• Catalina Knitted Dress Review [Collectif Clothing]

    Hey there, Autumn! It’s been a while and the chillier weather has now descended with darker evenings drawing in. It’s definitely time to think about cosy knits and keeping warm as glamorously as possible.

    The Catalina dress by Collectif is a great option for staying toasty as it has a ribbed fabric and long sleeves. 

    You can see the material is really substantial and it feels warm to wear. It also comes with a brown, faux leather, buckled belt – though this did crack as soon as I threaded the belt through, so I’ll likely use another with it.

    It has a wide, scooped, neckline which is quite open and looks better with a strapless bra than one with straps as it sits so broadly. The waist is semi fitted giving a slightly tailored look, and the skirt is a half swing with plenty to swish about but not enough for a full petticoat (a cotton one for winter would be good). Unfortunately there isn’t any lining so it’ll stick to tights (which I was wearing) but I tend to pop a half slip on to prevent this – a light spritz of hairspray on the underside is a good little trick too, but don’t stand next to any naked flames!

    I love that it’s so easy to throw on (no zips or buttons) and you can dress it up or down. I chose to wear it casually with my faithful Lulu Hun western boots (previous review here and you can still find small sizes in the other colour way here) which tied in perfectly with the brown from the belt.

    The fit is really good and the fabric is stretchy. I have it in my normal size and the length is just past the knees which is great for vintage looks. It will become an Autumn staple for me and I’ll pair it with small heeled ankle boots as well as heels to change the look.

    I adore the knitted styles from Collectif and hope there will be more in further Autumn/Winter ranges. Sadly there aren’t any pockets in this design, so maybe it could return with those next time (fingers crossed!). Currently the Catalina swing is available in a few sizes on the website at £64.99, and for those that prefer a pencil dress, there’s a wine coloured version in sizes 10-22 for £58.99 too. But Black Friday is coming so maybe you’ll get a cheeky discount! x (Edit: Black Friday code is now live. Use BF50 for 50% of this style)

     

     

    The boring bit, if it helps:
    I’m a standard size 6 in Collectif Clothing and wearing a 6 in the photos above. My stats are 33:24:33 and I’m 4’11” in height.

    Also wearing:
    Hair Flowers by Miss Bella’s Blooms
    Bangles and earrings by Splendette
    Kira Necklace by Collectif 
    Jolene Boots by Lulu Hun
    Brooch by Erstwilder

     

  • 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