It's a nice day, to go to a wedding in a Vivien of Holloway Kitty dress

‘Tis the season for weddings! Yey! Who doesn’t love a wedding? I adore getting dressed up for events and an excuse to buy a nice new dress is always appreciated.

This was the first wedding I have been to since my own wedding so it was really fun to see it all from the other side of things.

As it was a summer wedding I decided to go with something light and floral and luckily for me Vivien of Holloway had just put a new Kitty dress on their site in peach and royal blue florals.

I have ranted and raved about the Kitty dress so many times I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you how wonderful it is again. But if you had any doubt, it is amazing. It is still my favourite design of their dresses by a very long way. It's just soooo flattering!

Because of the dress’s blue tones I wore the dress with a blue light cardigan and a pair of blue highwoods from Lotta from Stockholm. I felt they were the perfect summer accessories.

I made a particular effort when pin curling my hair I let them dry and set for even longer than usual and gave them a very thorough brushout. I was really very pleased with the result, it ended up being far smoother and sleeker than usual. I only wish I knew what I did differently this time that lead to the lovely smooth curls. But sometimes you just need a bit of luck with hair.

Outfit Details

Dress: Vivien of Holloway

Cardigan: Monsoon

Shoes: Lotta from Stockholm

Belt: Vintage

What is your dream wedding guest outfit?

Its Spring! So I'm going to take one last chance to celebrate the winter coat...

So I've been away for a few weeks and the weather has changed and so has my wardrobe. In the few weeks that I have been away from the blog I have put all my coats away, stored my super thick black tights and swapped my winter boots over for more dainty shoes. I am loving spring!

But I wanted to take one last minute to celebrate the winter coat.

Boy oh boy was the Collectif sale good this year, so good in fact that I bought 3 coats! But when they are around £35 each over 3 months it really doesn't seem like such a naughty thing... Maybe.

I though it was worthwhile mentioning this coat too as even though it is out of stock right now Collectif are really great at tweaking popular designs and releasing improved versions in new and exciting fabrics and colours. I for one hope a version of this coat comes back, in a navy blue!

So this coat is the Annabelle. It came in two colours; mint green and pink. I decided to get the green as I thought it was a simply gorgeous colour. 

It has a lovely sumptuous fur collar and cuffs too and a silky floral lining that makes it really comfortable. It is generally a warm coat but it is not quite as warm as the Rachel coat I showcased in this post and because of this I think it is the perfect coat for transitioning from winter to spring.

As always the Annabelle features a full skirted design which is great for fitting over full skirts like the Mary which I am wearing underneath ;)

One thing I will say is that this coat is small fitting. I was able to buy the Rachel in a size 12 and this size 14 Annabelle only just fits me so if they do re-release a similar style to this be wary when choosing your size.

Did I mention how much I am loving spring?

Outfit Details

Coat: Collectif

Jumper: Collectif

Skirt: Collectif

Shoes: Clarks

Have you made the wardrobe transition yet? What do you do to switch to spring? Do you do anything at all?!

The day I saw a random vintage 1950s caravan...

I visited my parents in Durham not long ago and while I was wandering around the city centre I came across this delight!

The folks at Beamish were out promoting their new development a 1950s area!! For those of you that don't know Beamish it is huge interactive museum that allows its visitors to experience living history. So far most of the developments have been areas based on the late 1890s and earlier 1900s. Which is brilliant in itself, but the fact they want to open a 1950s area is soooo exciting!

I also got to nip in and have a look inside the caravan and while I loved some of the decor...
































I wouldn't say I was enamoured with the facilities - just look at that sink!

A question vintage enthusiasts are often asked is whether they would rather live now, or in one of their chosen decades. I can certainly say I would rather live now than in the 1950s... I've watched enough Call the Midwife to know that!

What is also really cool about the whole development is that Beamish are running a competition for your house to be built in the area if it is a post-war semi. Because the North East was so damaged by bombing in WWII there are a lot of these types of houses in the area so I think it is a great chance to get involved. Here are the details.

If you haven't been to Beamish and you visit the North East I would highly recommend it. I've had a great time whenever I've been (I went for Halloween last year, you can read about that here).

The ladies that were promoting the new development were really nice, when I walked up to them one of them even said 'oh, you look like you should come work with us.'
Not exactly true but I appreciated the comment.

Here is what I was wearing:

Oh boy did the Collectif sale ruin me this month! I know I go on and on about this brand, but when you're a bigger lass it is sometimes really hard to find true vintage in your size. Both the jumper and skirt are from Collectif and this jumper is becoming a fast favourite of mine!

I also adore how swishy this skirt is!

Do you think you could spend a week in a vintage caravan?

Outfit details:

Jumper: Collectif

Skirt: Collectif

Hat: Accessorize

Shoes: Clarks

Rachel: A vintage style princess coat from Collectif

 I was looking back over my blog and the last batch of posts and I realised it was really cosplay heavy. Lucky for you though I have a lot of vintagey stuff to catch up on!

The first one is something I thought I'd share because not only is this coat bloomin' fantastic, it is also on sale for a bargain price in the Collectif sale!

I've had a bit of an obsession with skirted princess coats ever since I was a little girl, but they're not something that has been in fashion for many years and the true vintage ones are never in my price range or size.

However one of my favourite vintage style clothing brands Collectif have expanded their range of coats quite a lot and this year it was all about the princess coat. Fitted waists, full skirts, the only problem was trying to decide which coat to choose.

I ventured into the covent garden shop while I was passing through London a little before Christmas and I tried on a few of the coats. My favourite one was the Rachel herringbone houndstooth coat. It has a really sturdy feeling texture and a pleated padded lining that was perfect to keep my warm. The coat also had sumptuous faux fur around the collar and cuffs.

I have tried out this coat in the cold north and in the rain and it fairs well in all weather so far, although it did take a while to dry out the fur once it was wet, but it looked good as new once it did!

I think the double breasted style is really flattering and the matching belt nips in the waist even more that the cut of the coat already does. Perfect for those with a smaller waist and ample hips.

Look at the size of that skirt!

These pictures were taken in Scarbrough while I was visiting the in laws and I must admit, walking around the coast with this coat on in the wind really made me feel like a princess, all dolled up with the wind in my hair. It was lovely.

I found that the fit on this coat was fairly generous, I am normally a 14 in Collectif things and I could quite easily get away with a 12 in this coat.

Here is a picture of the cosy lining:

The smile on my face really illustrates how pleased I was with this coat!

Now here is the good news for you. The Rachel coat was originally £189, but the sizes they have left are on sale for £49!! Such a bargain (only sizes 12, 14 and 18 are left though)! I would highly recommend this coat for the winter months.

Outfit details:

Coat: Collectif

Dress: Monsoon

Hat: Accessorize

Tights: Accessorize

Boots: Doc Martens

The problem with vintage reproduction tartan circle skirts...

Or should I say my problem with vintage reproduction tartan circle skirts... is that I have too many.

I am OBSESSED!

I have always loved tartan (I think its something to do with growing up close to the Scottish border, or and being and 8th Scottish) its so wintery and cosy. I also love the fact that tartan comes in a range of fabrics now, not just the heavy, dense, wool of old but in warm but movable flannel and many other light weight fabrics.

At last count I have 7 tartan skirts, although one is a pencil skirt and two are box pleats that are currently sitting in my for ebay stash, but that still leaves 4. One of these skirts is true vintage and I found it in a charity shop (yes!) and I will show you that one later in the winter. But the other three are vintage reproduction from Vivien of Holloway and cost £45 (although I must warn you they are sold out in many of the larger sizes i.e. 16+).

I am showcasing two today as I bought the third one with m christmas money and am still waiting for it to arrive so I can take pictures, but it is very similar to these two only it is blue and green (swoon!).

Here is the first one, it is mostly blue with a red and white tartan stripe. Blue and red are my favourite colours so this skirt was an instant winner for me.

The circle skirt itself is amazing, it has such a large amount of fabric that you really feel like you are getting a lot of skirt for your money (£45).

The amount of fabric also means you can do this:

The second one is a red tartan which is a more traditional and stereotypical colouring. I actually don't have any red skirts so that was the driving force in my decision to get this skirt.

Skirts: Vivien of Holloway

Jumpers: Vintage

Boots: Doc Martens

Hat: Accessorize

Scarf: Thrifted

Coat: Vintage Laura Ashley riding coat 

I have every confidence that the blue and green skirt will be brilliant too and I promise I will show you once it arrives!

Why I love the Lily of the Valley Kitty dress from Vivien of Holloway

If you follow my instagram you will have certainly seen me in a Vivien of Holloway dress. They are one of my favourite vintage reproduction brands (although I must confess there are plenty of brands I haven't tried yet!) which is why I decided to get their Kitty dress for my graduation last summer.

Good ol' Viv then decided to remake the Kitty dress in a new, and I believe limited addition, range of fabric and I knew I had to have another Kitty. I decided to go with the gorgeous green Lily of the Valley print and I think I managed to snag the last one in my size as they are now out of stock in most of the sizes. Mind you there are plenty of other bloomin' gorgeous print dresses in the same style.
Trust me if I had all the monies I would have one in every colour!!

I ADORE this dress. Here are all the reasons why...

Pockets: It has huge roomy pockets for your gloves, trinkets, money and (in the winter) handkerchiefs. Meaning there is no need for a handbag. I love the freedom of a dress with pockets and when the print blends perfectly with the dress you simple can't go wrong.

Skirt: It has a super full gathered skirt with a length of 30 inches so it is perfect for dancing as the skirt won't swish up and for dressing with that mid-century modesty.

The fit: As with all Vivien of Holloway dresses, the fit is based on vintage patterns so the bust/waist/hip ratios are a better for someone with a 'vintage figure' (someone with more than 10 inches difference between their waist and hips). The 16 is perfect for my 30 inch waist and frankly enormous hips and I found that the bust was ample enough for my bust without gaping at the buttons.

Being a bigger girl (size 12/14/16 ish depending on the brand) I find Vivien of Holloway a magnificent way of getting vintage style clothing as I find to difficult to find genuine 40s/50s vintage in my size (just means I have to try extra hard).

The Print: Come on. It's beautiful. 'nuff said.

So yes I absolutely love this dress...

I also think my hair ended up looking pretty good this day. I bought some nylon scarves from Vintageous on youtube and they are a great vintage style hair addition. I'm so pleased that my hair is finally long enough at the front to roll. I much prefer my hair this way than with the fringe. Would you agree?

Dress: Vivien of Holloway

Necklace: Vintage

Shoes: Doc Martens

Mary, Mary quite contrary: The Mary skirt from Collectif

So today I want to share my favourite Autumn skirt with you! October, November and December are my favourite months of the year (mostly since I do much better with winter layers than flimsy summer dresses) and I love the fashion that goes along with them.

Now I have a huge obsession with pinafore dresses/skirts (or jumpers as I believe the American's call them). In fact I have even made a couple of my own way back when where I spoke about my desire to own the fantastical Mary skirt from Collectif (read about it here and here). 

So I set aside a little bit of my October pay cheque for a visit to Collectif in London and try on the Mary skirt. To my utter delight, it fit beautifully!

The Mary comes in a few different colours a plain black and a navy and light blue flock. Navy is my go to colour so I decided to go with the navy flock, although I must say I would very much like this skirt in black too (I should stop being greedy...).

I think the style is super flattering to your waist, although I have found that it can emphasise your bust a lot. This can of course be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your destination.

Possibly the greatest thing about this skirt is that it has POCKETS!! I always love it when designers think to put pockets in garments as that are so vastly under appreciated in women's clothing and they are so useful! Give us pockets in everything darn-it!

Also the amount of fabric in this skirt is phenomenal. 

There are also some thoughtful details to ensure a good fit to this skirt. They have multiple button holes so you can get a good fit over the shoulders. This is perfect for me as I have a really short torso. You can also wear it crossed at the back, straight at the back or even strapless. Its so versatile which makes me super happy.

Of course since there is so much extra fabric in the skirt I couldn't resist giving it the spin test and it passed with flying colours. Its super swirly! 

To complete the outfit I work a blue 70s coat and beret style hat. I also had a tartan scarf that I got from a charity shop last winter. There is something glorious about tartan in winter part of me wishes I could wear something tartan in every winter outfit.

Skirt: Collectif

Jumper: Monsoon

Hat: Beret

Scarf: Vintage

Coat: Vintage

Bag: Vintage

Shoes: Dr Martens

Glasses: Glasses Direct

What are your favourite things to wear on a crisp Autumn day?

Why vintage repro rocks: A red Vivien of Holloway Peggy Lee dress

You've probably seen me talk about Vivien of Holloway before on her as it is one of my favourite brands and I think they do some amazing vintage reproduction dresses (and jeans, and skirts) and a few have appeared on here in previous posts.

Many moons ago while I was still a poor student I really wanted the Peggy Lee dress, but sadly it came and went from the shop before I ever had the funds to buy it. So when a brand new red Peggy Lee dress popped up on ebay I was powerless to resist (the seller had also listed it as a buy it now for a stupidly low price).

I decided to wear the Peggy Lee to London to visit my parents. They were staying in Stratford next to the Olympic park so I could not resist taking a few pictures against the stadium backdrop (even if it is being converted to a football ground).

I think the dress is a beautiful fit. It goes in and out in all the right places which is one of the real advantages of a Vivien of Holloway dress. If you've not tried one on before then you have to look carefully at the measurements as they are not conventional, they have more room in the bust and hips, perfect for curvy girls.

The dress also has nice big patch pockets, which I'm obviously impressed with if this picture is anything to go by:

My husband and I being completely stylistically mismatched, as always :)

I tried something a little different with my hair. Something a little more fancy. I took inspiration from Vintageous on youtube and attempted this side roll do (on a side note Natalie's tutorials are excellent, really clear and easy to follow I highly recommend them).

It was actually pretty easy to do just following the video step by step, the only part I had difficulty with was getting my fringe in there, its still not long enough to back comp properly so I couldn't really get the volume needed, but I think I just about got away with it.

A super extra added bonus of this hair do was that when I took it out I ended up with a lovely asymmetrical wave. I think if I'd taken some time to brush it out neatly I could have created a lovely pin-up inspired down-do.

Outfit Details:

Dress: Vivien of Holloway

Shoes: M&S