I’ve wanted to try Vixen’s Vacation dress since it was first released but I made a conscious decision last year to scale back the amount of clothing I buy, and as such I hadn’t yet been able to justify the purchase.

I don’t enter competitions to win freebies on social media because I don’t think that would be fair given that I get gifted items regularly to review here on the blog. However my friend Kat entered Vixen’s Thanksgiving Tag a BFF Instagram contest and because I was the friend she tagged we both won a $100 vixen gift voucher. Vixen then launched their 20% off Black Friday sale, and suddenly I could snap up a Vacation dress guilt-free! Obviously I’ll go into the real details below, but the short verdict? It’s as great as everyone says it is! 

Dress: Navy Vacation dress by Vixen by Micheline Pitt (Bought with a won gift card)
Belt: Old New Look
Shoes: Navy Viviene heels by Hotter* (A/L)
Gloves: Bought from a market

The Vacation dress is so named because it’s perfect for travelling. It’s made from a soft, high quality synthetic gaberdine spandex twill which is both wrinkle-resistant and stretchy, so it’s able to survive your suitcase with minimal signs of having been folded as well as being incredibly comfortable to wear. The peasant neckline has abundant elastic to be worn both on and off the shoulders, comfy regardless of your choice, and makes this dress friendly for ladies with a fuller bust who may have trouble finding dresses that fit both their waist and their bust. The bishop sleeves are chic and flattering, allowing you to style this dress casually or with a more dressed up feel.

I hadn’t seen any ladies pair this dress with a petticoat so I was always a bit concerned that the slightly shirred skirt wouldn’t accommodate one, but I’m wearing my usual slim-medium volume petticoat in these pictures that I wear with almost all of my dresses and it works beautifully. As with all Vixen dresses, the skirt not only has pockets but has the deepest pockets you’re likely to find from any vintage-inspired brand. There’s no risk here of your phone falling out of your pocket as you move around! The dress also comes with a matching grommet belt.

This dress is so popular that it was sold out in most sizes in all colours by the time I came to order it on Black Friday. The navy was the only colourway that had anything close to my size still available and even then I actually had to size up to be able to order. For me that means sizing up into a 3X from my usual Vixen 2X–I did so knowing that it would definitely be too big on me through the waist and likely would not enhance my bust as the 2X would, but because of the peasant style I decided it would be easy to take it in where necessary without the rest of the dress visibly betraying that it was too large. My guess paid off because with just a simple alteration at the waist I’ve made the 3X fit me well enough that it isn’t noticeably too large, especially when worn with a belt. Considering the fit advice for this dress is generally to size down if you want a tighter fit, I’m pleased to bits that I managed to make sizing up work for me–phew!

The only issue is that the belt it came with is too large for me to use, understandably, but I have dozens of other belts so that’s not really a problem. I took the flat and stretched measurements of the dress before I altered it to fit me, so I can still offer you my usual run-down of the fit. The waist flat measured 38.5 inches with stretch to 43, while the bust flat measured 46 with stretch to 52. The skirt is 27.5 inches long. I wouldn’t recommend sizing up unless you’re desperate, and agree that the usual advice of sizing down when between sizes is the best choice for this dress.

The Vacation Dress is sold out in most sizes in the Black and Burgundy colourways but the Navy, Olive and the new Garnet Red colourways are up for Pre-Order in all sizes, XS-4X. All Vixen by Micheline Pitt pieces are made by hand in LA.

____________________________________________________

Disclaimer: The dress featured in this review was purchased using a gift voucher my friend won for me in a competition hosted by Vixen by Micheline Pitt on Instagram. The shoes worn were bought by me but Hotter have gifted me other shoes previously for review. Items marked with (A/L) are Affiliate Links. All opinions expressed are truthful and my own, with no input from any of the companies listed or any other individuals.