as to not only look good but to actually be comfortable, two realities that seldom combine for me with peasant sleeves.

In regards to sizing, I’d say this piece fits true to the size chart. The waist in this 2X flat measures 36-37 inches while the bust accommodates 45-47 inches easily. The skirt surprises me by measuring 26 inches, because somehow I feel like it sits slightly shorter on me than 26 inches typically does, but that’s it’s true number. It can easily pump up the volume with a medium-full petticoat, thanks its the many gathers, but there’s a pleasant and slight stiffness to it that holds great shape even with a slim volume petticoat, as I wore for these pictures.

The Bardot dress is limited edition and comes in both black and pink gingham in sizes XS-4X, available still in most sizes from Deadly is the Female or in all sizes from Micheline Pitt’s own website directly.