I’ve got a new dress – and it’s got my name on it! Review of Bolero Beachwear “Mette” Dress

Hi everyone! Remember dear old me? I’m still alive, haha!

I don’t really even know where to start with this review. It’s been a long overdue, but here I am finally. It’s a special one for me also, as this particular product has been named over myself – which is really humbling. So how did Mette dress came to be? It was a lovingly created style in my honour, made by the ever-so-lovely Patricia at Bolero Beachwear. She has been kind enough to believe in me, even over my loooong blog hiatus and last year, she hinted me that a dress with my name on was coming together. She wanted to make it perfect, so the release date got pushed back a bit – the first intention was to release the dress and send it to me before our wedding day and honeymoon, but we all know how much Patricia puts her love and devotion to the clothes she makes. So I received it a bit later on.

Patricia was so kind to include two Mette dresses in my parcel and I was so excited – two lovely dresses that were nothing like each other except for the same pattern! The first one – a light stretchy polka-dotted summer day version you can see in these pictures. I promise to post some pictures of the black more fancier version in the future, but let’s give the stage to the more summery version now.

*This product was gifted to me by Bolero Beachwear. All opions are my own. The Photography is by Jaakko Alatalo / Haaska Rock’n’roll Photo.*

As you can see, the Mette dress is a bit different to what we have seen from Bolero before. The dress is A-lined and has a lovely empire waist, which reminds me of my Jane Austen fan girl years (haha, I guess I am still in that phase though…). It’s clever combination of a more modern style beachy summer dress with my signature pinup look. It’s a fun and young style – great if you want something that’s gonna feel relaxed and yet look polished! Wait until you see the more festive version, as this dress can definitely do both day and night.

The polka dots on this dress are a bit smaller than on my Erica dress, which is a nice change, even though I do like my original Erica! Patricia is the queen of wild prints – she loves colours and lively patterns, which make her designs pop. However, Bolero dresses do offer some more subdued alternatives as well, and I happen to be one to dig more timeless prints, such as polkadots and plaid. I would love to see the Mette dress in a dark blue or a burgundy tartan-style plaid, maybe in the thicker Bolero ponte fabric. Hmm… isn’t that an idea? 😉

The fit of the dress is once again excellent and it is surely made with busty gals in mind. I am wearing a size Small, as Bolero dresses run quite generous and stretchy (which is great especially if you fluctuate in size!) and feel that my 32GG-H bust fits into it really well. I stopped buying empire waist dresses years ago, as the waist seam would always climb on top of my boobs, instead of curving under them. There is no fear of this issue with the Mette dress – there is plenty of room for the girls and I love that the dress is form-fitting just under the bust area but starts to very quickly widen down to an A-line hem.

The Mette dress is a bit shorter than my other Bolero dresses and thus it is great for summer and with the festive version, lovely for a night out. It has been a loooong time since I last wore a mini skirt, but this one is not too short to feel uncomfortable in but yet short enough to be a tad sexier than your average knee-lenght dress.

As per usual, Bolero dresses are easy to take care of and this version especially takes so little room in the suitcase, that it’s perfect for any summer vacation. I am hoping to get a lot wear out of it next summer! Summer in Finland is soooo short and unfortunately I got this dress in the autumn, which means I didn’t have time to enjoy it during the worst heat waves. But bring on the heat this summer, I’ll be ready!

The best thing about the Mette dress, as other Bolero dresses as well, is how comfortable it feels. It’s the sort of clothing you don’t have to constantly adjust or suck your stomach in, when the waistband digs into you. You can just forget about wearing clothes all together – which is really the ideal for me, even though it may sound strange. The older I get, the more comfy I want to be, so restrictive clothes are something I only wear on a special occasion. For everyday, there is nothing like a breezy strechy dress, that you don’t really have to think about except for the fact how good you feel and look in it.

You can find the Bolero “Mette” dress here for the price of $140. All of the Bolero styles are made ethically in the USA, so even more something to love ❤

PS. No worries, there will still be lingerie reviews here on the blog! I just graduated as a master of Education, so have more time for hobbies now on. The blog won’t probably be as busy as in its hayday, but I will still pop a review here or there when I have time to write and photograph goodies for you!

2015 Christmas Gift Guide for Modern Day Pinups! + A Couple of Announcements

Hi everyone! First of all, I need to start by announcing the winners of my birthday giveaway. I was so happy to see so many entries (850+ in total, to be honest! WOW!) and was also so grateful to see a lot of people commenting nice things about my blog and congratulating me on turning 23. THANK YOU! There is so much hate in the world right now that I am happy to see kind words wherever I face them. Please stay positive and kind, gals 🙂 It makes the world a better place!

Now for the winners! The lingerie set of choice from My Curves and Me goes to…

EMMA H.

The Mala dress + three discount codes go to…

GABBY

Thank you everyone for taking part and congrats girls for winning!

Another thing I would like to address today is the fact that I have been nominated for Esty Lingerie Blogger Awards for the Best DD+ Blogger of the Year! What an honour! If you like my blog and enjoy our little bra-fulfilled space here, please go and cast me a vote, will you? If you did that for me, I would be a very happy peanut 🙂 ❤ Here’s a link, so get voting! The voting ends on 14th of December, 12 GMT.

Thanks in advance for voting me! Anyhow, I wanted to put together a gift guide for this year which would include some stuff that I truly love for myself and I think other pinup girls and lingerie lovers would enjoy. As a word of warning, this list does not include lingerie-only items but other things as well which are perhaps easier to shop for regardless of one’s bra or dress size. I have also tried to include things that are pretty budget-friendly as I am a student myself and know December is a tough month anyway (all student loan spent already, that is!). Hope you will find something to make you or your friend/spouse/mom/sister happy!

Playful Promises D+ Collection! – Let’s start with lingerie anyway cause why not 😉 I recently heard that Playful Promises – a well-known lingerie brand in pinup scene – is coming out with a full-bust collection! Well, these pieces have now been released and I have received my first ones which I am very happy about – the set is absolutely beautiful and well-made with a fairly reasonable price tag for such unique designs!

As a Christmas appropriate ensemble, I picked the Portia set to be included on my gift guide. All the bras go up to G-cup and to spoil you a bit, I must say they run a size small in the band and a size big in the cup. I would suggest trying out your regular Gossard size, if that helps! I am wearing a 32G with PP, for reference. The bra sets you back at £55 and the panties at £30 so not the cheapest but something you would definitely get points for treating your loved-one with!

Erstwilder brooches! – I have only recently become obsessed with brooches and the blame is on the pinup community. How am I supposed to resist these beauties if everyone flaunts their cute brooches around? My outfits don’t feel complete anymore and this is why I have requested my first Erstwilder “Fancy New Do” brooch from my boyfriend as a Christmas present! They are little pieces of art but only cost around 35 AUD with reasonable shipping rates to anywhere in the world.

Besame Cosmetics Lipsticks! – Unfortunately I have not yet had a chance to try Besame but I have heard some awesome things about them. If you wish to learn more about the brand and their quality, I would read Miss Victory Violet’s review on some of their products! I personally have been dying to try out these lush shades for forever and also really dig the packaging – who could resist such glamour?

You can get the lipsticks on Besame online store and even though they are quite pricy for $22 for a tube, they are a great luxury gift for a beauty-obsessed gal like myself! My personal favourite is the “Noir Red” which is part of their 30’s range full of rich deep tones of red.

Cute Aprons from Suburban 50’s! – I am a huge fan of baking but also a super messy person and my boyfriend is always amazed about my risk-taking abilities when I bake with my beautiful Pinup Girl Clothing frocks on. Not wise, to say the least! This is why I am looking forward to Christmas as apparently Mikko is planning to get me a cute apron as another Christmas present. As a picky person, I did do some research on pinup style aprons and found a lovely and affordable Etsy shop called Suburban 50’s. Most of their aprons are around $35 and are made with amazing novelty prints (like this foxy little number in the pic above) to top it all off!

PJ’s from Cyberjammies! – I know this is not particularly pinup but us glamour ladies need some comfy lounge- and sleepwear as well! One of my favourite brands to drool over at this time of the year is Cybejammies. They are a British company who sell reasonably-priced sleepwear with amazingly comfy materials and cutesy prints. I am including these “Flora” jammies (£45) on the list because they were the first thing that caught my eye a year ago at the Moda Exhibition while browsing the Cyberjammies stand and I am still head over heels in love with them!

Ewa Michalak lingerie! – Almost every full-busted gal loves Ewa and there is a pretty good reason for it; not everyone can offer such uplift and unique styles in hard-to-find sizes. Ewa Michalak bras are absolutely amazing quality for their price and most of the styles are created especially for the customer in question – meaning you should definitely be placing your order soon if you want to make it before Christmas! I fell in love with the SM Rozmarzona which is a beautiful pinup-esque style with a great size range and cute detailing!

Dita Stockings by Secrets in Lace! – I love stockings, holdups and any hosiery really as it makes me feel so glamorous, especially when wearing something super thin and festive. I recently came across these Dita Von Teese french heel stockings ($32) over at Secrets in Lace and they are so gorgeous I could die! Every pinup loves Dita so why not indulge your loved one with a pair of signed stocking from her idol?

So here were my tips on how to make a pinup girl reeeeeeally happy! Hope you enjoyed my list and if you have something to add, please feel free to comment down below. Let me know what are you wishing for Christmas! xx

2COP’s X-Mas Picks – Five Curve-Friendly Pinup-Style Party Dresses for Christmas

Y’all, it’s December already! How in the earth did the year pass along again? Well, anyhow, what is for sure that now that many of you have recovered from Thanksgiving meals, it’s time to slip into those lovely glittery frocks again and rock those curves you’ve got. I wanted to put up a list of my own personal favourites that look curve-friendly enough to flatter your boobs and butts and look sophisticated at the same time. So here’s my list of pinup-style curve-appropriate Christmas dresses for different types of occasions!

For a night out with friends…

Most of us probably agree that it is not the same dress you wear to all your Christmas parties (cause let’s face it, of course you’re gonna be attending many 😉 ). This quirky number by Voodoo Vixen is the perfect option for a night out with your girlfriends: it’s fun, it’s bright red and looks still laid-back enough for a night at a pub or a bar. The Connie dress (£49) is also a practical choice for later wear – it can be dressed up or down whether you want it to be more festive or everyday-appropriate. Pair it with glittery pumps and some red lipgloss and you have the ultimate girls-night-out outfit!

For a Family Dinner…

We have a little tradition with my family to get together on Christmas Eve, eat amazing food together and unwrap the gifts while eating chocolate and watching children’s movies. It might be a no-brainer to some but my parents are divorced and I always admire their ability to still get together for a Christmas meal even though they sometimes want to chop each other’s heads off. Even though the evening usually proceeds to pajamas and no makeup, me and my sister usually start off the day with some nice dresses. I picked this lovely “Ophelia” dress (£34,99) by Lindy Bop as my choice for the Xmas mealtime as it’s practical cotton material but still manages to look festive. I actually own the dress in another shade of red and it’s great for anyone with a fuller bust! I would pair it with some chunky cream-toned wool tights and a matching hair scarf tied to a lovely bow.

For a party with the co-workers…

This dress is like straight out of Mad Men! The office Christmas party requires something sexy but not too sexy – it’s important to show that you have power and feel confident about yourself but if you get too ranchy, it might tell your boss you’re not being professional. I would go for something a with figure-enhancing shape like this “Ava” dress ($114) by Pinup Couture. The colour is excellent if you don’t want to be too flashy with red. The shape of the dress flatters your curves but doesn’t reveal too much while being knee-length and sporting little sleeves to cover up your shoulders. I would pair Ava with some silvery or black pumps and a statement cuff.

For a date night out…

You know those times when you head out to with your boo for drinks, just for fun? Well, as it’s Christmas, you might as well spice up you date attire a bit. I would go for something formfitting and sexy, such as this “Penny” dress (£55) by Collectif. I am actually planning on getting this for myself as my boyfriend is crazy about wiggle dresses and well, I do want it myself as well. (Thank Georgina for that!) I would pair this gorgeous piece with some hair flowers and Minna Parikka “Cornelia” shoes. (Check them out, they’re lovely!)

For a dinner with your In-Laws…

There’s two types of In-Laws – the ones that drive you crazy and the ones you love almost like your own family. Mine belong luckily to the latter category so basically anything I wear is an object of adoration especially for my Mother-In-Law. I would still wear something quite formal and pretty for a dinner out in the town as I want to give them the best impression of me. However, if your In-Laws are a bit “Meh” I would avoid anything too flashy that might raise eyebrows. This Dovima “Gatlin Gal” dress (£145) is classic and bold at the same time and flatters a curvy hourglass figure without being too revealing. I would pair with some red pleather high-heels, like this.

So these were my picks for the Holiday Season! What would you wear for a Christmas party and what did you think my wishlist? Let me know in comments! xx

October Wishlist – Vintage Reproduction Clothing

Hi everyone! I need to start off the post saying I did not get the job I applied for but was left to silver podium this time. I know I’m not the only one with bad luck when applying for a job but this particular one would have meant the world to me. Not just because it was something to do with lingerie but because I happen to be broke and would have loved to get back living without a care for what I’m going to eat next week. Also I had so many vintage repro dresses and other goodies on my wishlist and now I can only dream of having something new to wear! I have recently found so many new brands I am dying to try so I must let you know guys what I’m lusting after. So here you go!

Sea Nymph Dress by Great British Retro – This is a brand I just found today via Fuller Figure Fuller Bust’s Facebook page. I took a look at their online shop and the clothing is absolutely fantastic with a pretty affordable price tag as well with this particular dress costing a rather reasonable £64. What I loved most about Great British Retro were their lovely quirky prints that absolutely melted my heart!

I took a look at their sizing chart and they would put me in a size 12 accommodating my 28″ waist (yay, got rid of the last half an inch!) and 36″ bust. My bust is actually closer to a 39″ but I have tested out so many brands and come to a conclusion that a 36″ bust room is actually quite enough for me. This can be due to my muscly back which makes my bust measurement a bit (a lot!) bigger than it actually is! I also find that repro brands usually run small as I am now a solid size 10 on high-street. I would love to try GBR sometime in the future and if I get that chance, I will review something for you to determine their fit for curvy figure!

Sally Denim Capris By Collectif – I have been looking for a suitable 50’s style cigarette or denim pants and now I have finally found a great option. I am not a great wearer of trousers but the temperature is getting pretty damn cold here in Finland. And believe me, dresses and stockings do not equal proper winter-wear! There’s already -2 C out there so I def need something pratical that fits my style and the Sally jeans would probably do a pretty good job. With my 28″ and 38″ hips I would probably do great with a size 10 as I find that Collectif runs more true to size than other repro brands. I have reviewed their Phyllis dress here if you want to know more about their fit!

Monte Carlo by Heart of Haute – I originally found this brand and dress through Twitter. I had heard of Heart of Haute before but as it’s a US brand I had not dared to even dream about it. Also, it’s a bit out of my price range with its $145 price tag but a girl can dream right? Besides, if I ever get a chance to try this brand, it’s also sold on a UK online shop called Tatyanna which also sells a few other lovely repro brands including Tatyana Boutique. According to HOH size chart I would be a size Medium so again this brand runs a bit on the smaller side in my opinion.

Sarong Geisha Dress in Pink Bloom by Vivien of Holloway – I have heard a lot of things about Vivien of Holloway but still not had a chance to try them for myself. This particular dress caught my eye on Diablo Rose’s blog as she reviews the dress and looks fantastic in it! I don’t know what size she is wearing but the size chart puts me into a whopping 14. Not a size I would gladly wear as it seems so “off” but VOH seems to be going for the original vintage clothing sizing which is a lot smaller than with today’s high-street brands. I am now super intrigued to try something from them as the brand is definitely something different! This pink Geisha dress would look stunning with my hair and I would be interested to see how it looks on an hourglass figure like mine.

Tara Black Swing Dress by Lindy Bop – The reason I want this dress is really sad and excuse me for including it on my lust list. Though it’s a beautiful dress on its own and would be great stable for my wardrobe I really need this dress for an upcoming funeral. My dear grandpa has been battling cancer for years now and it seems he’s finally making his way to where angels live. I am so sad about this and I’m crying while writing this but I have been preparing for this to happen for so many years that seems he’s only suffering while being here. His state just got worse a few days ago and we have been told not to keep our hopes up.

The Tara dress seems like appropriate choice for a busty girl when attending a funeral. The neckline is modest, the shoulders are covered and the hem reaches below your knees. It’s also a bargain for its £34,99 price tag so if you need a LBD asap for small budget, this is definitely your dress. The one Lindy Bop dress I have tried runs true-to-size so I would most likely be a 10 with Tara as well.

Poppy Floral Dress by Hell Bunny – Last but not least is the brand I have been dying to try for a couple of months now – Hell Bunny! I have known this brand for years but didn’t realize how lovely their vintage repro dresses are until now. To me Hell Bunny has always been brand associated with gothic style more than vintage but now that I have seen more of their designs, I am absolutely smitten. Looking at their size chart I would probably be a 10 with Hell Bunny but as I have not tried them yet, I cannot be 100% sure. Hell Bunny does not have their own online store meaning they only do wholesale and their clothes can be found on various other online shops. I found this particular dress on Tiger Milly and they seem to have a good stock of Hell Bunny so do check them out!

What do you think of the brands listed here? Any positive or negative experiences? Let me know! Also, if you have other favourite vintage reproduction brands, please share them in the comment box! xx

My everyday Pinup Hairstyle: How To Look Vintage-Glam In Fifteen Minutes

Hi dear all! Today is the first time I am writing about my hair and the way I style it, so be gentle and do drop me a comment how you liked my first hair/beauty post! I have been learning to style my hair “the Pinup-way” over the past month or so and have really enjoyed looking a bit more glamorous even though I have been quite sick and mostly at home or now and then at uni for my lectures.

As my days don’t include a crazy amount of intense activities and I usually just dress up to go to school or even just for a lunch with my dad, I do like to get my hair and makeup done even though there’s not a bunch of people seeing me during the day. This hairdo pictured above is such an easy quick fix for your hair so I do recommend trying it if you want to look great and vintage-inspired without going all the way with pin curls and victory rolls.

I learned to do this style while watching Pinup Doll Ashley Marie videos so I can’t really take much credit for the style. However, I have come up with way to be even more quick and easy with this style, so I’ll guide you through the simple steps of creating this style my own way.

For this easy pinup updo you need a curling iron or a straightener, a bunch of bobby pins, heat protector spray, hairspray and a vintage nylon scarf. There is two ways to do this styles so I will guide you through both.

First: You need to either make a ponytail quite high up the back of your head or just let your hair loose and curl it that way. I find it easier to tie my hair to a ponytail and then curl it, as the hairband will be covered by a scarf and also, the band keeps the hair from escaping the hairdo and looking too messy. You don’t need to curl all of your hair, just the ends, as the rest will be covered by a scarf.

Then: No matter how you have started off the hairdo, take now each curl and place it to the crown of your head with a bobby pin. This will look super silly at first, but it will look really nice when you style it eventually. Place the curls the way that they form a kind of a crown on your head.

After that: You can split the ends of the curls a bit to create a more voluminous look but remember to pin the “loose” ends (the ones that look a bit floppy if their eg too long) to your head. This makes the hair look a bit bun-like as the ends of the hair are not all over the place.

At the end: Place a nylon scarf around your head so that the curled ends are showing but the hair band is covered. My scarf in the pics is quite big, so I actually tied the scarf to the front of my forehead and then tucked the ends of the knot under the rest of the scarf. You can also use bobby pins to secure the scarf but this won’t look as pretty.

So that was pretty much it! Hope you liked it 🙂 Here’s a video by PinupDollAshelyMarie showing how to do the original version of this vintage-inspired hairdo and also how to create a pinup-style swirl with a longer fringe. I myself have Betty bangs, so I just bent the ends inwards and sprayed some hairspray to finish off the look.