Jungle Love feat. Vivien of Holloway

Hello sweethearts, 

It's no great secret that I've been a fan of the pinup style for many years - the fun and flirty silhouettes of the 1950's are staples within my wardrobe. From giant meringue petticoats to the more sultry fitted pencil dresses, the ladies of this era really knew how to dress!

I often receive messages from women asking for advice and support on how to get involved with pinup fashion. They say they love the look on other people but don't know quite where to start or how to break into this eye-catching style. Whilst I do agree that dressing "pinup" can be daunting to a newcomer, it really doesn't need to be! The best thing to do when dabbling with retro glam is to find a silhouette that works for you and start exploring new looks that are in keeping with your personal style. 

One place that I always advise enthusiasts to look into is vintage reproduction gurus Vivien of Holloway.  I've previously written about my love for this amazing brand in an older blog post that you can check out here but for clarity purposes I'll explain a little more about why I adore this brand. 

Vivien of Holloway have been changing the pinup game and adding their magic to the world of retro clothing since 2000. Creating stunning ensembles in beautiful fabrics and prints, they've easily carved a name for themselves and host an impressive list of celebrity clients as proud VoH customers. 

Whether you're a long-time pinup enthusiast such as myself or a relative newcomer to the scene, Vivien of Holloway have something to offer everyone. I was recently sent this stunning (and aptly named) Jezebel dress and just couldn't wait to dash out for a fun photoshoot to really show it off!

 

As I've recently been committing myself to the world outside of my fashion comfort zone this dress was a great choice. Still in keeping with my personal style, the bold leopard print and fitted style really make this dress a stand-out whilst hugging all of my curves and showing off my shape. 

Whilst once upon a time I'd have balked at the very idea of wearing a fitted pencil dress (especially without a corset or cincher underneath) I now instead jumped at the chance to try something a little different and I am so glad that I did! I felt absolutely incredible in this getup and the way this dress hugged my body increased my confidence tenfold.

This dress is a Vivien of Holloway size 20, which is roughly the equivalent to a UK 16/18. Below you'll find my current measurements and the measurements for this dress in this size, as you'll see there's a fraction of variance but not enough to make any substantial difference. 

My measurements: Bust: 45.5" Waist: 36" Hips: 47.5"

VoH size 20 measurements: Bust: 44" Waist: 36" Hips: 48" 

When thinking of how best to style this dress I decided to go full on rockabilly pinup. I felt as though the leopard print was really begging for some bold and fun accessories so I opted for a feather and rose hair comb, red heels, a black chunky bracelet and a fun little faux septum clicker that I recently acquired from boohoo. I've been toying with the idea of piercing my septum for some time now so this seemed like a perfect way to test the waters (side note; I love it!) 

I hope you enjoy the photos below, and as always I've included an easy little link to buy at the end of this post for all you pinup fans! 

Outfit Details 

Hair Flower: Brighton Market Stall (old)
Faux septum clicker: Boohoo
Bracelet: Accessorize

Dress: Vivien of Holloway

Stockings: What Katie Did

Shoes: BHS (customised with rhinestones) 

What do you think of the Jezebel dress - is Vivien of Holloway a brand that you love too? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time sweethearts, 

Lovelustloves x0

**This dress was gifted to me from Vivien of Holloway but, as always, all thoughts and opinions are 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