Lovely Nora-Lee [Miss Candyfloss]

Miss Candyfloss won me over when I purchased their Gigi jumpsuit at the end of last year. It’s chic, classic and modest, which happens to be a description that can be applied to their entire line. Their signature design feature is their pleated bust detail, which is flattering and pretty on all bust sizes. Earlier this summer I went on a little mission to check out what other pieces they offer besides the Gigi with that bust detail, looking for something with a full skirt and a summery feel because, shock horror, for once we were actually broadcast a decent summer. I decided upon the Nora-Lee dress.

I’ve been massively into blues lately, of almost all shades, but especially soft shades like periwinkle and cornflower blue, so this dress immediately drew me in. Once you add in the fact that it has punctuations of red, my favourite accessorising colour, I was sold.
Miss Candyfloss Nora Lee dress Continue reading

That Waist Tho’ – My Favourite Longline Options

I’ve been meaning to write a longline/shapewear post for a while, but after recently sharing the below picture on Instagram, resulting in a flurry of comments asking what I was wearing (wink wink,) I knew it was time.

Wearing Dominque bra & Rago 821 Cincher, Details below

The struggle to find a vintage style longline bra or basque that works for you can be expensive, frustrating and time consuming. Continue reading

Patio Perfection + GIVEAWAY [Lady K Loves]

Patio dresses are popular pieces amongst 50s loving modern pinups. As a plus size gal, whenever I see a patio-dress-clad lovely pop up on my Instagram feed I sigh a little inside, knowing I don’t have the time or the funds to conduct a widespread search for a patio dress that might fit me.

So imagine how excited I got a few months back to be scrolling through my Instagram feed, again (always, basically,) and come across this preview:

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Lady in Black, Lady in a Garden [Bluebelle]

Bluebelle is a Singapore-based vintage inspired clothing company run by sweetheart owner Ammy. She began the company in 2013 because she and her sister, vintage lovers that they are, had trouble finding vintage inspired clothing to wear in Singapore. She began by stocking established European repro companies on her website, then branched out into producing her own Made By Bluebelle line last year. Her Lady in Black tea dress was so well received that European stockists began requesting to stock the piece themselves, a turn in the tables of her position of just a couple years prior.

The line, originally catering to the petite sizes of ladies in Singapore, is now looking to branch out their sizing to include UK sizes 14 – 18. Their original hit Lady in Black tea dress is the first piece in the range to be extended. Given its classic modest cut and simple yet elegant floral print, I can see why.

Shop Bluebelle Lady In Black Tea Dress Plus Size Continue reading

Sweet, Fair Isobel [Emily and Fin]

Emily and Fin Poppies a Plenty Isobel Dress

I’m ashamed to admit it, because I feel like I’ve been missing out, but this is my first experience with Emily and Fin. I’ve been following the brand for a while, loving, coveting, swooning. I always make a bit of a show out of buying my first piece from a brand, believing it will set the tone for our potentially loving future pretty-things-on-my-body relationship. So with Emily and Fin, I made a habit out of regularly visiting their New Items page and scrolling and scrolling, umm’ing and ahh’ing, putting this dress in my cart, then that skirt, then another dress, paralyzing myself with indecision as if I was deciding on something much more important and difficult than Which Pretty Thing Am I Going To Treat Myself To First?

 

Every time I decided I’d finally chosen my First Piece (yes, capitals, because we’ve established how important that is) I would excitedly go to purchase and–boom! It was sold out in my size. Because of course it was, their pieces are classic and lovely, and there were plenty of other women admiring their clothing who were being much less sentimental about hitting the checkout now button. Continue reading

Seaside Strolling with Vivien

Vivien of Holloway is considered by many to be the ruling monarch of the British reproduction vintage scene. All their pieces are designed and made in the UK, most of their clothing styles returning season after season in new colours and prints, with an army of avid fans happy to expand their Grace, Kitty or Sarong collections.

One of their most popular dress styles is the Halterneck Circle Dress, often referred to by lover’s of the style in shorthand as the HNCD. They watch the website keenly for the release of new prints, stalk eBay for signs of colourways they missed out on, and chat in Facebook groups about where they last wore their favourite dress. In terms of vintage style clothing, it’s a classic, one of those dresses that is quintessentially fifties. Almost every British pinup has one hanging in her closet, and I don’t know why it took me so long to try one.

Since all Vivien of Holloway pieces are UK made, I decided it was only appropriate to take my new dress to the seaside for a leisurely stroll with friends (and a sneaky helping of fish and chips, because if you’re going to seaside you may as well do it properly.)

Vivien of Holloway 1950s Halter Neck Circle Dress Turquoise Floral Continue reading

Purse Perfection [Lola Von Rose]

Lola Von Rose is a brand-spanking new handbag company, launched in early July and offering vintage-inspired box purses reminiscent of lucite lovelies so popular in our favourite eras past.

I happened upon the brand while scrolling through Instagram and immediately got excited about them. I couldn’t believe these perfect little purses could be out there, existing in the world, without my knowing, so it reassured me to discover that the company was new and I wasn’t habitually missing out incredible vintage-style products that everyone else knew about. No, it’s fine, Lola Von Rose are small and new, but I don’t think they’ll be that way for long. With purses like these, I fully expect them to be a vintage-style household name within our community soon enough.

Lola Von Rose Black Acrylic Vintage Style Box Purse Continue reading

Summer Fun with Lulu Hun

For those who aren’t familiar with Lulu Hun, they’re a vintage-inspired shoe brand offered by Collectif. Their line has a real mixture of styles, from novelty print flats to classic T-bar and Mary Jane styles reminiscent of eras gone by, to fun wedges and smart-wear court heels. Every pair has a touch of vintage about them. Summer wedges lover that I am, it’s no surprise that the Jessie Textured Wedges caught my eye.

Lulu Hun Navy Blue Jessie Textured Wedges Continue reading

July Outfits Round Up

After a kind of funky June that left me a bit tired and fed up, I’m pleased to report that July was a much better month. We actually had some summer (a big deal for us Brits, rain-sodden and perpetually cloud-shrouded as we are,) there was a lot of great quality time with family and friends, and there were outfits, as always, lots of outfits.

As usual, 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 from the website from which I purchased it. To help give you some clarification that might make it easier for you to find certain items, please note that an item listed as ‘by’ a brand was designed by that brand, but items listed ‘from’ means that website merely sells the item and is not the designer, meaning you may be able to find it elsewhere with some searching.

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Sunday Picnic Red Gingham Penelope dress by Hearts and Found, White Cropped Cardigan by New Look, White cut out flats by Matalan

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Blue Clouds [Banned Petticoat Review]

I’ve tried a fair few petticoats over the last few years. My main concern when wearing them is achieving top volume with minor discomfort. That translates to a willingness to wear a slightly stiff petticoat if it gives me great volume, as long as it’s not scratchy, and a likeliness of overlooking a super soft petticoat if that softness subtracts from the puff power.

My ultimate petticoat find has been the Malco Modes Jennifer petticoat, which has great medium volume and 120 yards of perfectly soft nylon chiffon. Saying that, though, the only let-down of the Jennifer is that it maxes out at 23 inches long. Many of my dresses are 26 inches or longer, necessitating a bit of wiggling so that I wear my Jennifer down around my hips, rather than at my waist, to make it long enough. It works well enough as a stop-gap measure, but I’ve been looking for a soft, reasonably priced petticoat at a longer length to negate this practice.

Enter Banned.

Dancing Days by Banned petticoat Continue reading