Kobi Jae's Blogiversary Giveaway!

Hello darlings!

I absolutely adore blogging. Not only does it allow me the creative freedom to come up with fun outfits to share with you all and let me show off my personal style, but the blogging world has also allowed me to connect with and meet so many rad babes from across the world. I count myself truly blessed to have been able to form some of the awesome friendships I have with people in the online community of #bodypositivity and #fatshion. 

One such babe that I met years ago by following on Instagram is the beautiful Kobi Jae. For those of you that aren't familiar with her work, Kobi is an Australian plus-size blogging babe that works tirelessly to promote body positivity and takes a strong stand against the mainstream fashion industry and a lack of diversity and representation in public media campaigns. In other words, my kinda woman!  

The babe herself!

Kobi's been on the blogging scene since early 2014 and recently celebrated her 2nd blog anniversary (congratulations, sweetie!) As part of her celebrations, she kindly launched a blog giveaway- offering fabulous prizes from small indie designers such as Re/dress and Size Queen Clothing (two amazing brands that were completely unknown to me prior to this. I just LOVE finding exciting new designers and clothing companies to lust over!) 

Well, lo and behold - yours truly won one of the prize draws! Fast Forward a few weeks and a very exciting package from overseas was shipping its way to my door. I hastily opened it (I posted my reactions to everything over on my snapchat - @ivorylovelust if you wanna be my snap pal!) and got to thinking about all of the beautiful bits and pieces contained and how I could style them up into a fun outfit! 

So, what was in the package?! 

First up, this amazing little "sweet tooth" necklace! The beautiful jewels that I won in Kobi's giveaway come from a fabulous Australian designer known as Miss-A-Ree Guts Creations and you can find them over on Etsy. This necklace is incredibly cute; a pastel colour palette and sweet little candy decorations make this a firm favourite of mine. The chain is a lovely length too- one of my pet peeves with jewellery is that it's either
a) far too long and the decorations slip awkwardly into your cleavage or
b) they aren't fat friendly and the chains are too short, cutting off your circulation! This is thankfully neither, and sits at just the right place on me.  

Next up, Kobi- being the sweetheart that she is decided to pop some Australian candies in my package! Having never visited Australia before I was not familiar with the deliciousness of Caramello Koalas, but they're incredibly similar to the UK's caramel freddos (aka freakin' delicious!) Kobi was also kind enough to pop a wee card into my parcel thanking me for entering the giveaway. Can you believe the kindness of this gesture? Believe me, the pleasure was all mine! 

 

 

The sweetest message!

Finally (and this is the real piece de resistance) was this AMAZING frend ring. Made again by the wonderful Miss-A-Ree Guts, these rings are just entirely too cute for words. As soon as I opened my package from Kobi and seen this beautiful wee gem I was screaming with excitement- it's just so perfect!! I absolutely had to style a fun wee outfit around this amazingness- how couldn't I?!  

Got my eyes on you!

Below are some impromptu photos from a fun day out I had recently where I decided to wear all of my Kobi Jae Giveaway goodies at once. I hope you enjoy them- I think the jewels go especially well with this fun & colourful outfit!

Outfit Details 

Dress: Joe Browns
Hair Flower: Alternate Normality 
Sunglasses: Beyond Retro
Jewellery: Miss-A-Ree Guts 
Petticoat: Oh My Honey!
Tights: New Look
Shoes: Primark

What do you think of Miss-A-Ree Guts? I'm personally over the moon to have discovered such a sweet little independent designer, and I'm so thankful to Kobi for introducing me to them!

For now my loves, that's all from me. 
See you all soon! 

Lovelustloves x0

Jump-suiting for joy!

Hello beautiful humans!   

I do hope that this blog post finds you all well. I've recently been hit with a huge burst of fashion inspiration and I've felt compelled to get my creative hat on and start thinking about fun topics and clothing to write about. For today's post I'll be focusing on something that until a few weeks ago was completely alien to me and lacking entirely from my wardrobe- the jumpsuit.

Jumpsuits are something that I've always admired, but never thought I could make work for my body shape. I've envied and coveted the likes of plus-size fashion bloggers ArchedEyebrow and Callie Thorpe rocking their beautiful jumpsuits, full of confidence and pride and wishing I too could find something so fabulous to fulfil my wishes. 

Enter, the retro jumpsuit from River Island: 

When I first stumbled upon this pretty little number in my local River Island, I actually didn't realise it was a jumpsuit. I had been in the market to pick up a fun printed shirt-dress for work and thought this might just do the trick; little did I know it would be the answer my prayers and put a quick end to my jumpsuit woes! 

There are many things that I really love about this wee gem of a jumpsuit, from the short shorts that are just the right length between modest and risqué, the printed belt that cinches the waist and the tiny gold buttons that add just the right amount of glam factor. One thing really stood out for me though....

The print. 
Isn't it simply divine?!
 I'm not usually one to be a fan of browns and beige shades, but the vibrancy of the 60's inspired print completely overrules any colour choices in my book! The large floral motifs read really nicely both closer up and farther away, giving this jumpsuit an interesting appeal.

If you read my blog regularly or know me either online or in real life, you'll know that I'm pretty much obsessed with prints. The stranger and more unusual the better! This ticked all of those boxes and more for me.

 

In regards to sizing, I'm wearing a UK size 16 here. Now- full disclaimer- I am definitely not a size 16. This jumpsuit is very generously sized and aside from a little gaping around the chest area, it fits more of less like a glove. I was very impressed with the generosity of sizing, particularly in the bum area as this is one region in which I am particularly blessed! 

If you're thinking of making a purchase of this lovely item (and why shouldn't you- it's currently on sale!) I'd recommend trying this on for size if that's an option for you, but if not I'd argue that you would be safe to size down. I've included a wee link to purchase at the end of this post for any interested parties!

 

Oh, and just in case you were wondering- it looks just as good (arguably if not better!) from behind:

To properly show off this beautiful outfit in all it's glory, I decided to enlist the help of my beautiful friend Leigh to organise a little impromptu photoshoot in my living room. We chose to go for a "you better werk" vibe which basically translates to me looking sassy as hell and channelling my inner bad-ass boss bitch- something that works really well with this jumpsuit! 

We were both overjoyed with the results, and hope that you like them too:

 

 

Outfit Details 

Hair Flower: George @ ASDA

Jumpsuit: River Island

Tights: H&M

Shoes: Primark

Et voilà! I hope you've enjoyed seeing my jumpsuit joy - is this something you'd wear, or do you have another wardrobe lust you're looking for? Let me know!

I've recently been fortunate enough to be blessed with something of a rarity for me these days- free time! So if you read and keep up to date with my blog you'll be seeing more of my face around- I promise! I've been involved with a few really exciting projects lately, including a collaboration with the beautiful Leyah Shanks of The Body Confidence Revolution which I'm hoping to post about soon! 

Until next time my darlings
Love and kisses, 
Lovelustloves xo

Shopping for plus-size vintage; 5 tips and tricks

Hello once again lovelies! 
Hope you're all feeling fabulous and being kind to yourselves; as I've mentioned over on my facebook page  this week (11th - 17th May) is mental health awareness week in the UK. This means a great opportunity for plenty of self-care, mindfulness and looking after number one- yourself! One of my favourite forms of self care when i'm feeling blue is pampering. This can take many forms: whether it's a long soak in a Lush bubble bath, painting my nails, taking some empowering selfies or simply doing a bit of retail therapy. 

Bearing this in mind, today's blog post -as promised- is all about one of my favourite things- shopping for vintage fashion!

I've been a big lover of vintage ever since I was in my early teens. My first vintage clothing experience is one that will stay with me for the foreseeable- I was 15 and searching in Edinburgh for something fun to wear. I'd been looking all day and hadn't found ANYTHING to take my fancy; I was despondent but driven to find a magical garment to transform me into a queen (can you tell I've always had a flair for the dramatic?!) Finally, after hours of traipsing my poor mum around the high street there it was! In a box hidden deep at the back of a little Miss Selfridge shop hosting a vintage collection: The dress. Not just any dress, but the vintage dress of my dreams. Layers of peach and duck-egg blue tulle, internal corseting, floral print with delicate straps, a soft sweetheart neckline and the lightest of ruffles to accentuate the neckline. It was perfection, and as it transpired was also an absolute steal at only £25! That dress was the start of a life long love affair with vintage clothes and accessories which is exactly what I want to discuss today. 

A literal vintage Valhalla 

Unfortunately, not all vintage clothing is well sized. As a girl who can often be found rushing around vintage fairs looking for a bargain or endlessly searching the rails in my local vintage emporiums I know from experience there aren't nearly as many plus-size options as there are straight sized ones. Good quality plus-sized vintage isn't something that is always easy to come by, and it's quite easy to feel let down by the lack of options. 

Despair not however! I am here to tell you that there are options out there for you big and beautiful ladies. They might require a little extra sleuthing or thinking creatively about your clothing but you should not give up. Vintage should be accessible to everyone and my five little handy tips and tricks should help to make you realize that vintage clothing can work for you.

 

Searching the rails in "Beyond Retro" in Brighton

Bearing all of the above in mind, without further adieu here are my top five tips when shopping for plus-sized vintage: 

Tip number 1: Try things on! I honestly cannot emphasize this point enough to all of you beautiful voluptuous ladies out there. Vintage sizing is in itself a bit of a mystery; From personal experience I have personally been able to fit into vintage clothes marked from a size 12 (which I am most definitely not) up to a size 20. In short, vintage sizing is all over the place. If you see something beautiful at a vintage fair but it's marked as a size 16 when you're closer to a 20 - try it on! If you see a lovely blouse but it doesn't look like it'll contain your ample bosom- try it on! If you see anything at all that you fall in love with- try it on! Try it on, try it on, try it on!! You'll never know how an item looks on your body until you physically put it on and see yourself in it. Vintage clothes often don't look all that spectacular when on the hanger, but once on the body they transform and are brought to life which can be quite a magical thing to see! 

A 1940's vintage tea dress (size 14) circa 2011

Tip number 2: Elastic is your friend. Elastic is quite a marvelous creation, isn't it? Even more so when found in vintage clothes. One of my favourite items of vintage was picked up at a Judy's Affordable Vintage Sale that I attended whilst on holiday in Brighton last year. This item is a bright, colourful 80's style pleat skirt that has a pattern reminiscent of the opening scenes of "Saved by the Bell" and is more than likely handmade. There are no distinguishing markings, patterns or labels on this skirt aside from it's elasticated waistband which really was the cinch for me when making this purchase. There is nothing worse than a case of vintage regret (see tip number 5 for more details) and I really didn't want that happening with this skirt, I wasn't able to try it on at the time of purchase due to being in a rush but knowing that the waist was elasticated I was certain it would be a good fit. Was I right? Of course I was! Chances are, if an item looks to be similarly sized to you and has an elastic waist or empire line, you'll be able to make it work for you. 

My favourite vintage skirt, quickly styled with a Noel Fielding t-shirt & alternative normality hair piece

I just love how colourful this pattern is!

Tip number 3: Outerwear. Coats, Jackets, Blazers, Cardigans....never underestimate the power of a good piece of outerwear. For many plus-size women, finding well fitting vintage can be quite the struggle, however the great thing about outerwear is that it fits a far wider range of sizes than say blouses or dresses. Even if you can't find a beautiful vintage 1950's ballgown in your size, chances are you will still be able to find a beautiful faux-fur coat or astrakhan jacket that will suit you wonderfully- jackets and coats do not need to be worn done up either, which gives a bit of variety when deciding now to style them. 

If you're new to the world of vintage clothing, investing in a nice jacket or coat can be a brilliant way to revamp your style without going full 1940's or 50s. If you're a fan of the vintage aesthetic i'd suggest anything leopard print to make an instant statement (see below!)

My favourite vintage coat (circa 2010)

Tip number 4: Shop online. Unfortunately, not everyone has instant access to vintage shops, vintage fairs or even good quality second hand shops. I am fairly privileged to live within a stone's throw of both Edinburgh and Glasgow, meaning that when Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair comes to town it isn't any trouble making the pilgrimage through to raid the rails of vintage goodies. I'm also blessed to have easy access to huge vintage emporiums such as Mr Ben's and Armstrong's however I am aware that not everyone has this advantage. Luckily we do live in an online age where everything we need (well, mostly!) can be purchased at the click of a button. Buying vintage online is obviously a risky game, however sometimes it is the only port of call and the payoff can be immense. If you aren't able to get to a vintage store locally, I've added some hyperlinks to some lovely shops that sell beautiful and great quality plus size vintage!

Here are a few of my favourite online stores to find beautiful plus-size fashion:

1. Size is just a number 
2.Thrifty vintage kitten
3. Doll face Productions

Tip number 5: Don't get vintage regret! Vintage regret is a horrible phenomenon that occurs when you find a one of a kind beautiful piece of vintage clothing and don't end up purchasing it. This item of clothing then proceeds to haunt your dreams with you imagining every possible scenario in which you could wear it and the variety of ways in which you can style it but unfortunately, it is not yours. 

I can't count the amount of times that this has happened to me - most often when I put something down hoping to return to it later or spend time swithering over if it's worth the financial investment. Let me tell you - it is! There are few things more annoying that vintage regret and if you find a beautiful piece of clothing that fits you well and is one of a kind you should take the plunge and make that purchase!

Channeling my inner Nancy from "The Craft" in a vintage button-down tea dress 

Paisley princess 

Hopefully this information has given you a little bit of an insight into the world of plus-size vintage shopping. I hope that if anything this post will have given you a bit of hope to  explore the world of vintage- it isn't just for the straight sized gals amongst us! It is a wonderful cacophony of vivid prints, beautifully cut, well made and above all else, unique pieces of clothing. With a little bit of searching and creative thinking, vintage clothing can absolutely work for a multitude of plus size figures. 

Are you a fan of vintage clothing? Let me know what you think in the comments section!

Yours until next time, 

Lovelustloves x0

A love affair with Lady Voluptuous

Hello darlings! 

Hoping that this post finds everyone well and enjoying the lovely month of May, I know I have been!

Today on the blog I'm going to be showcasing something particularly special - the arrival of a UK based plus size vintage reproduction clothing line  - Lady Voluptuous and a particularly special beautiful outfit. 

Unless you've been in hiding, living under a rock without WiFi for the past few months, chances are you'll have heard all about this amazing new innovative range of plus size dresses (going from a UK size 16 up to a UK 30/32 might I add!) that have been designed by none other than my lovely friend Georgina of the blog FullerFigureFullerBust and more recently of Plus Size Wars fame. 

At the time of writing, Lady Voluptuous has 5 key styles of dress as well as a lovely circle skirt, available in a wide variety of prints and block colours, each equally as stunning as the last. These are the Medusa, the Phoebe, the Lyra, the Bellatrix and my personal favourite, the Cosette. You can check these all out at the following link here.

Georgina looking phenomenal in the Cosette dress

I was incredibly grateful (and slightly awed) when Georgina approached me and offered to send me one of her newest designs. After a great deal of umm-ing and aah-ing over her gorgeous behind the scenes photographs, I decided upon the beautiful Cosette dress; a sleeved swing dress with demure (yet still decidedly sexy!) wrap-over bust. I chose the red rose on lilac fabric as I thought this was a unique colour combination that I was keen to try. I don't own any lilac clothes and was slightly concerned that the pale pastel colour wouldn't suit my complexion, but I needn't have been worried at all - in fact, this is quite truthfully one of my new favourite outfits of all time!

 Once it arrived and i'd gushed over the amazing quality of this lovely frock, I found the fit of the Cosette dress to be fairly generous. According to the size chart I should have been in between the sizes 18 & 20, however going by Georgina's instruction I went for the size 18. For reference, my measurements are bust 46" waist 37" and the measurements of the Cosette dress in a size 18 were bust 43" waist 36". As you can see I don't quite match up with these at all, but this dress is generously cut (I could have got away with the size 16) so i'd recommend sizing down when ordering. 

One thing I was fairly worried about were the sleeves on this dress- i'm always fairly apprehensive of sleeves as I have quite big arms, however I needn't have worried. The sleeves of the dress fit brilliantly with plenty of room, so I don't feel constricted at all and they are a lovely length that isn't too long nor too short. 

Another key aspect that I think is important to highlight with this outfit is the belt. All too often when I purchase dresses in larger sizes, the belt nowhere near matches the waist measurement rendering it unwearable. Luckily this isn't the case for the striking Cosette dress and I found the belt to be a comfortable fit (when corseted I wear the belt on the 3rd loop and when un-corseted I wear it on the 2nd loop). It's also well structured so won't bend or loose it's shape over time- another added bonus.

 

The attention to detail on the hem of this dress, as well as the collar and cuffs is also second to none. The stitching is magnificent and really makes the garment feel expensive, although with a £50 price tag I find this dress to be a bit of a steal! 

I should mention that when I took all the photos for today's blog it was raining fairly heavily so I made due and accessorized with a funky umbrella. I was worried that the pink would clash against the lilac and red pattern of the dress but in reality I found it to be quite complimentary. I may even try accessorizing this dress with a little more pink next time as it just so happens to be one of my favourite colours. 

 

Red lipstick is "Chilli" by MAC

Singin' in the rain...

Another feature of this dress that I found to be a huge plus is the bust on this dress. It is a delicate v-neck that has been sewn shut so there is no risk of over-exposure or gaping - a big plus in my eyes! This helps to make the dress a lot more work wear appropriate also, as the concern over flashing too much is already taken care of. 

The only thing I could possibly fault this dress on is that the side-zip fastening feels a little flimsy. The dress itself is exquisitely made with a lovely high quality fabric (cotton sateen) bu I feel as though the zip may not live up to the general wear and tear i'll have getting this dress on myself. I certainly wouldn't let that deter you from purchasing however, as zips are easily replaced yet gorgeous plus size frocks unfortunately don't come around that often.

One thing that I find particularly exciting about the Lady Voluptuous line in general (not just the Cosette dress) is that it comes in sizes 16-32. This is a great example of how plus-size clothing should be sized, it is non-exclusionary and doesn't presuppose that those at the bigger end of the plus-size spectrum couldn't/shouldn't/wouldn't wear clothes that are loud, colourful, fitted, flared or any of the above. Upon release, many of the dresses sold out instantaneously - proving that plus-size women are literally begging for affordable and beautiful clothing that doesn't discriminate. Georgina has really responded to a gap in the market with the Lady Voluptuous line and done so taking into account the needs wants and desires of the plus-size community. 
Brava George, I applaud you!

Outfit Details 

Dress: Lady Voluptuous 

Shoes: BHS 
Earrings: Accessorize

Fascinator: Diablo Jo's

Stockings: What Katie Did 

Umbrella: Lidl 

I always think it's important to showcase an outfit/dress/ensemble in as many ways as possible, and so here are some more beautiful bloggers sharing their Cosette dress reviews for your perusal, as you can see they are resoundingly well received - click on the links for direct access! 

U Can't Wear That
Arched Eyebrow
Lolly Likes Fatshion

That about wraps (haha, see what I did there?!) it up from me for this post - next time on the blog I'll be sharing my vintage shopping tips for plus size darlings and how to avoid falling into a polyester nightmare, inspired by a recent shopping trip to Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair in Edinburgh. 

Until next time sweethearts!
Lovelustloves x0

**This dress was kindly gifted to me for review, however all opinions stated here are completely my own**

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

Mean Green Mutha' From Outer Space

Hello darlings,

I hope this blog post finds everyone well!

I'm wanting to deviate from my regular clothes obsession for a quick minute and chat about one of my favourite films- Little Shop of Horrors. This movie has many elements that I absolutely love; great fashion, catchy songs, an upbeat musical score as well as a young Rick Moranis and dark undertones...perfect! What more could a girl ask for?!

This will always be one of my ultimate feel-good movies and I feel compelled to watch it every several months (I've actually just finished re-watching it for probably the hundredth time with my little sister this very morning!) so you can imagine my delight when last August one of my favourite clothing brands -Pinupgirlclothing- announced that they were planning to release a dress honoring this film. Well, I'm not exaggerating when I say that this dress had my heart fluttering from the offset. I could picture it so vividly- the bright purple colour, the swing skirt, the bold print.... everything about it sounded like a dream! This dress was the brainchild of the wonderfully gifted designer/model/artist/ultrababe Micheline Pitt (follow her on instagram here!) and was born from her increasingly fabulous "Deadly Dames" collection for Pinupgirlclothing. 

After relentless online stalking of their facebook, instagram and twitter pages I contacted Pinupgirlclothing direct to ask for a release date of this amazing dress-of-my-dreams. Originally I was told it'd be out for October 2014, however this date was pushed back on two separate occasions due to the print of the fabric being not quite perfect, which whilst slightly annoying at the time is more than anything a true indication of the perfectionist nature of the design team at Pinugirl - only releasing the dress once every issue was addressed. The actual release date of this dress ended up being March 2015, and you can guarantee that I mine was one of the first orders in- after months and months of waiting this dress was finally going to belong to me, making all of my kitschy Audrey 2 dreams come true! 

So, what was my verdict when I received the dress? 

Unsurprisingly, I loved it! This dress exceeds all of my expectations and is a true marvel, and surprisingly is one of the most comfortable pieces of clothing I've ever put on my body - It literally feels as though i'm wearing pajamas! The print is absolutely divine and adds a brilliant element of whimsy that i'm totally in love with- Audrey 2's cute and creepy animated makeover is definitely something I support fullheartedly.

For anyone considering buying this dress, or placing themselves on the wait-list for it to be restocked in various sizes, here's an extract of information about the Venus Flytrap Hotrod Honey Dress direct from the Pinupgirlclothing website (and link to purchase here!):

"The comfort of your favorite t-shirt meets the design you love from Deadly Dames with the Hotrod Honey Swing Dress! Made of a high-quality cotton stretch knit, the Hotrod Honey features a wide scoopneck, 3/4 length sleeves, and a full swing skirt that is slightly gathered at the elasticized waistline. Comfortable and cute, this dress is available here in Micheline's custom Venus Fly Trap print and comes with a faux leather belt." 

I can 100% vouch for all of the above information. 

In fact, I loved this dress so much that I decided to organize a little photoshoot to show off how amazing it is!  For the occasion I decided to do something a little different and go for some big 60's style bouffant hair- something that the original Audrey herself would be proud to wear! 

Suddenly Seymour

To get my hair looking so big and fabulous, I went to a fantastic little local salon called Myka and was styled by the wonderful Cheryl Bowes, salon owner and vintage hair enthusiast extraordinaire! Making use of my lovely little headpiece that I picked up at the Scottish Tattoo Convention (flower clip is by Alternate Normality - follow this link to purchase!) Cheryl curled, backcombed and fixed my hair into place and set it with an atomic serving of ultra-hold hairspray; this girl really knows what she's doing and set me on my way with a giant smile on my face and my high hair skimming the door frame on the way out! 

My lovely friend Jenni came over to my Bathgate home to shoot - we are working on a body positive photo project that i'll share more about soon but also used the opportunity to photograph this gorgeous dress- and I had a delightful time doing so! I've really been enjoying getting back in front of the camera after such a long hiatus, it's been fantastic for my self-esteem and I've been loving the images that i'm getting back too- an added bonus! Jenni is an incredibly talented photographer and made the experience wonderfully positive & comfortable. We shot mostly outside in my shared garden area and my lovely neighbour even let us use her decking. Check out the results of our little collaboration below:

 

Wearing seamed stocking from What Katie Did to give this outfit that little bit extra 

 

Overall, this dress is everything i'd hoped for and more! It's soft, comfortable, wonderfully constructed and even comes with a free leather effect belt. It's absolutely gorgeous and so easy to wear due to the comfortable jersey material. This dress is currently sold out in most sizes but if you add yourself to the wait list that I linked to above you'll be notified as soon as it comes back into stock.

I hope that you enjoyed my little review and photoshoot- let me know what you think about this dress in the comments below.

Until next time lovelies! 

Lovelustloves x0