• Collectif Autumn Winter 23 Preview

    It’s been a joy to get back down to the Big Smoke and see the folks at Collectif again after such a long time. Although we’ve just started Spring/Summer 2023 and we’re being teased with goodies from that collection every week which I can’t wait to get my hands on, I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of some of the new season stock for Autumn/Winter 2023. It will be influenced more by the 1940s instead of the usual 1950s inspiration, but I know a lot of people will be really happy with the increase in 40s items coming to the brand. There will still be some 50s though, so don’t be disheartened if that’s your thing!

    So as it’s still pretty chilly here in Old Blighty, let’s have a little sneaky peek at what’s to come later on in the year. I’ll begin with an old favourite which has had a revamp…..the Alexandria!

    This 40s inspired shirt dress has had a few reincarnations over the years but is always a firm staple. It’s returning in burgundy with the trademark pin tuck details to the front and shoulders with classic elbow length sleeves, but the skirt is now much less full and hangs beautifully, making it a really versatile piece for every day wear for a modern vintage look. It also has pockets! Pop a little cardi or jacket over the top and you’re good to go.

    I also really liked these 1940’s style corduroy trousers with their cute button details on the front and wide, winged, pockets.

    They’re wide legged and fasten with a side zip. So comfortable and easy to wear with knitted tops for the weekend or with a blouse for work. 

    And for those infatuated with 50s vibes and a cute novelty print, I believe the Wild Berry Fields print is coming back in the form of a swing Caterina for AW23!

    This woodland design is so sweet and everyone loves a swing Caterina – what’s not to love about a shirt style dress in an autumnal print when the season starts to shift to brown and orange tones.

    Also on the mid century scale is the Eloise Acres Check pinafore dress which features a fabulous bib top, full swing skirt and has pockets!

    I just love the moss green colour of this check and the buttons go really well with it.

    A new design for next season will be the Penelope Wallflower dress.

    Delicate peach and cream flowers bud from this pretty green dress and features a shawl collar and sleeves with turned up cuffs. It’s a swing style and has a matching belt which isn’t captured in the photo.

    Another new style coming later in the year will be the Diva dress.

    Such a great evening piece to attend your autumn/winter events in. The drape is delicious and falls so elegantly. The velvet is different to those previously used and a little lighter for this slinky number which is perfect for this style of dress enabling it to fall effortlessly. There’s a deep v shape to the front and beautiful shoulder details with fixed ties that fall either side and accentuate the freedom of movement that the dress has.  I can’t wait to swish about in this one!

    I also saw some previews of what’s to come for Spring/Summer 23 and we are in for a treat! I can’t wait for them to launch and for the better weather to be here so we can all prance about in our pretty Collectif prints during Summer before diving into this amazing Autumn/Winter selection! Great things ahead!

    I hope you’ve enjoyed having a little look at what’s to come and let me know which are your favourites! x

     

     

  • Halette College, Brunel Safari and Pacy Velvet Dress Reviews [Collectif Clothing]

    Happy new year, beauties! With the BIG SALE fast upon us, I hope you have your wish lists at the ready! Here are a few reviews for you for a couple of items which will be in the sale and that I really recommend. First off though, is a new season dress which won’t be in the sale, but is an absolute must! It’s even better in the flesh and such a cosy dress to wear.

    The Halette College dress is a knitted style in navy and beige with a college style C on the chest. This is such a cool feature and I love it! The top is fitted and the skirt is loose, but not even a half circle so don’t expect to swoosh, but there is definitely a lovely movement in it – perfect for dancing around Grease style! And look – pockets!!

     

    It has a button up front with domed navy buttons and a matching buckled navy belt. It’s a really comfortable dress to wear and I bought my normal size which fits perfectly. If you’re quite busty, you may want to size up though with the buttons. The length was also great on me hitting my mid calf. It’s an adorable piece and well worth the investment. It’s currently available in all sizes at £59.00.

    So what should you buy in the sale? Well for one, the Brunel Safari dress is unreal! I was so excited to see this almost a year ago and it really doesn’t disappoint. If you’re like me and obsessed with safari dresses – you need this! I don’t usually wear similar colours to my skin tone but I made an exception for this one as it’s such a great design.

    The camel coloured pencil dress has concealed buttons to the front, a matching wide buckled belt and has a sharp collar for ultimate retro safari chic. The v neck is quite low for me so I may add a little popper later on but I actually really like it with the addition of a neck scarf. There are flap pockets on the bust and two pockets on the sides of the skirt.

    It’s really comfortable to wear and has a little stretch in the material. I bought my normal size and it’s spot on for sizing. The sleeves are a little long on me so I’ve shortened them, but that’s just because I’m petite and to be expected, they’ll be fine if you’re average height. It cuts on my mid calf which is a great length for me. Honestly, everyone needs one of these! It’s currently available in all sizes and doesn’t have a sticker on so should be in the sale. The current pre sale price is £65.00 and it’ll be an absolute steal in the sale!

    My next pick is the beautiful Pacy Velvet dress. I have quite a few velvet dresses from Collectif but I never tire of their amazing designs and how they make you feel.

    The Pacy is made of a gorgeous green velvet and has adjustable straps and a sweetheart neckline. The top is boned and has silicone strips to keep everything in place and make everything look fantastic! The skirt billows out into a full swing style which is immense and the best thing for swooshing, especially as it has pockets!!

    There’s also a zip at the centre back with a hook and eye to feel super secure. The fit was great on the top for me and the waist was a little larger for me as it is part of the velvets – and with the velvets you normally size down. I don’t think sizing down would have worked for my chest though, so I’m happy with my normal size and the waist leaves room for an extra pudding, which is always a good thing!

    It’s such a beautiful dress and will suit so many ladies which may have overlooked it for the more traditional velvets like Trixie and Dolores but this one offers lots of support so it’s definitely worth a fling in the sale! It’s available in all sizes except a 22 at the moment and £65.00 pre sale. So I’d recommend you snap this one up!

    Hope you all get the pieces you want in the sale, I’ll add a couple more reviews tomorrow which hopefully will help if you have any questions about the look or fit of an item. I’m also looking out for all the new Spring Summer designs which are about to hit the site and I’ll add those on the blog to review too. Have fun in your pretties and stay safe gals xx

     

    Disclaimer: Some items have been gifted. However, I only give honest opinions about the items I wear and receive and would definitely have been happy to buy them myself.

    Additional info: I’m a standard size 6 in Collectif and I’m 4’11” wearing 4 inch heels.
    Also wearing: lots of lovely Splendette jewellery and Miss Bella’s Blooms hair flowers

  • Carmella Polka Dot Mesh Swing Dress Review [Collectif]

    This darling of a dress was launched last year but was rereleased this Summer and I’m so glad it was! I totally missed out last year having thought – do I really need another evening dress?! Well, clearly the answer was a resounding YES! Always buy the dress haha. 

    It’s such a pretty design with two layers. The overlay is really delicate with a sheer fabric and velvet polka dots scattered over it. It’s fully detachable so you can wear it over other dresses too, which is a great feature.

    It has sweet little buttons (with elastic hoops for ease of closure) to the front and one at the neck where it fastens into a keyhole shape. There’s also a belt which goes through belt hoops on the outer layer too for a snatched waist. My belt was a bit long so I folded it over, but would do my usual trick of a Velcro dot when I’m out on the razzle dazzle!

    As the buttons stop at the waist, the overlay doesn’t meet at the front, so you always catch glimpses of the under dress, which looks really elegant and flattering as you move. The overlay is unfinished at the hem which I really like as you can see the mesh floating over the dress instead of being drawn to a heavy border.

    Underneath, the base of the dress is a strappy bengaline number with a sweetheart neckline. The straps adjust, which is brilliant as it can fit taller and shorter gals in one short tweak of the straps. I always size up once when I buy anything made from bengaline and I made the right choice with the larger size for this one. Aside from that, it’s a perfect fit and I really like the length which is cut on my mid calf as all good vintage dresses should be. I’m thrilled with it! It’s a full swing skirt so I’ll likely wear a petticoat underneath it for a more fancy pants look, but in the summer sun, I couldn’t handle a petti! 

    Squinty McSquinty in the Summer sun

    Just look at those gorgeous little sleeves and the shirt style collar! To die for. If you missed out on the Carmella Polka Dot dress too, or overlooked it by any chance, it’s reduced down in the sale to an amazing £27 from £90! The mid range sizes are all still available at the time of writing so I’d bag yourself this bargain (and size up once) – you won’t regret it!

    Now, off to a socially distanced, end of summer soirée!

     

    For reference: 
    I’m 4’11” and wearing 4 inch heels in the photos. I’m a standard size 6 in Collectif, but wearing a size 8 in this one which is the size of a 6.

    Also wearing:
    Earrings: Starlet Jewellery
    Hair Flower: High Street 
    Sunnies: Collectif old stock
    Shoes: Iron Fist old stock

  • [London Edge Feb 2020 Part 5] Voodoo Vixen, Hell Bunny & More!

    As we take a little tour of the trade floor, I thought I’d show you some more highlights from the show. There were some great displays from so many brands and fab to see so many independent retailers exhibiting.

    The featured photo above shows a stunning display by The Seamstress of Bloomsbury. They always have a wonderfully vintage stand combined with Classic Bags in Bloom, whose bags are hand finished in the UK and look absolutely adorable with their vintage styling. 

    Hell Bunny always have a great centre spot showcasing their existing and upcoming designs.

    There were a few favourites I saw hitting the runway.

    Hell Bunny Python Rose Dress
    Hell Bunny Viva Las Vegas Top and Skirt
    Hell Bunny Pina Colada Dress and Noa Noa Mid Dress

    I particularly like the tropical Tiki print of the Noa Noa dress above which is full of exotic birds, palm frongs and hibiscus flowers – the perfect summer print! 

    Hell Bunny also had a range of shoes on display and I’m a sucker for a polka dot peep toe, especially if it has a bow on it. LOVE.

    Moving on to Voodoo Vixen with their exciting collaboration for Summer called Unreal Redheads (so I’m aptly drawn to it!). I really loved the cute designs and pastel shades of these two.

    This is the Trixie Gingham dress and features a pastel rainbow gingham with love heart pockets and buttons – adorable!

    The Hayley prom dress is a real head turner. I have a similar design which was hand made for me about 8 years ago as it’s such a classic vintage evening style and looks amazing on all shapes and sizes. Mine wasn’t resplendent in rainbow tulle though! I love it when straps sit delicately on the shoulders and the detailed pleating on the bust is fantastic.

    Beautiful tulle pleats

    The Jinkx Floral Tropical Print dress also stood out for me with it’s gloriously leafy and floral design. 

    The sweetheart neckline combined with heart buttons and elasticated sides for a perfect fit make this a great choice for holiday season.

    There were also some fun novelty bags from Voodoo Vixen – and I do love a novelty bag! I especially like the camera bags:

    It was also exciting to see Daisy Dapper at London Edge which are based in Sweden.  Their stand was filled with elegantly styled, vintage inspired, pieces and some were adorned with daisies!

    Lastly for today, my favourite piece from Banned Retro, was this Summer Sail Dress with it’s sweet open collar and border print full of bright sailing boats:

    I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour around London Edge, look out for the next instalment which will include Collectif Autumn/Winter 2020 range. Subscribe below to be notified when the post goes live x

     

  • Edith Velvet Jewel Dress [Voodoo Vixen]

    Something a little different for me today. As a size 6, a lot of the reproduction vintage brands don’t cater for me so I often look longingly, but can’t buy. That was until I happened across this absolute beaut of a dress. I’d seen it on others but hadn’t realised there were size 6’s floating around on the internet. Even better than that, I managed to snap it up in the sale, so this £58.00 dress cost me a mere £18! 

    Occasionally, Voodoo Vixen include my size on random items but I never seem to be in the right place at the right time for them, so I was absolutely thrilled to bag this beauty.

    The Edith gown is a 1930’s inspired, full length gown in sumptuous green ribbed velvet. There are full length sleeves with gorgeous little covered buttons and a daring plunge neckline. The detailing under the bust with gathering and pleats is stunning and adds that typically ‘column’ like silhouette of that era.

    Now, for someone that doesn’t really have much going on up top, I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t be able to fill it! To my surprise, I actually look like I have a reasonable bust in this dress. It’s a very deceiving dress ha! 

    The classic 30’s silhouette was all about long, elongated shapes in a glamorous Old Hollywood style. This dress perfectly encapsulates that and makes little ‘ole me at 4’11” feel like I’ve grown a foot. Obviously I still look short as soon as someone stands next to me…..but for now, I can live out my tall girl fantasies!

    The Edith dress is also available in a soft pink and a very flattering grey, and this emerald green version is also still currently on the main site at £58.00 (here).

  • Party Time! Collectif Florence Dress Review

    With Halloween now behind us, my thoughts spring forward to festive events and all the upcoming parties we’ll be attending. With that in mind, I had to share the beautiful Florence Occasion Swing Dress from Collectif, which is the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in a long time!

    The sweetheart neckline is divine and the bodice is boned for a great fit. The trim is all in black velvet (yummy) and the straps (also velvet) are adjustable – woohoo! I do love an adjustable strap.

    Adjustable straps + boning = winning!

    The velvet adornment continues at the front with a cute bow detail and the swing style skirt is hemmed with a velvet edge too. It’s extra pouffy from a netted underskirt, followed by a black satin overlay, and finished with the most amazing tulle layer covered in glittery polka dots which graduate with an ombre effect. This is a total head turner of a dress and you will bedazzle everyone! I can’t tell you how in love I am with it (though you’re clearly getting the gist). 

    Beauiful ombre detail on the glitter drops and velvet bow to the front.
    Satin layer with glitter drops tulle overlay, and velvet hem trim details

    The fit is bang on true to size, so if you’re in between sizes, you should size up as the waist doesn’t stretch.

    I’ll be donning this fabulous beauty of a vintage inspired gown at the next Collectif Party, and I can’t wait to see where you all wear yours too! For more occasionwear inspo, I’ll be adding a few more posts soon with more options to look the belle of the ball this year. Bring on the fairy lights and champagne coupes!

    Ready to party!

    UPDATE: By happy coincidence, the Collectif x Modcloth version of this dress has also just launched today. You can find it here. It’s a little cheaper and doesn’t have the velvet edged hem but is just as pretty.

    Also wearing:
    Gloves – Original vintage evening gloves from an antiques fair a long time ago 
    Shoes – Lulu Hun Susan Heels in black
    Earrings – Collectif Clothing Mansfield Hoops
    Dress – from Cherry Red Vintage

  • Collectif Emery Dress Review

    This divine, blue satin, gown dropped into the Spring/Summer collection recently and it is such a pretty dress; I knew it would be perfect for a wedding I’ll be attending this summer so snapped it up.

    It features a bardot crossover neckline with fold over vintage styling to the collar which wraps all the way around. The skirt hangs beautifully with the box pleats, though I’ve also added a petticoat underneath mine too for extra fullness (I will steam it, I just couldn’t wait to try it!).

    The bodice is boned giving it great structure and there are rubbery strips on the inside of the dress which keep this gorgeous dress firmly in place. The bust is padded which is an awesome feature for anyone wanting to go braless. I  wore mine with a strapless bra though.

    Here’s the view from the back – I love the sweeping v shaped detail on the collar line.

    Fit wise, I found it quite roomy in the bust area and will need to make some small adjustments. If you’re busty, this won’t be a problem! The waist was true to size and the length was a perfect vintage cut on my calf.

    I highly recommend the Emery dress for any summer occasion you have coming up. It would look fantastic at a prom or swing dance too!

    It’s available in sizes 6-22 and is dry clean only – so no testing it in the washing machine, lovelies! Have fun being twirled around in this amazing frock!

     

    For reference, I’m a true size 6 (33:24:33) and bought the 6. I’m 4’11” and wore 4 inch heels in the photo.