• Supplier Spotlight: ilovethe50s.com and Collectif Fairy Palm Dress Review

    Today’s review is of the Collectif Fairy Vintage Palm Dress in green which is such a summery print. I really like the colour of this one, giving off totally tropical safari vibes.

    The Fairy dresses are such an easy style to wear, I think I have around 5/6 of these beauties (maybe more – who knows what’s in the depths of my Collectif wardrobes!). They always feel really comfortable with their slight stretch in the fabrics, elasticated shirring panel to the back and adjustable spaghetti straps – making this an ideal choice for everyone to express their summer vintage style.

    Showing the elasticated panel to the back

    The dress is a pull on style (no zips to worry about) and features a full skirt. Those who love a petticoat will find it roomy enough to put one underneath should you wish to. I have it in my normal size and find it a perfect fit. I could probably size down, (as it has that light stretch and the elasticated panel), but I prefer my normal Collectif size as it then allows for comfort after eating. Bigger busted ladies, you’ll find it has ample room and the shirring expands to accommodate the ladies, so I’d buy your normal Collectif size. If you prefer a tighter pin up fit though, you may want to size down one.

    I love the detailing to the bust with these styles too – the prettiest of pleats meet at the centre of the bust where there’s a sweetheart neckline and matching green buttons all the way to the waist (which are just for show).

    Close up of the front pleat details and buttons

    The large, white, palm tree print is just fab and really goes so well with the green. Add some bamboo bangles and earrings for a Tiki inspired look or some flat sandals and a cute sun hat for  shopping on a summer’s day. It’s a very versatile dress and lends itself to being dressed up or down.

    White palm tree print on green, with the Carrie bangle and some Splendette

    I teamed mine with red (with hints of green), adding the belt from my Dakota skirt and my red Lulu Hun Veronica Heels (previous reviews of both on the blog) to make the green really pop. I’ve also added the Carrie bangles, the red Natalie bead set and an assortment of green styles from Splendette too.

    Accessorised with red
    Basking in the sunshine in my fairy dress

    To snap this dress up, and others from Collectif, my readers receive a special discount rate from the fabulous Ilovethe50s.com. Use the code ELLE at checkout to receive 20% off Collectif dresses on their site!

    They also stock a range of other brands and you’ll find some gorgeous Splendette goodies on there too. The website is run by the very lovely Karen, and all orders include FREE DELIVERY! It’s very easy to use, brands are listed clearly to search by and, once at checkout, you can use Paypal, Amazon Pay or Google Pay for a faster service or choose to pay by card. There are also speedier delivery options – first class is only £1 and there are next day options too if you need it super fast. If you sign up to the newsletter, you’ll also hear news first and receive notice of any further discounts on the site.

    The website began last year when Karen decided she wanted to change her work life and offer a range of beautiful vintage clothing and accessories which flatter everyone, regardless of your age or clothes size – something I’m very passionate about too as a 40 something! There’s a great range available so enjoy the discount gorgeous gals!

    Please note the discount code will run until the 31st May 2019. If you’ve enjoyed reading the blog and are interested to know more, please click subscribe at the bottom of the page for more reviews, info and discounts as they go live.

    __________________________________________

    Disclaimer: Gifted ad – this piece was gifted in exchange for an honest review and a discount for my readers. All thoughts are my own and I would happily purchase from this company. Please contact me via my Instagram for collab work or ads.

    Stats for reference: I take a standard size 6 in Collectif clothing (33:24:33) and  I’m 4’11”, wearing 3 inch heels in the photos.

    I’m also wearing:
    Bangles: Splendette
    Sunglasses: Collectif (previous season)
    Hairflower: Ebay a few years ago
    Parasol: Collectif (bought from the outlet sale in Feb)

  • Supplier Spotlight: SilkFred.com and Collectif Jemima Review

    With so many online shopping sites popping up, it’s difficult to know who to trust sometimes. I’d seen SilkFred appear on my social media newsfeed occasionally but I wasn’t really properly aware of them until recently – when I found they now stock Collectif!

    SilkFred are an online company based in London which provides a sales platform for a range of boutique, independent, brands. So if you’re looking for something a little different, SilkFred is a pretty good option to start your search! You can find other reproduction vintage brands like Glamour Bunny on there too, accessories from Crown and Glory or maybe some true vintage to add to your wardrobe, like Pop Sick Vintage?

    I made a beeline for the Collectif store front (obviously) as I saw they had in stock the Jemima dress I’d been after, in my size! (yes, a chorus of ‘Hallelujah’ did start playing in my head when I saw it). Out of stock everywhere else, it was meant to beeeee! I already have the cream version which I bought back in January when it first launched (see full review of the dress here). Do you ever get buyer’s regret? I’ll be honest, it doesn’t happen to me often (I’m like a good soldier and never leave a pretty dress behind!)…..but as I’d bought quite a lot of new releases, I decided to buy just the one colourway of the Jemima and go with cream, leaving the black behind.

    BIG mistake! I couldn’t get her out of my mind, could I?! Typically she was super popular and snapped up by everyone so I thought all was lost. Then SilkFred came to the rescue! I quickly bagged myself a 6 and had spoken to Collectif about the company – it’s all legit and the process is exactly the same as if you order via Collectif direct. It was easy to register, checkout and I received my DPD updates and speedy courier delivery as always. The great thing about SilkFred is there is FREE DELIVERY on orders over £50! so you save money on shipping too. I like that they use their own photos as well, so you can see how it looks styled differently and at diffferent angles, which you may not have previously seen on the main website.

    I was super happy with my purchase. I’d signed up for SilkFred updates and they notify me of certain things (you can opt out of this if you prefer). Apparently they send discounts that way too so it’s always worth signing up to a newsletter I think.

    Overall, it’s a great format in addition to the main site and gives us another outlet to buy from – which is always a good thing. So if anyone is unsure, go for it!

    Obviously I’m over the moon with my black Jemima dress – still available in most sizes on the main site (here) or on SilkFred (here). I found it came up slightly smaller than my cream version (though still true to size), so order up if you’re in between sizes or busty. I’ll be using SilkFred again in future (alongside the main site), as it gets a huge thumbs up from me. And now my wardrobe is complete……until the next dress release!

    Collectif Jemima dress in black

     

    Outfit details:

    Dress: Collectif
    Jewellery Set: Collectif
    Sunglasses: Collectif
    Bangles: Collectif and Bow & Crossbones
    Shoes: Lulu Hun
    Hair Flower: Miss Bella’s Blooms
    Brooch: Erstwilder

    All products bought by me and the thoughts expressed are my own.

     

     

     

  • Collectif Margherita Sun Check Dress Review

    Happy bank holiday everyone! I think we were spoilt with the last one where we were all basking in the sunshine – this is definitely more like a British bank holiday! Hope you’re not too chilly and able to enjoy it in your pretties none the less.

    I was lucky enough to be treated to this absolutely gorgeous dress for my birthday at the end of last month. This beauty just screams Spring is here and brightens up any dull day. I first saw her at a trade show last year and ever since then, I’ve waited patiently for her to drop on to the website.

    Collectif Margherita at Trade Show

    The Margherita Sun Check Swing Dress is a wonderfully bright yellow shirt dress with 3/4 sleeves and a large gingham print (bright yellow and a pale yellow on white). She has a belt similar to those of the previous Aida Zak collections which I’ve been harping on about recently – they look so fitting for the era (it’s a matching yellow belt with pale yellow plastic slider which stay put without the use of holes).

    Of course, this awesome dress has pockets to keep us all happy as well as really cute details on the sleeves (which are turned up) and the collar (which is a little wider than a Caterina, for instance). Both of these features are reminiscent of the 50’s. I also really like the circular, yellow, buttons they’ve chosen too.

    Collectif Margherita close up details

    Margherita doesn’t have a full circle skirt but it’s not a-line either – she’s somewhere in between and I definitely prefer this flared style. There’s enough fullness without the need for a petticoat which can get very hot in the summer.

    It’s also worth noting that this new style is a little shorter – which is perfect for us petites! I was absolutely delighted to find her sitting just below my knee. This literally never happens with dresses! The skirt length is 23 inches, so those on the taller side may not find it suitable, but it’s a dream for any of us that are vertically challenged.

    Fit wise, I find this truly spot on and fitted me perfectly. If you have a large bust, I’d size up to accommodate the button closure, or if you have wide arms, again, you may want to size up for the sleeves.

    This dress is so perfect and even better than I’d hoped for – when you fall in love with a dress you’ve only seen in a different size, you hope she’s going to be right for your own body shape….and this one felt made for me.

    Collectif Margherita, Erstwilder and Miss Bella’s Blooms

    I’ve paired her with red here but she looks great with so many other colours too – like green, turquoise, navy, pink, lilac etc, so whether you want to mute it a little with a complimentary pastel or turn up the brights even more (as I have), you can as it lends itself well to both.

    If you fancy a slice of Margherita (see what I did there? cheesy, I know – oh, there’s no stopping her!) she’s on the site now for £75 with free delivery (free delivery only lasts until the end of today – Monday 6th May 11:59 GMT) and is available in all sizes from 6-22. She’s a must for your wardrobe but there are alternatives if she’s not quite right for you – check out this beautiful print in all the other styles here.

    ___________________________________________

    For reference, I’m 4’11” wearing 3 1/4 inch heels and I’m 33:24:33

    Photo details (what I’m wearing):

    Sunglasses: Collectif (previous season)
    Bangles: Collectif Carrie and Bow & Crossbones
    Necklace and Earring Set: Collectif Natalie in red
    Shoes: Lulu Hun Juliette (last season)
    Brooch: Erstwilder
    Hair Flowers: Miss Bella’s Blooms

  • 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:

    Tropical Palm Skirt at the preview

    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. 

    Tropical Palm Skirt

    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.

    Tropical Palm skirt detail

    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! 

    Tropical Palm Cardigan at the preview

    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).

    Josie Crab Skirt

    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 .

    Josie Crab details

    Again, there will be a matching cardigan available if you wanted to wear the whole ensemble.

    Matching Crab Cardi

    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! 

    Jemima Dress
    Jemima at the preview
    Jemima close up detail

    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.

    Jemima Fabric Detail (actual colour)

    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).

    Jemima in black

    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.

    Jade Oranges dress

    The fruity novelty design on this dress is so much fun! I can’t wait to wear it in the summer. 

    Jade detail
    Jade detail

    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!

    Nova Rainbow Dress

    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!

     

     

    ___________________________________________________________________

    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!).