Certain things are timeless, both in terms of their ability to look put together and polished despite the decade, and in terms of their ability to be worn year round without looking out of place. This Hysteria dress is just that–no matter the time of day, event, or season, depending entirely upon styling, this dress will find a way to be there for you. Also, it has pockets, so beat that!
Despite the clear vintage-leaning style of this blog, it’s not often I get to feature a piece that has a true tie to history, but this Kalani dress has just that. Its bird of paradise print was originally released in 1939 by The Kamehameha Garment Company, Hawaii’s first wholesale ready-to-wear manufacturer. The company rose to prominence through the widespread popularity of their “aloha shirts,” first sewn by tailor Ellery Chun in the late 1920s and sold then for $1. The shirts quickly gained a following among islanders, and before long both tourists and US military servicemen alike were buying up their own aloha shirts too, creating a fanbase for Kamehameha’s creations that spread out across the entire US mainland. The company’s reputation for quality and innovation has lasted through all the years since, and their collaboration with Unique Vintage brings us a selection of stunning pieces that are perfect for summer, vacationing, and just plain feeling fabulous.
I have a lot of items in my wardrobe, in all colours and fabrics. There is one fabric style, though, of which I have none, and of which I have been lately wanting to add to said wardrobe; broiderie anglaise. You’ll more likely hear it referred to as eyelet lace, and you’ll even more likely recognise it as a fabric that screams summer to you. White eyelet lace dresses, whether on small girls or grown women, fit beautifully with sunny days and happy smiles. I’d be delighted to add one to my ever-growing collection of pretties, but today I welcome not the expected crisp white of summer to my closet, but something even more exciting–for me, anyway.
Bring on the mustard!
When it comes to polka dots, I’m a 50/50 girl. If they’re small enough and on a background colour I really love, I can get into moods in which I am all for them. The rest of the time I will probably not-entirely-correctly say ‘Yeaaah…I don’t really like polka dots.’
When I first saw a picture of this dress I thought it was red polka dots on a pale blue background, and even though theoretically if I peer into the folder marked ‘Amy’s taste’ in my mind that doesn’t sound like a combo I would be super into, I was surprised to find myself drawn to the idea. I pictured wearing this dress on a warm spring day with a white cardigan and red accessories. Then I found out those polka dots are actually tiny pink roses and for a short while that put me off, because that ‘Amy’s taste’ folder said tiny roses would be too twee for me. But, as I am discovering more and more as I get older, sometimes my gut is wrong, and in this case it was, because the tiny roses are super cute and the blue of this dress is absolutely perfect. Also, as it turns out, that styling I imagined? It still totally works.
I know here on the blog it probably feels like I say something is my all time favourite colour/design feature/dress style a lot–I’m an enthusiastic person (in the moments I’m not acting like a grumpy old man, that is) so I can be prone to a touch of hyperbole. When it comes to sundresses though, as much as I love finding an exciting new style, I think my absolute favourite still has to be a simple dress with thin adjustable shoulder straps, a gathered skirt and, if possible, pockets. The Sunday dress by Joanie Clothing ticks all those boxes, and lucky me, it’s been released in a new print that I’m just a little bit obsessed with. (Hyperbole, me??)
The moment I saw this dress I fell a little bit in love. It’s not unusual for me to admire a floral print, nor embroidery, but it’s not often we’re treated to repro dresses featuring the two. Even when we are, it’s not a guarantee I’ll like the specific embroidery design itself, or perhaps the colour scheme, or the dress cut. Thus, when I find one I like I get a little bit excited. This Dolly & Dotty dress offers up both simplicity and contrast, in colours and a dress shape that are easy for anyone to wear.
Once upon a time, there was a fair skinned girl with hair red as age-darkened cherries, who didn’t know blue was a shade that, on her, looked sweet and true.
…That girl is me, that realisation came a few years ago, and now thanks to Miss Candyfloss I’m fulfilling all kinds of fairy tale dreams I didn’t even have with this darling Bella dress, a vision made in blue.
Ardent admirers of Miss Candyfloss will no doubt recognise this dress from their Lookbook for this summer’s Fairytales collection. It was launched at the same time as an identically cut dress, the Mary-Beth dress, which comes in a green and grey tartan with bold black accents. At first I was drawn to the tartan iteration, before remembering that I’ve actually been meaning to add beige, brown and grey pieces to my wardrobe recently, which is sorely lacking said neutral tones. With that in mind, I paused briefly to envision a few different ways I might style the piece, then happily clicked the order button.
Aemela-Ivy dress [gifted] by Miss Candyfloss
White MAK cropped cardigan gifted by Mak Sweater/Ye Mak
Crystal rose brooch from Ali Express
Old New Look flats
Thrifted bangles
