April + May Outfits Round Up in Lockdown

Well the last outfit round up in March was unusual in and of itself, being mostly comprised of past outfits that I’d forgotten to post in a timely manner. This round up though? This is certainly a first.

In ‘normal’ life I only get pinned up for social events, not for work. Since social gatherings no longer exist, essentially, I’ve had very few reasons to get all dressed up over the past couple of months. I’ve been furloughed, so I have used some of that extra free time to create additional blog and social media content. That aside, I’ve only bothered to get pinned up for about half of the video calls I’ve had with family and friends, on the days when I felt I could face the effort full hair and make-up takes, as my patience for that process has been fairly low compared to usual. My birthday was in May, so there were even a couple of instances near the big day when I got fully glam for that week’s food delivery to my mum and her elderly friend, or to my sheltering best friend who sometimes needs me to pick up and deliver her meds to her. What I’m saying is, the glam has been very sparse lately, and that’s been what I needed in this particular circumstance. I hope you’ve been able to indulge in the level of glam or of comfort that you’ve needed, too, to feel as reassured as one can be during this time. Me? I’m compiling this list for you in my favourite sweatpants, so I’m a happy girl.

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Something Different [Miss Candyfloss]

I’m a pretty equal opportunity colour-wearer. It’s only really pink that I consciously avoid wearing as a block colour, but despite that there are several colours that don’t make it into my wardrobe often, with coral and brown among them. Seeing me in this dress, therefore, has probably come as a bit of a surprise, for you and I both.

Fit and size review by plus size pinup Miss Amy May of the Eliana-Coral dress gifted by Miss Candyfloss

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Black, White and Elegant [Miss Candyfloss]

Right now a pretty dress that turns out to be comfortable and lightweight enough to wear even on a hot, sunny day at home in lockdown feels not only like a happy surprise, but a total lockdown delight. The fact that this Elina-Lou dress is also so elegant that it will serve as a beautiful occasion dress once things return to normal makes it even more special.

Size and fit review by plus sized pinup Miss Amy May of the miss Candyfloss Elina-Lou dress

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Fluttery Perfection [Deadly is the Female x Alexandra King]

Last week I shared with you a review of the Polka Dot Claudia Max dress by Alexandra King for Deadly is the Female, a piece that immediately became one of my favourite dresses of all time. I bought it using money I had been given for my birthday specifically for buying myself some treats from my favourite small businesses, so Deadly is the Female of course had to be top of that list. At the same time I also bought myself the Navy Flutter Sleeve Claudia dress, because its understated chicness but clear practicality had been calling to me like a siren song ever since I had first tried it on in early March. Genuinely, I’ve been thinking about this dress at least a couple times a week since. I’m so, so pleased that my memories of it live up to it’s beauty.

Plus size pinup Miss Amy May reviews the Navy Flutter Sleeve Claudia dress by Alexandra King for Deadly is the Female, including fit and size details

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That’s My Flava! [Miss Candyfloss]

Twice a year I look forward to the release of Miss Candyfloss’s lookbook for their new season. It always goes the same way; the second I realise it’s online I rush to load it up on my phone, then take screenshots of all my favourite items, whiiiiich basically ends up being at least 20 products. Over the following weeks I periodically revisit those screenshots, daydreaming about my favourite pieces and wondering which events in the coming season I will wear them for. (I mean, there’s a bit of sensible budgeting that happens there in my brain, as I whittle down what I’ll realistically be able to buy myself, but still, in the daydreaming part I can enjoy them all.) Somehow, there’s always one stand out piece that’s my favourite at first glance, and it always remains so in anticipation of its release, even if that’s months later. For SS20? My favourite was Flava-Rose, and my, she sure lives up to that in person.

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Maxi But Make it Pinup [Deadly is the Female x Alexandra King]

Now, one could try to argue that I already have ‘too many’ Claudia dresses from the Alexandra King for Deadly is the Female line. Could, but I would suggest no one even bother, because there’s no way they could convince me. I own 4 of the bishop sleeve knee-length dresses (a pure classic, I don’t regret a single one of those purchases,) a bishop sleeve velvet floor length gown (bought for my sister’s now-postponed wedding, which I will now be desperate to wear ASAP as a result,) and a chiffon-y delicious flutter sleeve knee length dress, which is a summertime glory. So, yeah, you might have thought I ‘have enough,’ BUT. BUT! That would be wilfully ignoring the fact that they’ve recently released their first line of printed maxis, and my goodness, they are gorgeous.

Black Polka dot Claudia Maxi dress by Alexandra King for Deadly is the Female modelled by Plus size pinup Miss Amy May for a fit and size review

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My Pinup Journey

How did I get here?

It seems crazy to me now but it’s been 7 years since I began dressing pinup. That term, of course, technically refers to the models whose mass produced pictures were pinned up as posters back in the last early to mid-century. These days though, for those of us within the vintage style community it’s just so much easier to say ‘Oh I dress pinup’ than ‘I love the fashion and beauty aesthetics of X decade(s) so I dress that way daily/part-time/for special occasions.’ Plus, there’s the fact that for many of us vintage-style lovers owning actual vintage is impractical, inaccessible, or too expensive, thus adding in the additional complicating factor that the word ‘vintage’ has a genuine descriptive meaning that may not technically apply to the modern reproduction clothing hanging in our wardrobes.

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Perfecting Your Winged Eyeliner

Perfecting your winged eyeliner is one of the most difficult and frustrating things for a new pinup. I first began dressing in vintage styles 7 years ago, but before that my makeup routine only ever included eyeliner when applied as smudged dark brown eyeshadow or very thin gel liner. Needing to master winged eyeliner, therefore, was a whole new challenge for me compared to any other new-pinup who might have been more practised in the skill of applying eyeliner in general.

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