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Gemma Western Cactus Shirt [Collectif]
I swear sometimes Collectif read my mind. Lately I’ve been hankering after a good western shirt with long sleeves, and lo and behold – one appears on the website! So obviously I snapped it up and it was delivered the very next day. Superb!
The Gemma Western Cactus Shirt is made from black cotton and features a fabulous embroidered cactus design emblazoned on the front. There’s a dainty collar with piped green edges and a row of red popper style buttons.
The pattern also has western style swirls in green and to add a little sparkle, there’s studs dotted through the design which catch the light beautifully.
It has long sleeves which end with matching green faux winged cuffs and feature two, red, popper buttons. I love how it all ties in together and the green, black and red work really well together.
The shirt is a fitted style with darts for a more tailored finish. The length is great for me – enough to tuck in to high waisted bottoms or you could wear it over if you prefer (I’m a tucker inf’er). It fits perfectly and is true to size for me. The cotton is light enough to wear over Summer and I’ll be adding a cardi for Autumn. It’s one I’ll want to wear from season to season.
I wore it with a black denim mini skirt and cowboy boots to continue the western theme. I’ll also wear it with high waisted jeans, black shorts and red trousers for alternative looks.
The Gemma Shirt is available here in sizes 4-22 and costs £49.00. Are you a fan of the vintage western look?
For Reference:
I’m 4’11” and wearing 2.64” heels. I’m a standard size 6 in Collectif and wearing a size 6 in the photos above.Also wearing:
Denim Skirt: PrettyLittleThing
Boots: PU from Zulily
Hair Flower and Sunnies: Collectif previous seasons -
How Star Will You Go Dress Review [Harkel Clothing]
Something a little different to round the week off – though not too much of a stretch as I’m easily won over by atomic stars!
The How Star Will You Go dress by Harkel Clothing is a really cool little shirt dress with an all over celestial print featuring an array of bright stars and planets. It has a Peter Pan style collar which you can do up to the top if you prefer, but I like to leave shirt styles open.
It comes with its own thin blue belt but I swapped it out for a wide red one to tie in with my hair and accessories instead. You could get away with lots of belt options as there as so many colours you could pick out from the design. It also has round buttons with a moulded star shape on them which I thought was a nice feature.
It has a fitted bodice and full gathered skirt with two seam pockets which is great. Harkel don’t sell my size so I checked the sizing guide and the 8 was more of a 6-8 measurement so I took a punt. It is a little roomy on me but the good thing with shirt dresses is you can pull them in with the belt and nobody would know! It’s pretty bang on a 6-8 rather than a true 8 so I’m really chuffed to get away with it. The individual sizing charts are a really handy feature on each item. It sits just below my knees which is a good length for me. It will obviously be shorter on taller gals and in their description they note it’s aimed to be above the knee, so expect it to be cute and short if you’ve got those extra inches I don’t have hehe.
If you’re looking for some different styles to add to your wardrobe, it’s worth a look. I stay pretty much with 50’s styling but this is such an easy wear with a stand out print so it really caught my eye and I’m glad I went for it. Delivery was pretty quick.
I ordered this last month when it had 50% off and though that ship has now sailed, Harkel are always on sale and currently doing a promo with 40% off (code HAPPY40) so it’s still a good price and available currently in sizes 8-20 (no size 12’s though sorry dolls) x
Further info:
I’m 4’11” wearing 4.5 inch heels and a standard size 6 in clothing and ordered the 8 in the dress above. It’s more like a 6-8 than a true 8, a little roomy to be expected but not too much. Use the size guide on the product page to ensure you order the right size for you.Also wearing:
Splendette bangles
Orchid hairpiece from the high street
True vintage belt -
Mirtilla Oranges Pencil Dress Review [Collectif Clothing]
We’ve reached the end of another week – a miserable one here in the UK sadly with all the rain (but our gardens are thankful!). Better weather is on its way though and what better way to hold on to hopes of blue skies and endless sunshine than by adorning yourself with a taste of Spain (when I see sweet juicy oranges, I always think of Valencia).
I managed to purchase this one during the 50% off sale and my size happened to appear (it was meant to be!) so I snapped it up immediately. The Mirtilla style is new this season and what a fab little pencil she is! Emblazoned with oranges on a navy cotton sateen, she has a casual feel with the polo style top but still dressy with the tailored wiggle. I absolutely love this new design, especially the bespoke orange print, it’s just delicious.
The collar has a couple of buttons to the front and turn up sleeves on the arms. There is a side zip on this one which, to be honest, I found incredibly difficult to get on with a pencil style. They work much better for swing dresses and I do wish it had a centre back zip instead as I have to ruin my hair to get it on. I much prefer to step into dresses and I felt a bit like I needed to be double jointed to get into it with side zip haha. Once on though, it’s super comfortable to wear and it has just the right amount of stretch.
It falls on my mid calf which is just perfect for a good vintage length. I love that it’s more of a casual style but still in my beloved pencil shape. I really hope to see more of this design returning (but fingers crossed for a centre back zip). There are also swing versions of this design if you’re not a pencil lovin’ kinda gal, but not in the oranges print.
I paired mine with the orange Billie cinch belt and Natalie orange bead necklace from last year’s Collectif accessories, the parasol I picked up at a Collectif outlet sale event a couple of years ago, the Aaliyah orange orchid hair flower from earlier this season at Collectif, shoes from Lulu Hun (featured earlier on the blog, here) and bangles by Splendette and Bow & Crossbones which were a perfect match with this dress. I felt totally tropical! Bring back sunny days x
For reference:
I’m 4’11 and wearing 4″ heels, I’m a standard size 6 in Collectif and no alterations have been made. -
Chrissie Lobster and Cactus Jumper [Collectif Clothing]
I’m a long time fan of the Chrissie jumpers, with their cute puffed shoulders, round neck and cropped length, they’re always perfect for pairing with trousers and skirts or popping under a cardigan for a twin set feel. However, Collectif have really knocked it out of the park with the novelty style Chrissie jumpers which are new this season! I absolutely love a novelty print, so these made my heart smile.
The cactus version has a vivid green pattern on black and is a really stand out print.
I tucked mine into my Frankie swing trousers (oh how I wish Collectif would remake this style!) and added a bangle stack and green and black jewellery to accessorise. The fit is true to size but a little looser than the next I found.
The lobster print is amazing! Who doesn’t love a lobster design? The bright red lobsters on navy make a real statement with its chevron pattern.
I wore it with my Trouble Maker jeans from last year and red and blue accessories.
As mentioned earlier, the lobster fits slightly more snug than the Cactus version on me, both still true to size though.
They’re 100% cotton and easy to wash and wear, they keep really well. I have Chrissie jumpers from years ago that have worn really well.
The Cactus version is currently available in all sizes except 10 at the time of writing, and the Lobster is available from sizes 8-22. Both priced at £37.50.
Also wearing:
Necklace and Earrings: Natalie Bead Set and Tiki Earrings both by Collectif Clothing
Bangles: Splendette and Bow & Crossbones
Trousers and Jeans: both Collectif Clothing (old season stock)For reference:
I’m a standard size 6 in Collectif Clothing and wearing my normal size. I’m 4’11” and wearing 4 inch heels. -
[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.
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.
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
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Collectif SS19 – just add sunshine!
Hello lovelies, hope you’re all managing to wade through January and sale time has helped put smiles on your faces. I always look forward to the sales (though this year I haven’t bought much as I’ve been lucky to get what I wanted through the season), but more so as I know it’s the beginning of the new season stock which starts to dribble in.
I’ve bought a few pieces already and thought I’d share them with you, including review information so those of you wanting to buy the pieces can get some fit advice before ordering. I’ll also be doing a full run down of the whole spring/summer collection but that will be in a separate post (as there’s just too many goodies to talk about here!).
So, first up, skirts! These are the two I bought which caught my eye last year:
The Tropical Palm skirt is kind of a mix of last year’s ric rac and cactus skirts crossed with the cherry vintage skirt – a longer length and more of a half swing than full skirt, with the addition of a wide belt with holes which is fantastic. No pockets, but it hangs beautifully. I’ve paired it with the Chrissie black jumper below as it’s a bit too cold for summer tops right now and I think it works really well for brightening up wintry days too.
I love leaf prints and monstera leaves in particular, so this design screamed ‘buy me’ as soon as I saw it. The greens are so bright and add a lovely detail to the bottom of the skirt.
The skirt material has stretch and if you’re in between sizes, you should be fine to order your normal size. I ordered my normal size and there’s still a little room left for puddings – perfect! The skirt is a little longer for some with petite gal problems, but I actually like this length on me and would wear it with flats too. It’s a good length even for petites and has a zip at the back.
There is also a matching cardigan to this which I’ll be bagging to be matchy-matchy of course!
Next up is the Josie Crab Skirt – look how cute this is! Little red crabs on patch pockets and a rope tie belt for a jaunty, nautical, theme (I’m wearing it with the navy Penny top).
The material is really lovely with a nice sheen to it. I’ve chosen to tie the rope belt just at the front and in a bow, though it does fit the whole way around if you wanted to wear it differently. There’s lots of volume in the skirt and the length is good. There is stretch to the material and waistband so order your normal size. It has a zip at the centre back .
Again, there will be a matching cardigan available if you wanted to wear the whole ensemble.
Moving on to dresses (my favourite category, obviously). The Jemima Polka dot frock was the stand out dress for me at the previews last year. With its cute pastel dots on a cream background, pearl buttons, sweetheart neckline and matching belt with holes – dreamy!
The fabric is really good quality and has a linen look to it but it’s cotton – which is great as I’m always worried about showing my wares when fabric is such a light colour! It’s not at all see through so no need to worry about that.
It has deep set, side seam pockets. The only thing I would have preferred is to have adjustable straps (they are fixed), so I’ll need to move these a little for my frame but an averaged height gal will have no such issues. The buttons to the front all open, there isn’t a zip. The fabric has a light stretch so if you’re in between sizes you’ll be fine to order your normal size. I found it true to size on the bust so if you’re lucky enough to be larger than a D cup, you may want to size up. This dress is also available in black (more like a muted black as this is a pastel princess’s dream so a hard black would look too harsh).
Finally, I bought the Jade Tropical Fruit dress. You’ll recognise the print from the skirt version which was released last year. Unfortunately I can’t wear the border print skirts as they’re too long for me and shortening them would ruin the detail, so I missed out on this fabulous fun print last time. I have around 6/7 Jade dresses as the style is so flattering and snapped this one up as soon as it was released as a dress.
The fruity novelty design on this dress is so much fun! I can’t wait to wear it in the summer.
As with all the Jades, it has side seam pockets, pretty double strap detailing with a bow (the straps are adjustable, yessss!), a concealed back zip, full skirt, sweetheart neckline and a wide belt with holes. The length is great on me, it hits at mid shin (a flattering vintage length) and being cinched in with a belt is always a style I favour. The fabric is quite stretchy compared to my other Jades and this one is definitely a little looser on me on the top half, so some of you could size down in this if you’re not busty (if you are, hurrah, there’s lots of room!). I may run the sides in just a little as this doesn’t come in a smaller size for me, but I’m very glad to get my hands on it and add to my Jade obsession. I also have a shoe collection to rival Imelda Marcos, but have suddenly realised, I don’t own any orange shoes! This will need to be rectified, obviously.
Another early release is the much loved Nova Rainbow dress. I was lucky enough to buy this last year in the limited run that was produced, but it’s out again now and I know many of you missed it, so there’s another chance to bag it. This is a really special dress, with hidden pockets at the side, purple belt with holes and delicate straps which are adjustable. It is true to size and a little bit stretchy so you’ll be fine in your normal size. Spread rainbow joy everywhere!
I hope you’ve enjoyed a little glimpse of the new stock in real life pics and I’ll add my full new season stock review soon. Now, we just need some sunshine and we’re good to go!
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For reference, I am a size 6 (33:24:33) and 4’11”, usually wearing 3 inch heels in my photos.
All items above were purchased from the lovely Into The Moon (super speedy delivery!).