Collectif Gretel Gingham Swing Dress Review

When it comes to Vintage dresses there are various styles and prints that will ALWAYS be in style! Polka dots, cherries, swallows and gingham fabrics. 

As you all know when I see something I like the look of I will push and push and push to get hold of it! I first saw this dress modelled by the beautiful Georgina Horne AKA Fuller Figure Fuller Bust. Not only did she give the dress a fantastic review, she was used as the model on the Collectif website. After reading her post on this gorgeous number I knew I had to try and get hold of my own dress. 

I ran down to the Camden store to see what vintage treats I might find and of course scope out the dress! Unfortunately the dress that was in store was a size too small for me as I needed something to accommodate my large bust. I wasn't put off however, my main purpose for this shopping trip was to see if the dress suited me and felt comfortable on. 

To my luck when I was ready to order the dress, Collectif were having a fantastic online sale which I took full advantage of! I ordered this dress in a size 22 Which for me fits really comfortably with plenty of space across my curves and just enough boob room for the cute heart shape buttons not to gape. I already knew that I would wear this dress the same way I wear my others with a bolero and cinch belt. I like to colour coordinate my clothes and so depending on my mood I work from the colours in the dress. White or red accessories and boleros would work with this dress or if you want something a little more striking you could of course add some black hints. 

This is one that I have worn both with and without a petticoat. The photo above was taken as soon as I got the dress out of the packet and tried it on! I love the light weight feel of the fabric and the cute trim. I'll be honest with you; depending on the look you want to achieve and on your body shape you may need to go up a size. This dress is available in UK sizes 6-22 but the fabric doesn't allow for much stretch. If you hold a curvier frame or slightly larger bust I would recommend trying this in a larger size. 

I have to say every time I have worn this dress I have gotten the most amazing compliments from people. It really is a show stopper and you can't help but feel dainty and feminine in this number!

I personally would only wear this dress on warmer days as the fabric is so light but I think there is a lot you could do with this one. If you are trying to get more of a pin-up look then heels or patent flats would be a great addition with maybe a hair flower, and jewellery. You could take this one in another direction and wear it with a denim jacket and brown boots, this would give you more of a country or cowgirl look and would take the style to another dimension. 

As you know I love the clothes from Collectif for their style, versatility and quality so it really is worth giving them a try. Trust me you won't regret it! This dress is still available on their website and in stores.

www.collectif.co.uk

Stock Image Courtesy Of Collectif

Sleek Brow Kit Review

I'm not someone who wears make-up everyday but when I do there are various items that I just can't be without! The one area of my face that I pay the most attention to and provide with the most coverage is my eyes. My eyes are my favourite part of my face and the one area I tend to get the most comments on. Every woman has their favourite eye liner or shadow but for me the one area I spend the most time on is my eyebrows.

In my experience I found that spending loads of time getting my lids perfect became a pointless exercise if I let my eyebrows go untouched or in some cases over touched! I tried so many different things to perfectly frame my eyes; from using pencils, shadows and even eye liner pencil!

A little over a year ago I was walking through a shopping mall and ended up in the beauty section. One of the sales girls offered to give me a little make over with some make-up products. I thought to myself, why not? I might actually learn something here! She pulled out a product that I wasn't familiar with; it was a combination of a pigmented wax and a shadow. This particular product was from Benefit. When she was finished what I saw in the mirror was 2 really defined, yet soft eyebrows that looked fabulous. I didn't have any eye liner or mascara on at the time so I will be totally honest, the look was a little too much on its own. I didn't go back and buy the product however, I loved the end result but I found it rather pricey for what it was. This was also at a time when I wore make-up rather infrequently so I didn't see the need to make the purchase. 

A few weeks later a family friend who is an extremely talented beautician came over to visit with us. Over a conversation I asked her how she managed to get such perfect eyebrows. She then introduced me to a product that is now the most essential item in my make-up bag and something that I always make sure I have! The Brow Kit by Sleek. 

This kit comes in a series of shades to suit all hair colours and all complexions. It's comprised of a pigmented wax and a shadow and comes with mini tweezers, which is always handy. 

My tip when it comes to doing your eyebrows is to go with what works against your complexion. I used to wear black eyebrow make-up because my hair is black and in fact it didn't look so great when I look back at old pictures. The good thing about this kit is the way that you apply the make-up. I always buy the Dark kit and I love the end result! 

The pigmented wax should be applied first and this not only enhances the shape of your eyebrow but it darkens them ever so slightly whilst providing the perfect base for the shadow. I use the triangular shaped brush for this is as I think it provides the best precision. 

The shadow is then applied to finish off the look and the darker you want your eyebrows to look, the more shadow you pile on, it's as simple as that! For this I use the rounded brush. You might find that using the brushes the other way around works better for you depending on the shape of your eye brows and how thick they are.

I tend to thread my eyebrows every so often to get the perfect shape as often tweezers simply just can't grab hold of those tiny little hairs. Having said that every woman has her own routine when it comes to personal grooming and I have also been known to wax those stray hairs from time to time so whatever works for you I would do. 

It should also be noted that one application will last you the entire day! I often wear make-up to work and even if I head out afterwards and come home rather late into the night; my eyebrows will still be in tact! Also your eyebrows won't smear if you're caught in the rain or you're someone who sweats from your brow. I honestly can't sing up this product even more, you should definitely try it out for yourself! This is one that can be purchased in selected superdrug stores, hair and beauty supply stores and of course online. The best part... the kit retails for around £9. I use this kit most days and I have to say it lasts me for around 6-8 months! This is by far my favourite item in my make-up bag and I know you will love it when you try it out too. 

Collectif Dolores Doll Dress Polka Review

When it comes to classic vintage pin-up girls there is one thing that pretty much all of them have in common; at some point they have all worn a classic polka dot dress!

The simple spotted patten is one that has NEVER gone out of style and it continues to be just as popular now as it was decades ago! I think the one thing we ladies have in common when it comes to selecting our dresses is the need to find something that's flattering, stylish and versatile. These were three elements that I found when I picked up my first Dolores Doll Dress from Collectif. Not only was the print those simple but timeless spots, it had all the features of the perfect pin-up dress. I absolutely love the cut of this dress and the little puffed sleeves were just darling. I just love the cinched in waist and the flared skirt as the cut lends to that hour glass shape and hides a multitude of sins! 

This of course is one that you can wear with or without a petticoat and you can wear it pretty much for any occasion! The fabric is 98% cotton 2% elastane, and not only feels great on but sits just right on the curves. Now as I have a rather big bust I have to say that when I wear this I am given a more than impressive cleavage; which is always nice! If you do hold a bigger bust then you'll love this one because there is plenty of room in that area to make you feel comfortable whilst being sexy, but still with heaps of class!

The first time I took this one out on the town was out with friends for my birthday drinks this year and I have to admit not only was I dressed to impress, the compliments I got in this number just kept on coming! Going dancing in a dress that not only feels great, but "swings" with you is just amazing. I even ended up getting myself into a spin with people I hadn't ever met before!

The versatility in this dress goes way beyond it's image. One of the things I love the most about the Dolores style is the fact that you can wear this one out on the town, at a quiet dinner party, for a picnic, formal affair, as a simple day dress, the options are just endless! I have worn this dress countless times and I never get bored of it. I love the fact that unlike some other styles it's not limited to an evening event or formal affair. What you do to jazz it up is simply up to you! 

For me I tend to add a splash of colour to this one with my red boleros, red cinch belts and red petticoats. Of course I pair the ensemble with my red patent flats but you can of course wear this one with heels and that super striking red lipstick that we all love! The black or white dresses leave you open to play around with pretty much any colour. I think a cobalt blue or a pink would look amazing! Having said that I have gone the other way with this one and worked with the black accents in the dress by wearing a black bolero, black cinch belt and my Collectif Dietrich trench coat for additional coverage. Some might decide to add a hair flower or some pearls to the look to give it a whole other dimension. Whatever you want to do the options are endless and so for me this was a must have item to add to my wardrobe! 

I simply cannot rave about this dress enough and if you can't already tell, it's my favourite of my vintage dresses! This one is available in sizes 6-22 and the even better news, most ladies go down a size or two as the fabric has a lot of extra give. For me I decided to go for this one in a 20 so that I could wear it with and without my petticoats and have plenty of room either way. 

Image Courtesy Of Collectif

Model Is Pictured Wearing This One Without A Petticoat 

If you haven't already; it is definitely worth heading down to Collectif to try out some of their Dolores dresses! The polka dot style comes in black, white, red and navy but there is also a wide selection of other prints to try in this style. If you can't make it down to one of the branches you can of course check out their website www.collectif.co.uk

Asos Curve XOXO Bodycon Dress Review

One of the things that I find when it comes to clothes is that people tend to have rather strong opinions when it comes to patters and prints; especially as a plus size woman. It seems that we have a whole other set of rules to follow when it comes to dressing our slightly larger frames. We're told that we can't wear certain colours, stripes have to be all heading in a particular direction and certain fabrics are a blatant no go area!

I personally think that as long as the key message going out to people is about keeping up a healthy lifestyle and not overdoing things in either direction, all the other rules can just go out of the window! In the past few months I have been re-educating myself on what looks and feels good against my skin and what items I should be proud to hang in my wardrobe.  

I think anyone, anywhere has had that "should I, shouldn't I?" moment when it comes to picking out clothes to buy. I found myself facing that exact conundrum when I saw the Asos Curve XOXO print dress online. I think for me the thing that drew me to this dress was the shape, style and print. As you know from a previous post I bought the Geo Print Dress which is a much louder patten and style, but ultimately the same shape and material. 

Images Courtesy Of Asos Curve

For me a dress that can carry itself is one that i'll take note of. It's nice to have a dress that doesn't need a lot of accessioning or additional items worn with it. Like every woman out there I have my certain hang ups and for me I like to have the tops of my arms covered. The mid length sleeves for me were a huge draw as well as the length. The minute I saw this dress I knew it was one I could wear out and about for day casual wear or I could dress it up for a night out. 

The material on this dress wouldn't be thick enough to wear on a cool day as it isn't too thick so if you really did want to take this one out on the town during the autumn or even the winter months, you may want to pair it with some thick tights for coverage. As the fabric is a very clingy and stretchy material I found it hung to my frame quite nicely but as I do have a belly I do need shapewear with this one to smooth myself out and give myself that extra confidence boost. After all if you wear a bold print you're bound to be seen!  I picked up this dress in a size 20 but I think the next one I get like this will be in a 22. I bought this one at the same time as the Geo print. I love the fit but I think i'd prefer something a little looser around the stomach area.

If you did want to jazz this dress up a bit I might suggest some shots of colour maybe a coloured shoe (flats or heels, whatever you prefer) maybe some costume jewellery and coloured eye make-up. 

*Sorry About The Camera Quality In This Pic*

This dress is still available at asos and what's more it's on sale! £15 reduced from £30! 

To see what other amazing items are in the Asos curve range why not check out their site? www.asos.com 

Not only do they have a huge range of accessories and clothes to fit everyone but they have free delivery!