Red Gingham and Strawberries

When I first began blogging, I was happy to post photos of my outfits on my blog regardless of the quality of them. Grainy, shadowy, dark... I took what I got and just shared them. Now I have much higher standards, and try to use only the best photos my little point and shoot camera can take. (Which, let's face it still aren't great). I just like to do everything as best as I can. That's the control freak in me.

Today's photos have been sitting in my drafts for about a month. I wasn't going to share them because they're awful. I took them on an insanely hot sunny day during last month's heatwave, so they came out so over-exposed. Our garden doesn't get any shade from dawn til dusk. I had hoped to re-shoot this outfit, but I've not been physically able to, and I'm not sure when I will be, so I've decided to share them anyway. I wanted to show you guys this dress before Autumn starts creeping in because it is a real gem of a summer frock, and I'm too aware that summer is swiftly ticking away.

Introducing my very first Lindy Bop dress- the Audrey red check swing dress!

I adore it! 

I'd been on the hunt for the perfect red gingham dress for a couple of years, so when I found it and realised it came in my size, I just had to have it. I hadn't worn gingham since primary school and back then I was forced to wear a red gingham shirt dress every summer with a red sweatshirt and white socks. I loathed that uniform. When I left Primary school in 1996, I was determined never to wear gingham again... and for eighteen years I didn't... until last month when I found this dress and fell in love with it. I blame blogging; blogging has made me love gingham again! That and the fact this dress is an absolute beauty!

Sure, I may look like a table cloth threw up on me, or that I've just come from a 1950s village fete, but I love it. It makes me want to go picnic down by the river, make daisy chains and read old Enid Blyton novels.

What I love about the dress is that it's so beautifully made and high quality, yet so inexpensive. This dress was just £29.99! Lindy Bop is the most affordable vintage reproduction brand I've personally come across, and the quality is far greater than most dresses you can find on the high street for the same price. They're a great brand to start with if you're thinking of dabbling in rockabilly fashion but aren't quite sure what styles work for you yet, and they're equally great for anybody on a tight budget.

One size up // Two sizes up

What I didn't know before I bought this dress was that Lindy Bop cater to plus sizes! They stock UK sizes 8-22 with many pieces up to a 26, and instead of creating a separate plus size range, all clothes are available to all sizes they carry (well, at least up to a 22) with is fantastic. I'd always assumed that they wouldn't stock my size, so I had only admired them from afar. I could kick myself for not checking sooner! 

As for fit and sizing- I ordered a size up to begin with, as I usually do with fitted waist dresses, and as you can see in these photos, it fit well everywhere but was a little snug on the waist. Snug clothes hurt my spine so I decided to send it back and got the next size up, which was a much comfier fit on the waist, but as usual, baggy on top. 

It's rare that I get the perfect fit. I'm broad-shouldered, but only a c-cup, and my waist is only two or three inches narrower than my bust, so if I want a dress to fit comfortably on the waist, it will usually be loose on top. It's not a big deal to me because I always cover up with a cardi in public, but I think I'll probably get my tailor (read: Mum) to take this one in for me. (I really need to learn how to sew). 

I've seen other bloggers call this dress true to size, so all I can say is use the size guides on their website against your measurements if you're unsure. 

The good news is, if you need to exchange anything for a different size, you can send it back for a straight swap instead of having to return and reorder! My exchange was with me in less than a week. The bad news is, you have to pay the postage costs to return anything, which sucks.

I styled this dress with a strawberry necklace, strawberry cross-body bag, yellow polka dot pumps, and a red shrug. My only mistake was putting the cardigan on in 32'c heat for a couple of minutes. It wasn't my wisest move. I thought I was going to pass out! I started feeling sick and had to get a cold shower to cool my body down. I'm not the brightest crayon in the box.

The print would make a great table cloth, but it's an even better dress! I wish it came in other colours!

The strawberry necklace came from a vintage shop / stall in Camden called Berty and Gerty. I'm pretty sure it's not vintage, but I love it just the same.

The white flowers remind me of strawberry blossom, so I had to use it as a background for my strawberry bag. I think the bag is perfect with the gingham dress, because red gingham makes me think of summer picnics and you can't have a summer picnic without strawberries! 

The bag came from Accessorize about a year ago, so unfortunately it's not a current line.

I don't own the perfect pair of shoes for this dress, so I just wore my new yellow polka dot ballet pumps from New Look. Aren't they cute? They're from the wide fit section and were only £9.99, so naturally I had to buy them in navy as well. They're not available online anymore, but it could be worth checking your local store just in case.

Outfit Details

Dress- Lindy Bop. (Sizes 8-26).

Cardigan- M&Co. (Similar, sizes 8-22).

Necklace- Berty and Gerty.

Bag- Accessorize.

Shoes- New Look. (Wide fit sizes 3-8).

Since ordering this dress, I've purchased another two Audrey dresses- this one and this one- and I'm hooked. I'm coveting so many other Lindy Bop clothes that I know this is just the start of what will be a large collection. I can't wait to show you my two polka dot Audreys this Autumn!

Are you a Lindy Bop fan?

It Sounds So Sweet Coming From the Lips of an Angel

Hello there!

Last week I finally got around to taking some photos of myself wearing the lip print skater dress from F&F at Tesco. (I know; don't all faint at once!) The dress is the second of two I purchased from Tesco using the F&F voucher I won in Naomi's giveaway a month or two ago, and, I'm glad I chose it.

The lip print skater dress was an obvious choice for me because I love quirky prints, and I was lured in by the funky red lips on this navy frock. Prints are one of my main weaknesses and I doubt I'll ever grow tired of them. There's something really satisfying about discovering a new print and adding it to my wardrobe of weird and wonderful oddities. Is it sad that I get excited about stuff like that? Probably!

I've also been needing to add some more casual pieces in to my wardrobe, because my wardrobe is lacking in casual clothes. Most of my clothes are quite dressy because I just love to dress up every day instead of saving fabulous clothes for special occasions- life's too short!- but sometimes those clothes just aren't appropriate and I'm left feeling a tad over-dressed and out of place. So, I've been keeping an eye open for casual dresses that I can wear for mundane tasks like supermarket shopping and trips to the doctors, and this dress won me over.

It's a cute casual dress and for £16 I personally think it was a bargain. It's made from light-weight jersey which is perfect for wearing throughout the year. It has short sleeves so it can be worn on it's own with sandals in the summer, and layered up with knitwear and / or a leather biker jacket and ankle boots in the winter. The length of the sleeves make me feel quite broad, so I've broken up the pattern with a cropped cardigan which pacifies my insecurities. 

It has a lot of stretch so there's no need to size up. I originally purchased a size up because I thought the waist was fitted, but it wasn't and the dress swamped me. I reordered my usual size, and to be honest it's still quite loose on me, and I would probably have been better with the size down. As it's a little too big, the waist sits lower than my waist, and the extra material around my boobs settles in to a crease, but it's rare that I get a good fit around them because I'm not very busty. I don't mind the relaxed fit, though, and it's easy enough to cinch in at the waist when I want it to look more fitted.

I dressed mine very simply with a navy cropped cardigan, black opaque tights (navy would look better, but I don't own a pair), black studded slippers, a strawberry pendant necklace, and some black beaded bracelets.

The strawberry necklace is several years old. I think I purchased it from a vintage shop in Camden called Berty and Gerty, or from their stall in the Lock Market.

The black bracelets were part of a set I bought from Dorothy Perkins four or five years ago. The black and silver were both gifts from my best friend a couple of years ago.

And the studded slippers came from New Look's wide-fit selection not quite two years ago.

Outfit Details

♥ Dress- F&F at Tesco 

♥ Cardigan- New Look (similar) 

♥ Slippers- New Look (similar) 

♥ Tights- Evans 

♥ Necklace- Berty and Gerty 

♥ Black Bracelets- Dorothy Perkins 

♥ Black and Silver Bracelets- Gifts From the Bestie

The dress is now on sale for just £8, but is only available in sizes 6-16 online now (here). I think it went up to a size 22, so it would be worth checking your nearest Tesco to see if they have any of the other sizes left. It's well worth a purchase.

Have you bought anything from F&F lately?

P.S. Apologies for the ugly recycling bins in my photos. Our garden is a mess because we've been having asbestos removed and guttering replaced, and the rest of the garden (including my usual spot) gets too much sunshine for photos on very sunny days. You'd think a hundred foot long garden would have some shade, but it gets none!

My Novelty Bag Collection

Over the weekend, I gave my handbag collection a little Spring clean. Just a tidy; not a clear out; I wouldn't dream of parting with the majority of them! 

While they were within reach (read: scattered on my bedroom floor), I took the opportunity to take a few photos so I could share some of them with you. I'm going to talk about my little novelty handbag collection today..

Well, this is my little collection of weird and wonderful handbags. That's if seven can be called a collection.

I suppose it can since it's a collection in progress and growing all the time.

If you're familiar with my personal style, you'll probably have noticed that novelty accessories play a big part in my day to day style. I love them! There's just something about a quirky bag or a kitsch piece of jewellery that sends my heart all a flutter and makes me smile. I guess I'm just a five year old at heart!

I truly believe that fashion should be fun, and a way of expressing our personalities. In my case, I've never really been the conventional type, and I think that shows in my fashion choices- particularly when my handbag is shaped like a dachshund, an owl, or a pair of lips! What's life without a little whimsy, eh? Life's too short to be serious!

I've loved novelty handbags for years, but it's only really over the last year or so that my collection has started to grow. I used to find most affordable novelty bags to be cheap, tacky, and poorly made, but then the trend started to flood the high street a couple of years ago, and I suddenly found myself spoilt for choice.

The oldest bag in this collection is the red lips clutch which I bought in a vintage shop called Berty and Gerty in Camden in 2007/8. Sadly, I dug it out of the landing cupboard to find it covered in black marks, which it didn't have a few months ago. I think they're damp patches, so I suspect that clutch may have had its day. :( One day a Lulu Guinness will be its replacement. One day.

The quilted black heart bag came from Topshop I think around 2008/9. I bought it in the Oxford Circus branch and I remember the shop was so full of people it took me ten minutes to get across to the bag, and half an hour of queueing to buy it. Going home without it was not an option! I only wish I'd also bought it in red. 

The Owl, the Russian Doll and The Strawberry were all from Accessorize's 2013 collections. I was lucky enough to be given the owl and strawberry for my birthday last summer, and I bought the doll a couple of months ago on sale. I love all three, but at the moment, the Russian Doll is my particular favourite. I've used it more than any other bag this year so far. I can't wait to use the strawberry this summer!

The handsome little dachshund is by Mantaray, one of Debenhams' fashion brands and I adopted him last summer. I fell in love with him and as he was on sale, I just couldn't find a reason to say no. I would've bought him full price.

My latest purchase is the ASOS quilted mint green bunny ears bag, which I bought with some Christmas money from my lovely Nana. Reasons for buying it? I love bunnies, I love mint green, and it reminded me of the white rabbit's furniture in Alice and Wonderland! Oh, and of course, I envisioned wearing it with my yellow polka dot dress this summer! 

 My collection isn't huge, but it's still getting started. I'm always on the lookout for new weird and wonderful designs to collect, and I love coming across something a little bit different.

At the moment, I'm currently coveting several new novelties, my favourite being Accessorize's amazing camera shaped bag. I've never seen a bag quite like it before, and I'm hoping to make it my next purchase, when funds allow. I'll be gutted if I miss out on it.

I also love Accessorize's lemon bag and shell bag; this milk carton bag in blue; this popcorn bucket bag in red; ASOS' heart bags in mint and lilac; this Charlotte Olympia jukebox clutch; these wicker Kate Spades'; this Betsey Johnson ice cream cone; Modcloth's watermelon, grapefruit, and bunny bags; and this Motel diamond. And I'm forever coveting all of the Lulu Guinness lip-shaped clutches. I'll never be able to buy most of them, but it doesn't hurt to admire them from afar!

I hope you've enjoyed this little peek at my collection of eccentric handbags. Do you enjoy reading posts like these? 

Who loves quirky accessories as much as I do? Do you have a novelty collection that puts mine to shame?

Polka Spots and Love Hearts

Morning folks,

I was going to ask how your day was going, and wish you a great day, but then I remembered it's Monday and how everybody universally detests Mondays, so I thought I'd keep my mouth shut...

How about an outfit post, instead?

Another polka dot dress, I hear you say? Yes, you would be right! I purchased this little beauty from Rachel's sale blog at the end of last week, expecting a lovely dress, but I didn't think for a moment it would be so perfect. Granted it's a little big in places, so I've cinched it in at the back, but it's the perfect shape and style. It's fitted perfectly on top, with comfortable sleeves (sleeves!), nips in at the waist, and flares out at the hip; a mix of a tea dress and shirt dress. I feel so comfortable and feminine in this dress! It reminds me a little of a dress my Mum had when I was growing up, and also of Liv Tyler in Armageddon. I actually can't believe this is a Tesco dress! I'm so in love with it!

I wore it bare-legged around the house on Saturday as it was so muggy. Ordinarily, I would wear something like this with black or coloured opaque tights, but I can't cover my feet with socks, shoes, or tights until my toes have healed. Although, I'm positive this dress will make another appearance, restyled with tights, at a later date!

I kept the accessories simple, and went for a classic black and red theme. I picked out a few simple red pieces; my Cath Kidston rose bracelet; a pair of red lips earrings from Camden; a heart-petalled flower ring from Evans; and added in some pink in the form of my new Flower cameo brooch.

I was browsing on Etsy last weekend for accessories, in particular for cameo brooches, when I came across this little brooch from a UK company called The Devious Owl & Pussy Cat. I thought it was adorable so I snapped it up before I had time to change my impulsive mind. It was just £2.00, and shipping was £1.90, so it was a bargain. It does look quite cheap, and the glue is visible on the back where the pin has been glued to the cameo... but, that can't be seen when it's pinned to clothes, and overall I love it. It's so kitsch and tacky, but oh so cute!

I was playing around with my new Zatchels barrel bag with this outfit, which finally arrived on Thursday, thirty-six hours short of a 10 week wait! I'm not going to talk about this bag today, as I plan to do a separate feature and review of it this week, but I like how it looks with this dress. I think I'll be using this bag with the dress a lot!

Outfit Details

Dress-Rachel's Blog Sale (Tesco) // Bag-Zatchels // Bracelet-Cath Kidston // Ring-Evans // 

Earrings-Berty and Gerty // Brooch-The Devious Owl & Pussycat via Etsy //

I really am so pleased with this dress, and more so because I got it for just a few pounds! I know it's going to become one in my regular rotation. Thanks, Rachel!

Have you ever bought something from a blog sale, or an auction site such as eBay, which turned out to be one of your best ever purchases?

May 31 Day Blogger's Challenge: Day 18- My Brightest Lipstick

My Brightest Lipstick

All of you ladies with a dressing table full of lip colours may be surprised to learn that I own just two lipsticks.

I haven't worn much lipstick or gloss since my teen years. I'm prone to chapped lips, so I usually just stick to my carmex lip balms and make a statement with my eyes instead.

This is my entire collection of lip products...

Pitiful, right? And I used to be the girl with so many to choose from!

(I loved Lancome Juicy Tubes).

These are my only two lipsticks, and as you can see, neither is bright. They're both natural-looking, pale shades of pink, although much lighter than they look on my milky skin!

They're both from L'Oreal. I've had the pale pink one for so long they probably don't even make it anymore and I can't make out the shade on the base. The gold one is Colour Riche Serum Beamy Plum 204.

This is my collection of Benefit 'Welcome to Glossytown' glosses. I bought them in the new year, as I wanted to make a conscious effort to wear lip colour more. Of course, I've barely worn make up since my injury, (although I used to wear it almost every day), but I can never resist anything Benefit-shaped.

The horizontal photo of my arm shows the colours back to front; and I tested the glosses starting at the left from top to bottom on my arm.

From left to right (in the box) the shades are:

Life on the A-List

Nudie Tude

Spiked Punch

Foxy Lady

Frisk Me

Kiss You

And the rest...

Lip Rock gloss in 'Rose' which was free with a magazine. I've never used it.

The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Stain 02. It was free in this month's Marie Claire Magazine (UK Edition) which I got just today! I'm actually in love with it. It goes on bronze but has a wine stain to it. Get the magazine and get yourself a bargain!

And Benefit's "Her Glossiness. My People, Your People'. I think it was also free with a magazine (Glamour?), but I would have happily paid good money for it.

What lip colours do you use? Which can't you live without?

Trial and Error...

Happy Monday lovelies!

Hope you're managing to beat the Monday afternoon blues. I've been lucky for the past few years as Monday was always my day off, and while everyone else was dragging themselves off to work, I was free to go shopping and enjoy the sunshine. Obviously, now every day is pretty much the same for me.

I woke up to another parcel this morning: my replacement (take number two) jump suit and denim jacket from Dotty P's. The jumpsuit was a much better fit than my normal size which was too short in the body. It's quite a baggy fit but nothing a few darts at the armpits and a belt on the waist can't handle. I was really pleased with it, until i noticed a hole in the leg and another in a pocket. So, again, I've reordered it. Hopefully jump suit number three will be okay. I'm a little annoyed at having to pay out for another delivery charge, but I like it too much to just give up.

Jumpsuit with belt- Dorothy Perkins

Strawberry necklace- Berty and Gerty ( a vintage shop in Camden)

It has a skinny black belt on the waist. Personally, I would swap it for a bright colour, so I've ordered a couple to wear with it. As you can see, it's quite loose on my shoulders and around the bust, but my mother has agreed to use her sewing skills to adjust it for me. I've not learnt how to sew things my self.

I also got a light- wash denim jacket a size smaller than I ordered on Saturday. This is my first denim jacket since the nineties, when I used to live in them. I'm afraid to say I used to do double denim in those days. I know it's on trend again, but it's still something I'd prefer to avoid. Anyway, it's fitted well in the arms and shoulders, but a bit loose at the front. I've been trying to decide whether it's okay for one to be slightly loose over a dress, but after the approval from two lovely ladies, I've decided to keep it.

Another brave (for me) shot of my legs out. I still need to get an underskirt for this dress as it's slightly see through. I'd wear it with a pair of sandals out of the house, and roll up the sleeves

Wrap Dress- Dorothy Perkins

Denim Jacket- Dorothy Perkins (I sense a theme going here).

Strawberry Necklace- Berty and Gerty (as before).

Hopefully I'll get a lot of wear out of the jacket before the weather gets too hot.