Glorious Gilda [Hearts and Found]

I’ll tell you what–there are many ways we Brits are poorly adapted to dealing with hot weather, but for me one of the things I struggle with most is how uncomfortable I find tight seams and waistbands during hot weather. That might sound weird, but just picture it; you throw on one of your favourite dresses in the comfort of your cooled bedroom in the morning, then go out into the sweltering day only to realise a few hours later as you sit sweating at your desk, or on the bus, or waiting for your friend to turn up to your lunch date, that it was a mistake. Because in that moment, while you’re feeling hot and sticky and fed up, you realise that this dress–which was always a bit on the tight side because you were technically between sizes from this brand and you opted for the smaller size because it looked better on, even though you have to wear particular underwear with it–is actually fresh hell.

The waistband, which normally feels like it’s flattering your waist by cinching it in by sheer force of the fabric, is digging in to the clammy skin of your waist, and the bust feels like it’s squeezing your poor boobs, and the whole thing is just too tight and uncomfortable for humidity and summer and oh god why did you do this to yourself, this is not the kind of weather for sucking in and posing and remembering in every moment to be poised. You should have picked out one of your dresses that’s a bit looser, airier, one of those ones you normally have to add a belt to in order to feel it fits properly.

Or, you know, you should have worn one of your dresses that was literally made for you, custom measured in every aspect to fit your body. That, my friends, is what I’ve been doing a lot during our little British heatwave, and thanks to Hearts and Found I’ve been so much more comfortable for it.

Hearts and Found custom made Gilda dress

Continue reading

Peckish Parakeet [Emily and Fin]

Somewhat shy of novelty prints as I am, I do appreciate a print with novelty features that doesn’t shout them out at you at first glance. This is much easier to achieve in a repetitive all over print than, say, a border print skirt. Still, if it’s a choice between a print featuring a mid-action blaring circus scene or a muted leaf print featuring some sneaky birds, I’m going to opt for the latter. And what do you know, the Tropical Parakeet dress from Emily and Fin features just that.

Emily and Fin Tropical Parakeets Claudia dress

Continue reading

Pom-poms, Ruffles & Stripes, Oh My! [Voodoo Vixen]

Voodoo Vixen Adelyn striped dress

One of the best things about being a style blogger is that you get to see some of your favourite brands’ upcoming lines early, allowing you to plan out your buys and picks for that impending season. It’s also probably one of the worst things, because in the bitter middle of winter you will see and fall in love with a dozen fabulous summer dresses that not only make you fed up of the cold you’re weeks and weeks away from escaping, but you also have to wait months yet for those dresses to be released, knowing they are coming and that you are a terribly impatient person who struggles to wait.

 

When I say ‘you’ of course, I mean me, the impatient, deeply flawed clothes addict who is both blessed and cursed every 6 months to be able to go to London Edge and see what beautiful things we will all be cooing over for the upcoming season. One such beautiful thing I saw at the last LE in February is this Adelyn dress by Voodoo Vixen, a dress that would immediately have become my favourite pick of the season had Voodoo Vixen not offered such a strong SS17 line that I think my 3 favourites will forever be equally tied and adored. My other two picks, of course, are the Violet and Deliliah dresses, both strappy, flower trimmed little numbers made of lightness and springtime happiness and wonder. Adelyn is similar in the same respects of being a strappy, happy little number, but this baby has some sass and hotness on offer to boot.

Voodoo Vixen Adelyn striped dressVoodoo Vixen Adelyn striped dress

Voodoo Vixen Adelyn striped dress

Voodoo Vixen Adelyn striped dressVoodoo Vixen Adelyn striped dress Voodoo Vixen Adelyn striped dressVoodoo Vixen Adelyn striped dressVoodoo Vixen Adelyn striped dress

Dress: Adelyn dress C/O Voodoo Vixen
Shoes: Old F&F Tesco

This dress is beyond perfect for summer. Apart from the fact that it’s obviously so vibrant and fun, with its stripes and cute ruffly pom-pommed sweetness, it’s probably the most comfortable dress I’ve tried from any brand this season. Like the Deliliah dress, this is because the entire back of the dress’s bodice is made from elasticated smocking, giving the dress tons of stretch and room for movement. The double spaghetti straps aren’t adjustable, something I had got used to from my VV summer dresses, but luckily for me they’re the perfect length as they are. Both the ruffle feature of the neckline and the hem of the skirt are trimmed with black pom pom edging, beyond cute, and the full flared skirt has pockets deep enough to securely hold my phone in its bulky battery case. This dress closes with an invisible side zip, although I was very happy to find that unlike most side zips this one didn’t get stubbornly stuck trying to zip up over the bump of the waistband.

I have this dress in my usual Voodoo Vixen XL and thanks to the smocking it’s generously sized compared to the size chart. VV pieces do tend to run a little larger than their charts state as a rule, but for comparison an XL is listed for 40 inch busts and 33 inch waists, but this dress flat measures at 40-46 in the bust and 32-37 in the waist. Voodoo Vixen had to scale down their Curve line this season due to a stockist change, so sadly there was very little on offer from this line for their plus customers (they do have plans to expand the Curve line again moving forward, thankfully.) The generous stretch in this dress, though, does mean that 1X girls at least might be able to pick up this dress style in this XL and find that it works for them.

This dress arrived on my doorstep on Tuesday last week and since then I’ve already worn it twice; if that doesn’t tell you just how comfortable and lovely this dress is to wear, then I don’t know what will. There’s also the fact that everyone who saw me in it told me how much they loved it, something that, for me, an almost constant wearer of new clothes, is often the mark of a stand-out piece. You know, just in case you had any doubts.

The Adelyn dress comes in sizes S-XL for £55, although discount code vintage20 will get you 20% off your order. Voodoo Vixen ship internationally.

Abstractly Fabulous [Collectif]

Sometimes you see a dress and just immediately know it’s a ‘you’ piece. Back in February when I was flicking through Collectif’s previewed SS17 line the Nora Abstract swing dress jumped right out at me in just such a way.

Featuring a bold print made up of red, green and yellow framed on a white background, it’s the kind of colourful print I’m never afraid of and always delighted by. The colour combination makes me think of chilies and dell peppers, and I think that’s kind of brilliantly fun.

Nora Abstract swing dress Collectif Clothing Continue reading

Morrocan Days [Emily and Fin]

Emily and Fin Moroccan Riviera Claudia Cotton dress

Well, well, well, what have we here? A summer heat wave, in May? Oh England, you’ve outdone yourself.

Or so I might think, if I believed it would continue this way until August, which it most certainly will not, because #England. Currently, though, the country is aflush with excitement that our temperatures have broken the 20c mark, and simultaneously aflush with the clammy pink faces that prove just how bad we are at coping with the heat. ‘It’s so sunny, it’s amazing!’ people proclaim to each other with joy, before parroting at one another ‘Oh God, it’s too hot’ just hours later, looking tired and red and a bit like they can’t go on like this. Continue reading

Hey There Deliliah [Voodoo Vixen]

Okay, so maybe this post isn’t named with all that much original brilliance, particularly since it’s a real near-miss with the name, but the dress it focuses on offers enough to make up for it. It is, of course, the wonderful Deliliah dress by Voodoo Vixen.

Every season I say it’s Voodoo Vixen’s best season yet, and considering the utter gem that is the Violet dress I already reviewed a few weeks back and now this delightful Deliliah, it’s kind of no wonder. Both dresses are fresh, fun and ready to be worn out in the sun, and with Deliliah now in my hands I’ll be doing just that. This green, those daisies, these pockets! My, someone hold my handbag because I sure do feel faint.

Voodoo Vixen Deliliah dress Continue reading

Lighthouses & Snakeskin [Blue Banana]

If you’re a regular reader of the blog you might remember me featuring the Hell bunny lighthouse skirt several weeks back, and my not-so-sheepish declaration that I was sorely tempted to get the dress in the same print as well. Hahaha, Amy is so hyperbolic in her enthusiasm, you probably thought. Hahaha, surely I wouldn’t get a dress and a skirt in the same print, right?

Wroooong. I so would. And thanks to the babes over at Blue Banana, I so have.

What can I say? When I like a print, I like a print. And this Lighthouse dress, as well as featuring a print I love, includes an adorable feature bust bow, pockets, and adjustable straps, so it was basically inevitable. I’m not going to pass up a cute, practical summer dress like that. I’m no fool!

Blue Banana Snakeskin red clutch bag Hell Bunny Lighthouse 50s dress Continue reading

Take Me to Monte Carlo [Hell Bunny]

Hell Bunny always offer up such a varied, fun selection of prints for their summer lines, and this year is no exception. I’ve already featured a dose of their lemons and a view of their lighthouses, and today it’s time to journey with them to Monte Carlo, playground of the rich and famous.

While I’d love to be able to feature this dress set against a backdrop of the glamorous principality by which it was inspired, this country girl has instead been enjoying it on fresh spring walks, the occasional seaside trip and lots of garden hangs. Thankfully, it’s a dress so fun and flattering it looks good no matter where you wear it.

Hell bunny Monte Carlo 50s Dress Continue reading

Lana in My Life [Dolly & Dotty]

At this point it’s got to be redundant when I talk about how much I love all things nautical, right? So I won’t. I’ll say instead that while this Lana dress by Dolly & Dotty is striped and fits a nautical themed styling easily, beautifully even, the dress itself technically isn’t nautical. It’s just a lovely white and navy striped number that comes with a red belt, fitting that red, white and blue colour scheme that’s so closely associated with all things seaside, beach front and sailing that it’s evocatively on trend in that area without so much as a flash of an anchor or glimpse of a sail.

Oh, huh. I guess I utterly failed at talking about nautical things after all anyway. Damnit!

But, still, you get my point. This Lana dress isn’t technically a nautical novelty, it’s just a comfortable striped sun dress that I couldn’t help but style with a nautical flair because I am a predictable red, white and blue loving maniac. Sorrynotsorry.

Dolly and Dotty Lana striped strapless dress 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