The Brenda dress by Queen of Heartz is one of their staple dresses they’ve made in multiple colourways over the seasons. Their Ivory sateen colourway immediately struck me as a beautifully simple and classic option for a vintage style wedding dress, particularly for ladies who are on a budget. It would also be a lovely White Christmas option for a party dress, and it was with that in mind that I shot this dress as part of this party dress series, sticking with the white and only adding silver in my accessories like this outfit was all frost and snow.
Tag Archives: classic
Party Dress Season: Zoe Vine
Zoe Vine is a London based brand committed to recreating the style and glamour of eras past for modern women. You might have seen some of their beautiful summer pieces on some of your favourite pinups last season, so I was excited to see what their AW line would be offering in the way of party pieces for the upcoming festive period. Zoe introduced me to Ava, her slinky and sleek pencil dress featuring a boat neckline, three-quarter length sleeves and the most gorgeous green velvet pattern. This is exactly the kind of dress that would make me feel like the most glamorous of dinner party hostesses, so on Ava went and out came the canapés ready to celebrate.
Party Dress Season: Vivien of Holloway
Vivien of Holloway, UK based and made-in-Britain vintage style clothing brand, know a thing or two about occasion wear. They offer a small selection of classic styles in dozens of colours and prints, and each cut is elegant and timeless. Their Grace dress is a prime example of this, a swing dress with a modest draped crossover bust, a nipped in waist, and a full circle skirt. It would make for the perfect chic party dress for this upcoming festive season, so it’s the first dress in my series of party dresses I’ll be reviewing for you over the next couple weeks. Christmas is coming, so it’s time to trim the tree and fetch the presents in this pretty!
Little Filly in Tiger-Lilly [Voodoo Vixen]
I love me some autumn and winter appropriate fabrics. Anything tweed, check, plaid, it all makes me really like this time of year when the dreary British weather can make it so much easier to dislike it. Finding swing dresses, rather than wiggles, in those fabrics can be harder, which is why I was excited when I came across the Tiger-Lilly dress by Voodoo Vixen.
Featuring a flared swing skirt, half sleeves, matching fabric belt, pockets, and a wide collar and button combination detail, this dress is a great piece for cooler weather.
Fur Trimmed & Fabulous [Collectif Andrea]
Earlier this AW season Collectif released their Juliette dress, a gorgeous black pencil dress with faux fur trim on the neckline, cuffs and hemline. I swooned and coveted. It was so classic and chic. Warm too, I suspected. And of course it sold out quickly. So I was thrilled to see they were bringing out a matching skirt too. Sporting the same luxiourius faux fur hemline trim, the Andrea skirt has all the glamour of the Juliette dress with the additional versatility of a skirt.
And guess what? I love it.
Feelin’ Fatale [The Pretty Dress Company]
If you’ve never come across The Pretty Dress Company prepare to begin some intense coveting, because their name is apt and honest. When I saw this gingham Femme Fatale prom swing dress for the first time a few months back my want was immediate and intense. I’ve daydreamed about it ever since–that may sound sad, but I don’t care. I like pretty dresses and I cannot lie. Shan’t and won’t. And this, my little darlings, is definitely a pretty dress.
Shonna’ll Keep Me Warm [Hell Bunny]
Hell Bunny always release a selection of new coats in their new Autumn/Winter lines each year, this year releasing 7.

Top L to Bottom R: Elvira coat, Rock Noir coat, Bacall Trench, Lulu Coat
The new line is gorgeous but none of the coats were quite what I was looking for. I wanted faux fur for warmth and a bit of glamour, and I wanted the a-line shape that would define my waist but allow the flare of my skirts. The new range looked to me like they would sit too boxy on my frame, so I looked at their AW range from last year and decided their Shonna coat was perfect. Continue reading
Classic Cassandra [Chi Chi Clothing]
It’s time for another pretty dress from Chi Chi Clothing! Last weekend I attended the wedding of a dear friend in America, flying over from England to attend after a year’s wait for the happy event. That year long of knowing I would be coming meant I was constantly on the look out for what dress I would wear on the big day. I changed my mind several times, of course, but after I discovered Chi Chi Clothing a couple months back I just sort of knew at the back of my mind I would end up choosing something Chi Chi in the end. I even ordered a dress custom made by another company and was excited to wear that for the wedding, and yet as soon as I saw the Cassandra dress a couple weeks later I knew I had found the winning dress.
With a full pleated skirt that features netting and requires no petticoat, thin spaghetti straps, and a high neckline that is modest but still displays some collarbone delicacy, I fell for the simplicity and understated glamour of this dress.
I wanted to be glamorous and vintage for the wedding, but didn’t want to be too bold or step on any toes, my usual aim for being a pinup at someone else’s wedding, so I decided to pair this with a large faux fur white stole to keep with the glamorous feel and provide a little warmth. I added clear crystal bracelets and a crystal brooch for some pops of glitter, and, because it’s me, I chose my red bedazzled heels and matching bedazzled box clutch.
Niagara Will Make You Fall
The Niagara dress by Pinup Girl Clothing is a ruched wiggle dress heavily inspired by the pink dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in the movie Niagara. The original dress from the movie, designed by 3-time Oscar winning costume designer Dorothy Jeakins, was such a hit after fans saw the movie that copies were made and sold in 1950s department stores. Dorothy originally made and screen tested the dress in red, as seen below, before it was decided that the hot pink version that appeared in the movie was the winning colour. Pinup Girl Clothing tip their hat to the design of this dress by making it in both the hot pink and red colours Dorothy designed, as well as black and a tiffany blue. In the past other colourways, such as navy and bronze taffeta, have also been made.

Like the dress worn by Marilyn in the movie, the PUG Niagara dress features an underbust cut-out, ruching on the stomach, and a wide collar-bone bearing neckline. The PUG version, while incredibly similar, has a front slit, more pronounced ruching, and a smaller keyhole. Continue reading
Audrey In The Country [Goldie’s Clothing]
This is the final installment in my series of dresses from Goldie’s Clothing, Spanish vintage repro clothing brand. I’ve previously featured two dresses that have some seriously boob-flattering sweetheart necklines, but this final dress is not only different but in a league of it’s own. A Hepburn league.
I give you, the Audrey dress.