A Spring Bouquet in Milan [Heart of Haute]

I’ve reviewed the Milan dress by Heart of Haute before. It was much earlier on in my blogging career so the way in which I detail sizing and fit specifics have altered since then, allowing for, hopefully, a more helpful and accurate review that makes it easier for you to figure out if an item of clothing is for you and in which size.

When I reviewed the Milan dress in the red cotton sateen colourway, I found it had tons of give, although even then I didn’t stretch so far as to giving you the most helpful flat measurements (for reference, my L measured 32 inches flat in the waist, and up to 35 stretched.)

When spring came and I began eyeing the beautiful Bouquet floral colourway of this dress, I first assumed I could order it in the same L as my red Milan and come up smelling of roses (ba dum cha!) I noticed, however, that the size charts for the Bouquet on different stockists noted that the dress sizes smaller and that between sizes should size up. Considering this, I did what I could to determine the best size for myself, ordered the pretty, and decided it was worth giving this dress style and colourway its own review to pass on the information I learned to ensure you all end up with the best fit as well.

Milan Bouquet dress Heart of Hope Doll Me Up Continue reading

Thea & Summer Strawberries [The Pretty Dress Company]

I first discovered the Thea dress by The Pretty Dress Company last September when I donned the red pencil version to model for Deadly Is The Female’s Christmas campaign for Vintage Life magazine. It was love at first slinky wiggle, but as I don’t wear a lot of pencil dresses I spent half the shoot in that dress cooing over the draping of the neckline and half lamenting that I would kill to have it in a swing style instead.

Fast forward a few months and my Thea swing daydreams became a reality. The Thea prom dress features the same gorgeous draped off-the-shoulder neckline and stretch twill fabric as the pencil version, but with a full swing skirt perfect for twirling. All of The Pretty Dress Company’s pieces are designed and made in the UK, so to celebrate that I decided to take my new Thea in this stunning patriotic cobalt blue out for a spot of strawberry picking, as it’s such a great British tradition at this time of year.

The Pretty Dress Company Cobalt Blue Thea Prom Dress Swing Continue reading

Getting Reacquainted With Bernie

My first and only ever review of Bernie Dexter dresses was over a year and a half ago, when I was very new to blogging and still fairly new to being a pinup. At that time I’d tried several repro clothing brands but not nearly as many as I have now. My wardrobe had quickly and largely become full of Pinup Girl Clothing, still my favourite brand for top quality retro inspired pieces offered in a variety of styles and at a reasonable price for the high quality presented.

Comparatively, the Bernie Dexter dresses I tried were…kind of disappointing. I had a bad experience with the delivery, since UPS can be a pain in the ass to receive an international parcel from, as they don’t pre-alert you of the customs fee demanded upon delivery and arranging pre-delivery can be tricky sometimes. That aside, I opened my package of 3 Bernie dresses to discover they were shorter than, less well fitted, and made of less fabric than the dresses I was accustomed to, as well as being unlined and lightweight. And despite all that, they were more expensive than my usual Pinup Girl Clothing buys, which aren’t exactly cheap themselves. Add in the hugely costly shipping and custom fees and I was not just disappointed but massively out of pocket. Continue reading

Traveling with Tammy [Collectif]

I have a thing for vintage luggage. If you follow Junebugs and Georgia Peaches’s blog, or Amanda’s Modernjunecleaver Instagram account then you’ll have likely caught sight of her impressive and enviably vintage luggage collection. It’s the true embodiment of the meme-tastic GOALS sentiment.

Amanda/ModernJuneCleaver's amazing closet and luggage collection

Amanda/ModernJuneCleaver’s amazing closet and luggage collection (Picture from her Instagram)

Saying all that, I actually only own a couple pieces of vintage hand luggage. I don’t travel a huge amount, mostly taking day trips or weekends away, so I just have a vanity case in red and one in black so that I have something to match any potential outfit. My two cases get used as perfume and hair styling apparatus holders while I’m at home, since they’re a nice useful size for storing small things, but they’re only really usable as a single piece of luggage for one-night stay trips and nothing longer. I’m pretty rubbish at scouting out true vintage though; I live in the countryside where a trip to any town that will likely throw up vintage wonders is 30mins-1hour in the car, at least, and on weekends I’m typically so busy closer to home that I can’t block out a few hours to go scouring through racks and stacks, miles of piles, cases and boxes and rails. Continue reading

Ambling in Ambleside [Hell Bunny]

If you know anything about me at all it’s probably that I love nautical style clothes. Navy, white, red, they just go together so beautifully, and there’s something timeless and fun about nautical themed pieces, whether they’re simple colourblock styles or nautical themed prints.

When I was a little girl, I had a pale blue nautical style sailor-girl dress that I loved. Since it was the 80s, our family had three of these dresses in different sizes, so that me and my two elder sisters could match. Maybe that’s where my nautical love all began, who knows. What I do know is that my love has never waned, if anything intensifying over the years, so when I spotted the nautical offerings from Hell Bunny’s SS16 range, I was sold.

I already reviewed the Marin dress from Hell Bunny earlier this season, a seaside themed printed dress which I love and constantly wear, so I figured now it was time to review one of their simpler, navy pieces.

It’s time to take a countryside amble in the Ambleside dress.

Hell Bunny Ambleside dress Continue reading

I Wanna See You Peacock [Hell Bunny]

Yes, the title of this post is from a Katy Perry song. No, I’m not sorry. And you know why not? Because I live in the British countryside and, most randomly, a wild peacock has recently started to make frequent visits to our garden.

I know. It sounds like I’m making it up, but I’m not. I’ve named him Albert and he likes to also visit next door, where he helps himself to the bird feeder on our neighbour’s patio. We have no idea where he’s come from, as he comes by every day, morning and night, and while we live close to two farms bearing peacock enclosures, both swear he doesn’t belong to either of them.

So, you know, there was only one thing for it. I had to get a peacock dress and make friends with him. It’s the logical next step in this situation, right? Thanks to Hell Bunny, I could make that happen.

Hell Bunny 50s Peacock dress Continue reading

Mexicana Magic [Love UR Look]

Earlier in the year I attended London Edge to preview the SS16 releases from many different vintage inspired brands. Having featured Love Ur Look here on the blog last summer, I was eager to drop by their booth to see their new offerings for this season and to meet their owner and designer Ronke in person, who was even more lovely and charming than I had anticipated. As we chatted on and on about our favourite aspects of vintage styles, my eyes couldn’t help but roam the racks of new pretties on display around us. The Mexicana dress was an immediate stand-out for me and I couldn’t help but fawn a little over the print.

I took home a little postcard showing off some of their upcoming pieces, the Mexicana dress pictured front and centre, and pinned it to the magnetic chalk board I keep beside my computer, my blogging and reminders board, just in case there was any chance I could forget that dress. There wasn’t. I couldn’t wait for it to come out. And now, finally, the time has come. Let’s see if you’re as obsessed with it as I am.

Love UR Look Mexicana dress Continue reading

You’re So Trixie [Trashy Diva] 

Okay, it’s official. I have a thing for Trashy Diva. My wishlist has become suddenly and alarmingly full, but can you blame me? With their chambray, their gingham, their seersucker, oh my! What’s a girl supposed to do, really, other than develop the urge to put everything into her cart?

So many of their pieces have a lovely southern flare, evoking hot, lazy summer days spent sipping lemonade and sheltering in the shade, even for those of us who only know of these things from books and movies and daydreams. After recently buying and loving their Seersucker Apple Tart dress, I was itching to choose my next purchase. Enter the dress of my chambray dreams, Trixie.

Trashy Diva Trixie chambray dress Continue reading

Hamilton, Hamilton, Just You Wait! [Unique Vintage]

Okay, so if you’re familiar with Hamilton, the musical, then you’ll get the title reference of this post. You’ll probably also understand that when I first saw the Hamilton dress from Unique Vintage, yes, I did immediately love it for the dress itself, but I also at least partially snapped it up because of its name. I just had to. I’ve had the cast recording soundtrack playing on repeat for a couple months now and my heart is sad that I can’t see the show since I live in the UK (not that anyone can see the show really, sold out as it is) but now at the very least I can don this dress, head out into the sunshine and enjoy its musical namesake with a pair of headphones.

Unique Vintage Hamilton striped day dress Continue reading

Just A Little Bit Country [Collectif Erina] 

I swear this dress was trying to elude me. I went to London Edge at the beginning of the year and spent a big chunk of my time there at the Collectif booth, pawing through their vast and beautiful line of SS16 releases, as well as a lot of their AW16 pieces (it’s going to be so amazing you guys, omg, just wait.) Aida Zak is one of Collectif’s house brands, like their 60s inspired line Bright & Beautiful, and I can only think I didn’t check that rack as thoroughly because I did not spot this Erina dress while I was there. It was only once I came home and watched some of the London Edge catwalk videos on Retro Daisy’s Instagram (a pinup shop located in Worthing, England) that I saw this dress. It was instant love-lust-gimme.

I wanted it for my birthday celebrations and there was some mild worrying on my part as to whether it would be released in time. I wanted to purchase it from Retro Daisy, since they had been so lovely to me about helping me track down which brand it was, but due to Collectif getting their new releases online before everyone else, including their own stores, let alone stockists, I had to guiltily order it from Collectif directly to get it in time. You’ll see why any second now, because my birthday celebration was a giant picnic fun day, and tell me, isn’t this a perfect picnic dress?

Collectif Aida Zak Red Erina dress Continue reading