A Heart of Haute Picnic [Picnic Circle Skirt]

If you read the blog on Monday then you will have seen me reviewing the Heart of Haute gingham Sarah dress. The first time I saw a picture of that dress I fell in love, wanting it in both the coral and teal green colourways, but since I’m (supposed to be??) a responsible, restrained adult I thought I ought to be a sensible and limited myself to buying only one dress.

…And then I ended up with the teal gingham print Picnic Circle Skirt as well anyway, so life is good and adulthood really isn’t as bad as everyone says it is so what’s the big deal??! (Remind me of this joke in a couple weeks when I have to pay all my bills. I won’t be laughing then.)

Spring and summer, to me, is all about gingham. I do love florals, the occasional polka dot, and other fun, bold prints, but gingham is not only summery and fresh, but it’s a timeless and less innocuous way of rocking a print for those who fear or dislike novelty. It’s cliché to wear gingham on a picnic because red and white picnic blankets are over presented in picnic pictures and scenes, but damnit, some clichés are just worth fulfilling–because they’re just so good. It’s a classic. And who am I to knock a classic? So, yes, we’re picnicking again, darlings, crack open your pop bottle and pass the cake.

Heart of Haute Teal Green Picnic Gingham Circle Skirt Gretta Shirt Continue reading

Bewitched By Sabrina [Dolly & Dotty]

I first spotted the Sabrina cape by Dolly & Dotty at London Edge earlier this year. I’m fond of capes and capelets in general, but as a curvy woman I do tend to feel when I actually don one that all the extra fabric results in me losing my waist, which is something I can’t really visually afford when constructing an outfit. This particular cape is a more cropped length, which not only makes it adorable but also stops it from eating up the outline of one’s body, regardless of curviness, as well as making it petite-appropriate. I was certain it would end up being the perfect incarnation of my cape-love so I’ve been eagerly awaiting its release since I first spotted it in January. I’m thrilled that it’s finally available!

Dolly & Dotty Sabrina Cape, Gina Top, Falda Pencil Skirt Continue reading

April Outfits Round Up

April is for flowers and colours and happy clothes, and that’s exactly what I filled it with. There was some time spent with friends in London, lots of catching up with old friends I haven’t seen in a while, and several lady dates, so I enjoyed sprinkling florals and bright colours among my wardrobe choices for those events. Next month is my 30th birthday, so I’m hoping and expecting to use that as an excuse to get the full on glam going once or twice. For now, let’s boing into spring together.

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Marnie & Me [Tatyana]

It’s obvious that red is one of my favourite colours. It’s my go-to for lipstick 99% of the time, and my favourite shoe and accessory colour for 90% of pairings as well–honestly, half the time that I don’t wear red shoes with something it’s only because I’ve told myself I should stop being so predictable and repetitive, not because I think red shoes won’t work with that outfit. So, saying all that, it’s probably not surprising that a lot of the SS16 pieces I’ve been most anticipating release this season are items featuring a lot of red. The Tatyana Marnie dress is one of them.

Tatyana Marnie dress Continue reading

Little Miss Dyann [Retrospec’d] 

My recent review of the Norma Jean was about my first Retrospec’d dress. When I browsed their website that first time some weeks back, I probably added about 10 items to my wishlist right away. As the brand was new to me and costly to buy in the UK and have imported, I chose to try the Sunday Rose Norma Jean dress first amongst my favourites I’d picked out because it was on sale. As soon as it arrived and proved to be a gorgeous high quality piece that fit well and felt incredible on, I began thinking over which Retrospec’d piece would be my next. It was no easy decision.

I opted for the Dyann dress. Retrospec’d offer an abundance of prints and patterns that look authentically vintage, but what I loved most about the Flower Pot Dyann was that I hadn’t yet found any other repro companies offering this shape and style in the bodice. The ruched bust lined by a contrasting red band that loops up onto the shoulders to form the straps, then is echoed again in the belt, is so feminine and sweet that I couldn’t get it out of my mind.

Dyann Flower Pot White Retrospec'd Continue reading

Sweet Apple Tart [Trashy Diva]

I’ve pined over many a Trashy Diva piece for a long time. Their price ranges are a little higher than my typical repro purchases from brands like Pinup Girl Clothing and Unique Vintage, so ideally I’ve always hoped to try one on before I took the cash-thrashing plunge. I’ve never been able to find any of the pieces I’ve wanted stocked in the UK, though, so I just tried my best not to expose myself to TD too frequently to lessen those keenly sad unrequited feels.

But, you know, I turn 30 this year, and I enjoy any excuse to spoil myself, so when I made some extra dough recently from selling pieces from my wardrobe that were going unworn, I decided to treat myself to my first Trashy Diva piece. I umm‘d and ahh‘d over which direction to go–dress or skirt? Chambray or gingham? Oh, or seersucker? Eventually, I settled on the first ever TD piece I had fallen in love with: the Apple Tart dress.
Trashy Diva Apple Tart Seersucker dress Continue reading

Terrific Tahiti [Collectif Mahina & Dolores]

There’s something I really love about summer prints more than anything else. It’s probably that I love vibrant shades, nature-inspired prints, and things that are a little unusual–and the new Tahiti palm print from Collectif’s SS16 range has all of those features. The second I saw the previews of this print I was sold: oh God, it’s coming in a cross-strap style sarong dress? I love those! Oh jeez, AND a swing dress? I LOVE THOSE TOO.

So. You know.

I had to own both.

Collectif Palm Print Dolores & Mahina Tahitian Sarong dress Continue reading

Rosie Posey [Voodoo Vixen]

rosievvNot many of you will know this, but Mumma May’s name is Rosemary, resulting in my siblings and I often calling her Rosie Posey because she is adorable and so are we (sometimes.) So I was pretty pleased when I discovered that this pastel floral dress from Voodoo Vixen’s new SS line is called Rosie. It’s a dress I’ve been eyeing for a couple of months already anyway, after seeing pictures of my darling friend Scarlett Luxe rocking it while modelling for them, but the name just sealed the deal that Rosie would be joining my ever-growing closet. She’s a floaty spring time dream, and I was super happy to get my mint-tipped fingers on her. Continue reading

March Outfits Round Up 

IT’S HERE! Spriiiing. That beautiful time I’ve been waiting for since…well, New Year’s, basically. The weather has still been pretty wet and cold here in the south of England, but the sun has finally started to make more regular appearances and I’ve been feeling happy and snappy about that in my wardrobe. Florals, pastels, summer brights, it’s our time to love and rejoice together!

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Joni dress by Voodoo Vixen, Red Poppy Brooch by Erstwilder, Red Sateen Slide belt by Pinup Girl clothing, hand bedazzled flats (tutorial)

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Malco Modes Madeline + Giveaway! 

Malco Modes is America’s oldest and largest maker of quality petticoats, pettipants and crinolines, having been in business for over 50 years with each piece hand-sewn in their eastern Tennessee facility. Their Jennifer petticoat was my first ever good quality petticoat as a pinup, and a year and a half later it’s still in perfect condition despite regular use. It’s the softest, fluffiest petticoat I’ve ever touched, and I do make a habit of touch testing as many petticoats as I can to compare–you know, not to sound creepy or anything.

The Jennifer is a great everyday petticoat because it’s got medium volume and isn’t too long or too short, meaning it works well for the average pinup. I, though, am a queen of puff. A master of fluff. I love my skirts big and bold and a little bit obnoxious, even. I’ve yearned to try the Malco Modes Michelle petticoat since I first got my Jennifer, recognising it as the superlative among petticoats in circumference, but I’ve been told by the helpful lovelies at Malco Modes that the Michelle is so full it will only fit under skirts with a minimum of 140 inches hem circumference, which excludes a lot of your average repro pieces. Being sensible, I perused the Malco Modes range of fuller pieces and decided the Madeline seemed like an excellent comprise between hem-busting volume and daily pinup practicality. Continue reading