Springtime Florals part two

Hello again sweethearts! 

Once again hoping that this post sees you all well! 
This is the follow up to my original post about springtime florals, which if you're interested in you can find here. This post features more heavily on another of my wardrobe staples and springtime fashion loves, the inimitable Grace dress from Vivien of Holloway in the enchanting "Wild Rose Cerise" print. 

Stock photo from the Vivien of Holloway website

For those who don't know, Vivien of Holloway is a vintage reproduction company based in London, England and has been gracing the pinup and vintage scenes in the UK and beyond officially since 2000. In 2009 they moved premises from a little shop above a mechanic in Camden to a much larger boutique space in Holloway Road and the brand really took off - being worn by the likes of Imelda May,  Kelly Brook, Nigella Lawson and my ultimate lady crush - Paloma Faith. 

Vivien of Holloway have really carved a name for themselves and have now become synonymous with 50s glamour, with circle skirts, wiggle dresses, swing dresses and evening gowns aplenty - they have something for everyone whether you're a Betty, a Peggy or a Joan. Many of the dresses that VoH stock on their website are staples in the wardrobes of many a vintage loving girl, but one dress in particular has really managed to capture my heart- the appropriately named Grace dress.

I've mentioned the inimitable Grace dress once before, on my post all about the Miss Scottish Pinup Pageant which you can read here, but I really cannot convey just how wonderful this dress really is. When I find a dress that i'm in love with, I have a tendency to go a little overboard and bulk buy that dress in as many colours and prints as I can (case in point, the Delores Doll dress from Collectif featured on my last blog post) and this little beauty is no exception. I not only have the Grace dress in Wild Cerese Print as seen here, but also in a delightful red and white "sweetheart" print that features hundreds of tiny hearts and in a more demure black lace print that I wore to my University graduation back in 2013.

The Grace dress in black lace print, circa summer 2013

I love this amazing dress for a number of reasons: The skirt is so full and luxurious, the material (cotton sateen) is silky soft and not only looks but also feels delightful, the wrap bust is perfect for formal occasions and the print is divine. 

Forever twirling and swirling

This dress was perfect for my "Springtime florals" photoshoot with the wonderful Michala Oborna, as mentioned in my previous post. The bright colours really popped against the serene Arthur's Seat background and really convey the beauty of spring. The floral print isn't too overpowering and ultimately adds, not distracts from the amazing elements of the Grace dress. 

A cheeky flash of leg

In this dress, I ordered a size 22 (which differs to a traditional High Street size 22 as VoH use vintage sizing on their garments). If you're making a purchase from Vivien of Holloway, i'd definitely recommend checking their size chart and seeing how it matches up with your own measurements just to make sure you're getting the perfect fit. In my experience these garments run very true to size, however the Grace dress' wrap over bust means there is a little wiggle room for those who fall outsize the size chart (my 36G bosom fits in just fine).  The measurements on the size 22 dress are as follows: Bust 44", Waist 36" & Hip 48" - a near perfect match with my own sizing. 

The skirt of this dress already has a great deal of volume, but for added effect I added two full skirted petticoats to create even more fun and flair. Both of these petticoats photographed here are from Lady Jojo's Boutique, a delightful vintage shop in the heart of Edinburgh's Grassmarket. The pastel pink petticoat was purchased as is, however the purple petticoat was originally white - I decided to spruce it up a bit with a cheap Drylon fabric dye and this lovely colour was the result.  I wear both of these petticoats on a fairly regular basis however for ultimate floofyness (this should definitely be a real word!) I decided to double up by wearing both together. 

A view from the back

I've really been trying lately to push myself outside of my fashion comfort zone with a look that isn't all about a big swing skirt and nipped in waist, but with so many beautiful gowns and frocks out there it's so damn hard! This is definitely my natural go-to look, but I don't think that's necessarily such a bad thing. Personal style is exactly that- personal. My preferred aesthetic is big, colourful and frilly (like me!), so this dress is perfect for me and the theme of "Springtime Florals". 

Outfit Details 

Dress: Vivien of Holloway 

Stockings: What Katie Did

Petticoats: Lady Jojo's Boutique

Hair Flowers: Assorted - Claire's Accessories

Shoes: Irregular Choice 

And that just about wraps up another blog post!

Stay tuned as in my next post i'll be reviewing a very special dress by a very special lady, the Lady Volup "Cosette" dress by Georgina of Fuller Figure Fuller Bust fame. I hope you've enjoyed my foray into the Springtime Florals, let me know what you think in the comments!

Until the next time my darlings, 

Lovelustloves x0

The Long Sleeve Heidi Dress featuring Carolyn Henry Photography

Hello darlings! 

Today's blog post is all about a dress- a beautiful dress that incorporates many of my favourite elements- floral print, sleeves, pockets, a sweetheart neckline and a giant swing skirt. This dress is none other than the Long Sleeve Heidi Dress from the inimitable Pinupgirlclothing.com . 

It's no great secret that I am an avid fan of Pinupgirlclothing- from their unique style, fantastic quality materials and kitschy prints they really epitomize what good quality vintage reproduction clothing should be. I've been ordering clothes from their website (linked above) for years and am yet to be left disappointed. Starting their clothing line at an XS and going up to a size 4X (roughly the equivalent to a UK 22/24) their key marketing phrase "Couture for every body" is certainly realized through their extensive sizing options. 

Being plus-size myself, I am always on the lookout for clothing options that meet my needs of being fun, flirty and colourful- I'm a strong believer in dressing for yourself and disregarding the opinions of others... if it makes you feel good- wear it! This dress certainly meets those aforementioned requirements, stands up to my scrutiny and makes me feel amazing to boot!

I'm wearing my usual size (2X) in this dress and it is an excellent fit- in fact I'd even argue that this dress is slightly on the roomier side and I probably could have got away with sizing down. 

The sweetheart neckline is incredibly flattering and plenty spacious for my 36G chest. There's also more than enough wiggle room for me to do up the lengthy back zipper without assistance. As the dress comes with a matching belt, it's incredibly easy to cinch in your waist and create an hourglass shape with the large circle skirt balancing out the dress' proportions nicely.

The one problem I thought I may have with this dress was the arm room- I have quite large arms and I couldn't find any information about the sizing when I was ordering this dress back in February. Thankfully the arm space is very accommodating and perfect for covering up in the chiller months (being from Scotland I can foresee this being incredibly useful throughout the majority of the year, so I'm sure to get plenty of wear out of this dress!)

Wishing to showcase this dress in all of it's glory, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to enlist the help of my lovely friend Carolyn Henry. Carolyn is an amazing photographer that I've had the pleasure of working with on a number of occasions and she always makes me feel right at ease. Her style of photography is something marvelous to behold- soft yet captivating, powerful and dynamic- who better to help me get back into the world of vintage/pinup/plus-size modelling?! 

If you are based in Scotland and are looking for a photographer for an event, wedding or just to have your own little photoshoot, I honestly cannot recommend Carolyn enough. She can be contacted direct via her website here 

Carolyn and I shot these photographs at Linlithgow Palace, a gorgeous historical building situated within my hometown of West Lothian and famously, the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots. The dark stone and cobbled exterior were a perfect backdrop to such a bright and vibrant ensemble, which I completed with simple black flats and contrast nude seamed stockings.

Overall I am absolutely delighted with the Long Sleeve Heidi Dress from Pinupgirlclothing. The colours and the print are bright and engaging, it is well sized and easy to style up or down depending on where you are going and what you are doing. The matching belt is a welcome addition and the concealed pockets are just fantastic for storing your keys, phone, lipstick etc. I think this will quickly become a wardrobe staple of mine and I look forward to giving this gorgeous dress its next outing!

Dress: Pinupgirlclothing.com

Hair Flower: Accessorize 

Shoes: George at Asda 

Ring: Primark

Stockings: What Katie Did

Until next time sweet readers,

Lovelustloves x0