• Demira Gingham Daisy Pencil Dress [Collectif Clothing]

    What a great new style for the Spring/Summer 2020 collection! This bloomin’ gorgeous dress is the Demira Gingham Daisy Pencil dress and is a stand out piece – radiating happy vibes wherever you wear it!

    I managed to bag it in the sale (still currently on) having ummed and ahhed over it since it launched. I absolutely love the bold, bright, print but I was a bit concerned about the higher neckline and puffed sleeves – not things I would normally go for. I almost bought the pencil skirt instead (which is also very cute) but I’m so glad I took a punt and bought the dress – it’s a triumph!

    The puffed sleeves are elasticated and actually add a sweet detail to the top of the dress which is more conservative with a round neck. They’re comfortable on the arms and not tight at all. At the back of the dress, the neckline dips into a lovely v shape and there’s a centre back zip making this easy to get in and out of.

    I found this style to be true to size, with limited stretch at the waist, so if your widest part is there, you may want to size up. It falls on my mid calf giving a great vintage feel and accentuating that wiggle when you walk!

    I wore the Demira with accents of yellow, picked out from the daisy print. This goes really well but you could pair it with white, blue or black accessories if you preferred to be matchy matchy but not so bold with yellow. 

    To get your gingham daisy fix, this dress is still currently 50% off at £26.25 (utter bargain!) and available in all sizes. If a pencil isn’t your thing, then have a look at the other items available in this design too (available here). I’m still thinking I may need a few more pieces in this print, but if you prefer spots over gingham, then Collectif have also just launched this new polka dot design! Which will you choose? x

     

    Also wearing:

    Pineapple bag and cinch belt: Collectif Clothing
    Yellow shoes and Blue shoes: Lulu Hun
    Hair flower: Miss Bella’s Blooms
    Earrings: Bow & Crossbones
    Bangles: Splendette
    Necklace: Vintage

    For reference:
    I’m 4’11” and a standard size 6 in Collectif Clothing, wearing 4 inch heels in the photos.

     

  • 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.

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    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