Category Archives: dresses

Retro Glamour with Rock my Vintage

03rd July 2017

It was the clothing of the 1920s and 1950s that first got me in to fashion. There was always something about these two eras that held great appeal for me even at quite a young age. As time has gone on I’ve embraced a pretty modern sense of style, but I do have a serious soft spot for both vintage and vintage inspired pieces and try to incorporate them wherever I can.

Today’s outfit post is just about the furthest out of my comfort zone as I could possibly be right now. With my body confidence at a serious low point I was amazed that I was a) attracted to this dress in the first place and b) felt comfortable slipping it on for some photos to share. There’s a lot to be said for the power of a well cut dress and this little blue number left me feeling really quite confident.

Dress c/o Rock my Vintage | Shoes: Clarks (old) | Bracelet: Gift

Rock my Vintage is a new shopping discovery for me and one I am very much enjoying. Selling original and inspired vintage dresses and accessories this is an absolute treasure trove for everything from a 1920s flapper dresses to the perfect unique ensemble for a wedding.

I’d usually skip over something so obviously form fitting, convinced I’d just feel out of place and conspicuous. I did go two sizes up in this style after being informed they do run small and still wanting to be able to breathe and I’m glad I did. It’s still clingy without being restrictive and I’m hoping that as my curves start to grow a little more the dress will remain flattering and a real confidence booster.

I’m almost ashamed to say I’m seriously contemplating wearing this dress over the festive season- still six whole months away and I may have just solved my usual pre-party panic of “what on earth do I wear?”. Forward planning at it’s finest or complete madness? Either way it’s about the only chance I get to dress up like this!

Has anything on Rock my Vintage captured your heart? After having yet another browse (all in the name of blogging,
it’s a tough job!) I have fallen head over heels for this absolute stunner of a maxi dress.

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Posted in brands I love, dresses, fashion, outfits, personal style, vintage

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Summer Nights

02nd June 2017
I actually featured the dress in this post last month in a post where I really wasn’t happy with how things turned out. Thankfully, with the recent bout of glorious weather I had a second chance to grab some photos and I’m much happier with the result.
It’s one of those dresses I bought with a dual purpose in mind, easy to dress down as I attempted to show in my April blog post, and also one that can lend itself to being a bit more formal…and that’s what I’ve tried to capture today.

Dress: Monki | Ankle Boots: New Look

It might be summer (in name at least) but I’m still not ready to let those ankle boots go. I’m still on the search for the perfect, semi-dressy and comfortable sandals- I own plenty of pairs that match one of the criteria but am yet to find the holy grail that meets all three. Please enlighten me on where I might find the perfect pair!
And whilst I’m looking back on my April post, how is that inner critic silencing going? Well, it’s certainly been tested lately as things haven’t 100% gone to plan- not that life ever does, it would be boring if that were the case but I am noticing that I am much better equipped to deal with these hiccups right now. Less likely to internalise and take it out on myself, more likely to let off steam in a healthy manner with a good, old fashioned rant.

It’s not always the case, of course. Sometimes those critical gremlins win out, but given that most areas of my life are vastly improved these days it’s getting easier to rise up again when I get knocked down.

Back to the outfit and this is definitely one I have marked for date nights over the summer. I’ve become quite the fan of slip dresses lately and Monki has a huge selection putting temptation in my path (this one and this one especially). Thinking about it, I’m yet to try Monki for shoes and they have some really awesome looking pairs online- can anyone vouch for the comfort and quality? I feel I’m going to have to try a few pairs on when I’m next in store, hopefully in the next couple of weeks…a shopping trip is long overdue and I’ve been saving hard. Who’s counting pairs of sandals owned anyway?

Incidentally this the first set of outfit photos I took on my new camera- remember how I was asking for advice? I went for the Canon EOS M10 compact system camera in the end and so far I’m impressed!

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Posted in brands I love, dresses, fashion, life stuff, outfits, personal style, shoes, shopping, wish list

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The Prettiest Pastels from Coast*

28th February 2017

The days are slowly but surely getting longer which means Spring is on it’s way. It also means that impatience to be back in short sleeves and sandals is peaking and my obsession with pastels is ramping up a notch.

Today I’m fuelling that obsession by bringing you a wish list of the prettiest pastel items from Coast whose website is home to some of the most gorgeous dresses and skirts that I have seen in a long while. Never mind the fact that I have no need for occasion pieces any time soon- now I’ve seen them I can’t help but want them, even if the closest I’m likely to get to a wedding this year is walking past the Bristol Register Office.

Fancy florals, cloud-like chiffon and the swishiest skirts I could find make up this wish list and should you have a wedding to attend, a prom to dance at or a super swanky garden party invite on your hands then Coast should definitely be one of the shops you head to on your mission for the perfect outfit. Alas for me these pieces shall firmly remain in my dreams, I don’t even think turning 30 in a couple of months gives me reason to splurge on any of these- not to mention the fact that my budget probably just about covers a packet of pastel mini eggs right now. Ah well, if I can’t wear the colours I’m craving at least I can snack on them…
Have any of these pieces captured your imagination? What’s on your wish list for Spring?

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Posted in brands I love, dresses, fashion, inspiration, shopping, wish list

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Dress of the month with boohoo

23rd January 2017
I’m always up for a challenge so when one of my favourite online brands boohoo got in touch asking if I would like to take part in their “Dress of the Month” campaign I didn’t waste much time in saying yes! The idea is quite simple, boohoo send out one of their dresses to a few selection bloggers with the idea that we all style it in our own way. All I knew before the dress arrived was that it was going to be grey- the rest was a complete surprise and one I eagerly anticipated.

Dress c/o boohoo (get it here) | Boots: Miista | Backpack: River Island (alternative)

With this kind of challenge it generally has one of two outcomes- you either love the product you’re sent to style and it becomes one of your staples OR you wear it for the blog post then it never sees the light of day again. Thankfully this dress falls in to the first category and I’ve been getting a lot of wear from this since it arrived. The dress itself is an absolute bargain at £12 and also comes in blush and black. I did opt for a size up from my usual and I am glad I did as it’s a little tight across the shoulders so if you do decide to purchase perhaps bear that in mind!

I had several ideas on how to style the dress- a sports luxe vibe with trainers and a bomber jacket, something girly with pastels galore or a toughened up look with killer boots and a statement bag. In the end the toughened up look won, I’ve been favouring that style a lot lately and really I just wanted an excuse to get this kick-ass Miista boots out in to the light of day again as I love them so much and they don’t get nearly enough wear (and yes, they still remain one of my best ever bargains at £6.50!).

So there we have it. My take on boohoo’s dress of the month. How would you have styled it?

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Posted in boohoo, brands I love, challenge, dresses, fashion, outfits, shoes

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Duchess London- Investment Party Dressing*

25th November 2016
These days when it comes to picking out the perfect party outfit we are spoilt for choice. By October the high street is awash with fast fashion pieces that are pretty much disposable, I know myself that I’m guilty of buying a dress and wearing it only once before discarding it a year or so later not wanting to be seen in it again.

Now I’m getting older I often think it’s time to take things back to basics, to invest in some good quality and simple evening wear that might cost a bit (or in this case a lot) more but will last for years and years. When you strip back the sequins and glitter and opt for a simple yet impeccably made piece you actually open up a whole new area of party dressing- choose wisely and you can transform your outfit for multiple occasions with clever use of different jewellery, accessories and shoes.

Above is a selection of dresses from a brand called Duchess London who have recently popped on to my radar. Each piece is beautifully made in London, designed to be a blank canvas to suit any occasion. Forget for a moment the lure of that spangly mini dress that will only see the light of day once, focus instead on the beautifully cut classic designs made in the most luxurious of fabrics- actual silk for example, rather than some questionable nylon that fills with static at the most inopportune moments.

I’m rather taken with the light blue sheer sleeve dress. It’s currently on offer at 20% off (as is every piece until NYE) making it £159. Enough to buy ten dresses from Primark perhaps, but cut to perfection and will last for years. Sadly out of my current budget but a girl can dream…

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Posted in christmas, dresses, fashion, shopping

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