Let me start by saying how awful this day is to me and most of the world. You all know why, so I won’t go into detail with that. I was wondering whether I should even post today but I haven’t blogged in such a long time and also, I wanted to take my mind off this international disaster that is the US election. Hope it takes your thoughts away for a second too, even though we are living some fearful times right now. Actually, I have always found consolation in fashion and playing dress-up so why not!
A few months ago I visited Moda in Birmingham as I do every six months – we strolled around the show for two days and on Monday, I, Anna, Cha and Ruth (our little Moda gang) headed to the Moda after party, which was held at the Skyline bar right next to the NEC centre. Both me and Anna were wearing our Collectif dresses like a pair of pinup princesses and thus we were delighted when we saw another gal wearing a fluffy petticoat across the bar! I immediately approached her to ask if she was wearing two petticoats (as her dress looked like a cream puff, in a good way!) and she told me yes, indeed she was. The stunner worked for Lindy Bop which is a brand I have recommended for busty girls before here on my blog. Today I would like to tell you about the ultimate full-busted pinup basics, the Octavia dress and the Lindy Bop navy petticoat – let’s jump on to the review! *These items were kindly sent to me by Lindy Bop. All opinions are my own.*
I have a bit of experience with the original version of Octavia, that is the Ophelia dress. I don’t have a lot of insight to how the dresses differ from each other, but at least the description of the Octavia dress says it’s fully lined so that might be an improvement to the original Ophelia dress. I am so annoyed I don’t have my original Ophelia anymore as I can’t compare them now in flesh!
The Octavia dress as well as the Ophelia come in several solid colour combinations as well as multiple prints, floral and also seasonal ones. I think Lindy Bop has been upping their print game A LOT recently and the site is so full of fantastic prints from Alice in Wonderland to masquerade and fireworks that it makes the shopping task a difficult one – I can’t just pick a couple because I want them all! As I was recommended the Octavia dress for a fuller bust, I decided to go for the Eiffel print as I am big lover of Paris and I liked its colour combo of different shades of blue.
The shape of the dress is fantastic in my opinion and I really like how Lindy Bop have recently come up with a sleeved version of it, named Sloane. Would be interesting to try if it’d fit these guns, hehe! The reason why these three styles – Ophelia, Octavia and Sloane – fit a fuller bust is the ruched cross-over bust that suits a multitude of breast sizes. The skirt part of the dress is a full circle, which is something I can always appreciate as a full-time pinup – more fabric means more puff with a proper underskirt!
I personally feel the Octavia is quite a versatile dress; if you wear pinup attire everyday all-day, then you might even wear some of the solids and prints to uni like I did today. Then again, they could be your special occasion attire or the perfect dresses for a date night or a night out with the girls. I find this particular dress style and print most suitable for movie theater and dinner dates, and more casual festive events such as birthdays. Also, you can always get a more festive satin version of the dress if you need something for a wedding or other formal events! The coverage of the bust is luckily adjustable, so you can make it more modest if you feel like it. In the pictures, I have pulled up the ruching a bit to cover my boobs just a tiny bit more – however, there is still always a hint of cleavage with my boob size, so don’t be fooled if you are fuller busted like me!
What I have found most trying with Lindy Bop is their sizing. Everything else works pretty much flawlessly with them – the customer service is great and shipping super fast. Even the fabrics used are usually very high quality for the price (for example the Octavia is 97% cotton, 3% elastane and as said, fully lined). Sizes though are a bit trickier case – but I do have to say that personally, I have been pretty much the same size with them with each dress.
I seem to be lurking somewhere between UK 10-12 with Lindy Bop and ALWAYS consult the size chart before buying, as the sizes vary with each item. For example, I wear the Octavia in size 12 as it is more snugly sized than most other Lindy Bop dresses. The size 12 is meant for approximately 29″ but I would say that if you have a 30″ waist and don’t mind a tighter fit, the size 12 would still work for you. I love that there is a bit of stretch to the fabric, so it allows some bloating which is inevitable if you have IBS like yours truly.
To give your pinup dresses the full effect with the big skirt, you obviously need a petticoat to complete the outfit. I have to confess: I know where to get super fluffy good quality petticoat but it has never been an item I really want to invest in financially. The Lindy Bop petticoats seem like a good option for the budget-savvy: they offer a nice colour and length selection with soft materials and an affordable price of £20. The sizes are 6-12 (the one I am wearing very comfortably), 14-20 and 22-26. Something for the plus-sized ladies as well then! All in all the Lindy Bop size range is very vast and thus the first option for many fuller figured ladies who want to try the pinup style at low cost.
My only gripe with the navy petticoat (that is unfortunately not sold on their site anymore – however, they have plenty of other colours such as royal blue!) is that I personally prefer something a bit fuller and fluffier as I am a true drama queen when it comes to my style. If my skirt doesn’t knock off a few items from tabletops, what’s the point?! Haha, just kidding. Even though I like my underskirts big, I can totally see why the Lindy Bop petticoats can be a great option for many – they are affordable and still rather good quality but also some girls like their skirts a bit more modest and sleek. The one thing I like the most about the petticoat is the waistband bit: it is so soft and doesn’t itch me at all, unlike my cheap Ebay equivalents!
If you like the look of the Octavia and/or the Lindy Bop petticoat, I can wholeheartedly recommend them and Lindy Bop as a brand. I have bought from them several times with my own money and have always been very satisfied with their customer service and speedy delivery. The quality of the Octavia and Ophelia dresses are also worth so much more than the low £29 price tag! You can find this particular dress here but if you are not fan of the print or the colour, there will be plenty of options for all in the Lindy Bop selection. Do some retail therapy today like I did – at least with this brand, it won’t cost you much!
Two cakes on a plate 
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