I know, I know; English readers will be thinking but we only just had our second bout of snow! But you know what? I don’t care. I’m bored of winter. I am ready for florals and frills and wicker bags and wedges! England might yet to be convinced that it is spring, but I am, and thanks to Hell Bunny I am refusing to back down!
I am all about roses right now. Mostly that has manifested itself in coveting intricate rose embroidery or realistic fabric prints, but I think there’s still room in my overflowing wardrobe for a cuter, simplified form of this noble flower. Answering that call is Voodoo Vixen’s new Rose Applique cardigan.
If you feel like it’s unusual to see me in purple it’s because it is. It’s one of the few colours I don’t usually wear, to the point that I generally gloss over any purple styles I see whilst shopping, not even registering on my radar. However, the moment I saw this Lady V Amethyst Dirdle dress I was in love, immediately envisioning pairing it with a green cardigan to lift up the purple and put one in mind of rich toned, previous jewels.
Plus, something about purple makes me think of my mum, which is lovely given we just celebrated Mother’s Day yesterday. So let’s look at the dress that almost could have passed me by, but was much too stunning to do so!
Most pinups find that they often gravitate towards a certain cut of dress. I tend towards strappy swing dresses with a lower neckline because they allow me to stay cool in summer with the option to add layers for warmth in colder months. In winter, though, I do really love a sleeved dress–when I can find one that works for me.
I repeatedly torture myself by seeking out my perfect sleeved specimen; it has to be just the right shape, in the right colour or print, with a skirt that will actually hit me below the knee, and most importantly (and often not the case) with sleeves that will comfortably fit my large upper arms without making me want to cut them off after a couple hours of strained movement or painful digging and pinching. With all that to be considered, sometimes even if I love a sleeved dress I just won’t order it. I’ll feel sure that it won’t live up to my needs, or I’ll be cognizant that at this time of year there’s only so much wear I can get out of a sleeved style before it either A) is so warm it becomes impossible to wear through spring/summer even in England, or B) it looks so wintery in style that it would look silly wearing it in June, even if it is pouring with rain.
Well, finally I’ve found a dress that ticks all my boxes: it’s the right length, there’s no arm abuse involved in wear, it cinches the waist, has pockets, and it’s in a gorgeous vibrant print that will look good literally all year round. Ladies, I give you Darcy.
Here we are again, the end of another month. Man, I just love how short February is! Already pay day and I feel like pancake day was just yesterday. It doesn’t hurt that in addition to being a short month that features pancakes heavily, I also had a week off work on annual leave, had a reunion with a friend I hadn’t seen in approximately a trillion ages, and got to enjoy Galentine’s as per tradition with my best friend. Oh, yeah, and there was also the small matter of finally getting to go see Hamilton on the West End. No Bigs, you know. AHHH!
Blue Jade dress by Collectif, Dark Mustard Get It Girl cardigan from Doll Me Up, Mustard Los Flamingo bangle, Splendette Banoffee & blue carved bangles, Masha hair duo by Alternate Normality, old Primark flats
I know some of you, like me, have been waiting a long time for this post. This gorgeous olive striped Rosie skirt was part of Collectif’s AW17 line and was much admired in their previews, judging by the many messages and comments I received from ladies telling me they, like I, were in love with this skirt. We were all eager for it to turn up last Autumn, then still excited in winter…and before we knew it, it was 2018. Where was our beautiful Rosie?
The answer is that she, gloriously versatile as she is, was moved to this wonderfully awkward in-between stage of the year as a transition piece between winter and spring lines. And, really, I can’t blame Collectif for that, because it makes a lot of sense; the stripes as a print are season-free, olive as a colour is just as footloose and fancyfree for looking good all year long. And looking at the weather, with snow descending here in the UK for our last few days of February, this skirt truly does work just as well for this cold, white blanket on the horizon as it would on a brighter, more spring-like day. It may be snowy now, but as soon as that sun comes back out and the temperatures start to increase, you can bet I’ll be busting this Rosie skirt back out with these boots replaced by some cute flats, the double layers shed for simple white top, and a cute wicker bag added to finish it all off. For now, though, let’s take a look at how good Rosie looks in the snow, because boy does she.
You know how sometimes people see something and they say ‘oh that is so you!’ and it’s really kind of cute because it means they know you and what you like so well that they can recognise when something is a perfect match for you? That is one of my favourite things in the world, and recently lots of people on my social media platforms were saying it when they saw the Allegra dress debuted in the Miss Candyfloss SS18 lookbook. Why? Because it is a delicious mustardy slice of summer freshness, sweetness, chicness, and the fact that other people associated those things with me and what I love made me smile.
The dress is so perfect for me, in fact, that while I know realistically Miss Candyfloss didn’t design it for me...ehh, part of my excited heart chooses to believe that they did, because come on! Look at it! It’s summer Amy May personified!
Hotter Shoes are known for their high quality, comfortable shoes, made in a wide range of styles, many of which compliment a vintage inspired wardrobe with ease. They produce most of their products in their factory in Lancashire, England, where they’ve been settled since they were established there in 1959. And for the first time, my tootsies are getting a look at what premium, comfort-driven shoes really feel like!
Do you ever find that, out of nowhere, you unexpectedly become a bit obsessed with a certain colour, print or motif that never much moved you before? That’s me right now with red rose prints. I don’t know how or why my love for them appeared so suddenly, but it’s here nonetheless and so is my need to have a dozen rose themed items in my wardrobe, you know, because I can’t do anything by halves. Lucky me, then, that this Annie dress from Dolly & Dotty arrived at this most serendipitous time.
You’ve probably heard of Karina dresses. They’re known for being comfortable, easy to wear dresses that are work appropriate and available in a range of print styles. As this is my first time trying one of their pieces, I’m pleased to report that said reputation is well-founded. Let’s take a look at the original easy dress!
Miss Amy May 