Summer Whites In Eveline

A lot of people are afraid of wearing white. Some people are definitely spillers–my younger sister and my mum are two of such people–but even those who are able to drink coffee and eat spaghetti without a comical mishandling of the consumption often have a white fabric fear. I’m here to tell you guys that it is not that serious. Really.

Sure, wearing white when you know you’re going to be spending a full day with young kids or helping a friend to move house is probably a bad idea, but think about it; how often do you come home from a typical night with friends or a shopping trip and go ‘Damn, I got stuff all over myself. How did I do that?’ Probably next to never. If that’s the case I hereby formally invite you to be part of The Fearless Summertime White Dress Wearers Society. (Okay, we’ll work on the name.)

Because a white dress in summer time is basically as chic as it gets. You might think that’s an exclusive club that you’re not allowed to join, but I’ve forced my way inside it without an invite so if anyone asks just tell them you’re with me.

Unique Vintage Eveline Hell Bunny Dress Continue reading

Vixen In Training [Modelling for Voodoo Vixen]

I don’t do a lot of event or experience based posts on the blog because, quite frankly, my life is just not that interesting; I go to work Monday to Friday like your typical worker bee, I spend a lot of my free time with my family and friends, and then another chunk of time on this blog focusing on the fun not-so-usual style aspects of my life. But occasionally I have something cool I get to share with you, and this time it’s my recent experience modelling for Voodoo Vixen.

My fellow British Belle Amber and I were both asked to be part of a Spring/Summer campaign lookbook for VV in early June and we were thrilled to say yes. Taking a day off work, we travelled up to London for a vintage picnic themed shoot early on a Tuesday morning with our hair in pincurls and the usual London commuters staring. The shoot was in east London, east enough that the Londoners on the team considered it Essex while wee country bumpkin that I am still resolutely saw the London around us.

Shooting in public is always an interesting and amusing experience because people can have curious reactions to stumbling upon a photoshoot in action. On our very first set up, with Amber and I posing against a downed log near a pond, a group of small primary school children were ushered past us on a school trip…and were all lined up and sat down on a small hill immediately facing us, for no other apparent reason we could gather than to have a look at what we were doing.

Voodoo Vixen diner Dress

Casual sassy log chilling in the ‘Alison’ dress for Amber and ‘Leona’ for me

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1 Year Blogiversary Retrospective & Giveaway

It’s here, I made it; My blog is a year old as of this past Sunday! It seems crazy that it’s been one year since I posted my first blog post, but even more so when you consider that the fact it ever happened at all was practically an accident.

This time last year, an Instagram addict and new to having around 2000 followers, I was regularly receiving questions and pleas for tips on pinup hair, makeup and clothing fit from ladies new to the style or simply in need of a bit of help. I was a fairly new pinup myself–still am, relatively, having begun transitioning to this style in early 2013–so I didn’t feel like I had much I could offer, except maybe advice from that angle of adjusting and learning myself. When I asked on Instagram whether any ladies would be interested in seeing me start a blog I was astounded by the number and enthusiasm of the ‘YES!’s I received. So it was settled. I began. Continue reading

This Little Peach in PUG [Amanda Dress]

Pinup Girl Clothing fans and retro blogger fans alike were thrilled when it was announced not too long ago that Laura Byrnes, PUG Supreme Overlord and head designer, had created a full line of pieces inspired by stylish and adorable blogging duo Junebugs & Georgia Peaches, aka Amanda and Katie, aka Modern June Cleaver and Amelia Jetson. Katie and Amanda have differing body types, with Amanda being short and curvy while Katie is tall and willowy, but both are gorgeous little muffins and, of course, huge vintage fans.

The collection features a lot of peter pan collars and rounded necklines, slightly shorter skirts than some of PUG’s longer pieces, pockets galore, and a lot of adorable gingham, cute colour combinations and some new colourways of old classic PUG prints such as the birdcage and squirrel prints. As such the collection on the whole is sweet as sugar and a wonderfully themed line…which just happens to not be my kind of style. I love gingham but don’t wear many pastel colours, peter pan collars don’t work on me, even rounded collars are a tricky one for me, and cutesy prints don’t gel with my personal preferences. So, considering this, when I saw the collection there was only one dress that hit me in the solar plexus like a well aimed style-kick: The Amanda Dress.

Pinup Girl Clothing Amanda Dress Junebugs & Georgia Peaches Continue reading

June Outfits Round Up

We learnt last month that I was wearing the same couple of pairs of shoes almost on repeat, as well as the same set of wooden bangles (but I love them so!) So this month I set myself the challenge to show a little more love to the other items in my shoe racks. Let’s see if I succeeded!

Click on the pictures for a closer look. You can find links in the description to any item that is still available to buy. Anything not linked is from a past season and cannot be found for purchase any longer and/or is not available to buy online.

Voodoo Vixen Juicy Lucy dress, everything5pounds.com heels

Voodoo Vixen Juicy Lucy dress, everything5pounds.com heels

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Glamour [Bunny] & Tiki

Time for me to review another dress that feels like a summer classic to me, and this time it’s the Glamour Bunny Tiki Temptation dress. Available in three colourways, plain red, pale pink and a floral pale blue, this dress has the classic 50s sarong style silhouette.

Made of a comfortable stretch cotton fabric, it comes with detachable halter straps and has boning for extra support that may allow it to be worn strapless. The skirt ties on the left hand side and the dress fastens with a back zipper.

Glamour Bunny Tiki Temptation dress Continue reading

Give It Some Juice [Voodoo Vixen ‘Juicy Lucy’]

Another dress I got recently from Voodoo Vixen is the Juicy Lucy dress. With a bowling pin/polka dot print and a contrast collar, this dress makes me think of diners and bowling alleys all at once. It fastens with a back zipper, has contrast button detailing and matching belt, and a contrast kick pleat panel located in front rather than back, which I love.

I misplaced my matching belt almost immediately among a whirlwind of picnic prep for the upcoming Pinup Picnic In The Park, so for these pictures I used a red belt I already had from another dress I own.

Voodoo Vixen Juicy Lucy Dress Continue reading

Love UR Look Picnic Dress + Giveaway

Love Ur Look is a UK designed clothing company that produces feminine and flattering vintage style clothing that is all ethically produced. Their dresses cost around £50, their skirts £30 and their tops around £20, which are great prices for repro clothing but especially when you consider that every item is made ethically without cutting corners. Many modern clothing companies outsource to foreign factories willing to overlook minimum age and wage laws, but Love Ur Look consciously chose to seek out ethical production sources both in the UK and India right from their very first collection, ensuring that all workers involved in their production are treated humanely, freely chose their employment and comply with minimum wage laws and minimum age restrictions, amongst other requirements. This ethical background is something I had already heard about Love UR Look, so when designer and owner Ronke recently contacted me asking if I’d like to check out a piece from their new spring/summer line, I jumped at the chance.

loveurarrive You can tell a lot about a company from the way your items arrive, with smaller companies often going the extra length to package their products prettily and with great care. My Love UR Look dress arrived lovingly packed in a printed lavender scented dust bag, something I thought was a sweet touch. The dress they sent me is a floral check dress that they have since named the Floral Picnic dress in honour of The Picnic In The Park event I am helping to host this weekend in London as part of The British Belles.
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[Sailor] Swing, Baby, Swing!

Continuing on with my recent resolution to review some of my dresses that feel most summery to me, today I’m reviewing my Sailor Swing dress by Pinup Girl Clothing. One of my favourite things about this dress is that it was one of those dresses that actually sparked my transition into pinup style.

At the start of 2013 I began to pincurl and wetset my hair to achieve heat-free curls after a bad experience with heat styling that left ruined my natural curls. I had always liked the fashions from the 50s but had never considered it something a modern woman could fully adopt, so as I began to tinker with my makeup to reflect a more 50s look I also began to search online for clothing options that might feel a bit 50s without being over the top. I didn’t feel confident enough then to wear the kind of outfits I do now, and as I was so tentative about the style change I also didn’t want to drop big bucks on clothing. I found this picture of the navy Sailor Swing dress on Tumblr and became obsessed.

Word up Doris Mayday, lookin’ hot! Image: Laura Byrnes Photography

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