Easy-Going Pinup Perfection: Bolero Beachwear “Lola” Dress Review

*Disclosure: This item was provided to me by Bolero Beachwear free of charge. Opinions are my own!*

I don’t know if I have told you this before – I may have not, to be honest – but I study and work two jobs at the same time, which makes doing my makeup hair and putting an immaculate true-vintage outfit together sometimes impossible. On days when I have to rush from one work place to another, I rather put my hair up neatly, do some basic mascara and a lippie and put on a stretchy comfortable dress that can take the rush.

A few months ago, my pal Patricia from Bolero Beachwear sent me a couple of dresses to brighten up my autumn days and I was happy to discover once again that her designs are an absolute must to my wardrobe. The first dress that I have actually worn a lot during these months is called Lola and she is a lovely autumnal version of my beloved Bolero halter retro dress.

Lola features a classic circle skirt (not full though, if you are a vintage-enthusiast, you know what I mean) attached to a fitted bodice and some 3/4 length sleeves. It can be dressed up or down and here I have styled it with a smart casual twist.

Pics by Perttu Luomala Photography

The Lola dress features a Ponte di Roma material which is quite warm and thick to combat those winter winds. The winter in Finland has been rather mild this year (and ever-so-dark, thus the difficulties to take blog pictures…) so I have basically lived through it just wearing my usual dresses and fleece stockings (Pretty Polly makes some great ones, click here!). The Lola dress also has 3/4 length sleeves, which is always a plus when it comes to winter-appropriate dresses.

When it comes to sizing, Bolero Beachwear dresses are rather generous and great for size fluctuation or bloating. I don’t really go on a scale but sometimes use a measuring tape and my waist size fluctuates around 28-29 inches and has done so during the past few years. These dresses don’t have rigid waistbands that start to dig in after a lovely restaurant meal and they can easily just be slipped over your head while dressing. I am wearing a size Small in the emerald green Lola, which fits me well, even a bit generous.

The proportions of the dress are pretty much spot on for me: the waist is not too short for my torso, there is plenty of room at the bust to accommodate my 32GG’s and the dress hits me right at the knee, which is a very flattering length (and appropriate one for a vintage gal like myself) for someone like me with a 5’6 frame. The quality is again topnotch: there are deep pockets to carry everything from your phone to your credit card and the top part of the dress is fully lined.

What I love most about Bolero is the passion and care Patricia puts into the designs: all of her clothes are easy to wear, care and to travel with and she is one of the ethical producers or modern-day clothing staples. All of her designs are made in the USA, which is always a definite upside for a person who is concerned about unethical consumerism in today’s world. These clothes last and the materials can be washed time and time again without them wearing out easily.

If you are interested in the Bolero Beachwear offering, take a look at their webshop here.  The Lola dress costs $150 and will definitely be a staple in any pinup girl’s wardrobe. My Bolero dresses always gain compliments when I take them out and I love that I can look stylish and feel comfortable at the same time!

If you want to see more Bolero, stay tuned! Another more summer-y review coming soon 😉

Sunday with Samanta: A122 Spinel in 65J + Discount Code!

Ah, I know I am late. The Sunday last week passed already but again, this month will feature two Sunday with Samanta posts as I am not someone who skips a post completely 😉 Also, I will apologize for my absence next week as I am visiting UK + Moda again and won’t be home before the 12th. However, from then on there will be Moda-posts-galore and you’ll see some lovely collections from all of our fave brands! (If you have any particular brand you would like me to go and see, do let me know in the comments below!) However, today I am bound to bed with a sprained ankle and will be telling you all about my latest Samanta trial. This time, it is the non-padded balconette style A122 in “Spinel” – a lovely sophisticated French-style beauty who’ll steal your heart, no doubt.

The Design: The A122 is an unpadded balconette bra which is designed especially for women with big breasts and is supposed to offer a beautiful rounded “two cakes on a plate” -cleavage with a little less coverage and an uplifting three-part cup construction. This shape is widely used by British manufacturers as well, but the shape of the Polish balconette is a bit different from what we are used to with the likes of Panache and Curvy Kate. The vertical seam of the A122 cup goes on very straight across the cup whereas many British brands favour a more diagonal seam which gives the bra its somewhat pointed natural shape. I am more a fan of the Polish version though, as it rounds up the bust while still catering a rather natural look to it.

The A122 is something perhaps a Cleo-fan would enjoy – it is a quite simple style yet works brilliantly with all the uplifting and shaping a bigger bust requires. The look of the Spinel however, is something for the more “middle-market” audience meaning the styling is a bit more grown-up and sophisticated. As a 22-year-old gal some might think I would be all for polka-dots and bows but I do prefer a more glamourous look to my bradrobe. This is why I love the grey and peach colour combo of Spinel and lace is AGAIN absolutely stunning – something Samanta does so well each time.

The Fit: The A122 Spinel fits me very well and is the same as my other Samanta bras – I am once again convinced that Samanta is one of the most consistent brands out there which makes it easier for gals like me to order their bras online. It is true that some of the models are a bit deeper, which could affect your bra size with Samanta, but until now all of my 65J’s have been great size-wise. The band is rather narrow yet sturdy with the A122 and is made of stretchy elastic material instead of the usual power-mesh. The 65 band is a rough equivalent to a British 30, yet a bit snugger than with the likes of Freya and Curvy Kate. The cups are again, the perfect size and depth to me which makes this bra a great fit overall.

If you have any trouble with the usual height and width of balconette bra gores, this could be a great style for you to try! The gore is very slim and sits rather low at my sternum, meaning there is no stress on my ribcage even with very “harsh” tacking. The wires are again just the right length and width for me so no poking or too wide cups, which always makes me happy. For reference, I am pretty average-set and not particularly wide nor narrow at my breast root.

Comfort: The A122 is a lovely choice for those who want the same Samanta-quality for their summer but something a bit more light-weight than their padded bras. I personally REFUSE to wear padded bras at summer just for comfort reasons – everyone raise a hand who know that boob-sweat is a thing?? Cause it certainly is when you have big tatas, there is no denying it. Also, non-padded bras are great under tighter tops and dresses that have zero extra room for boobies and extra padding is not an option.

If I could give Samanta some feedback on this particular model, it would be regarding the straps – they are a tad too wide-set for me, meaning they sometimes fall off my shoulders and rub against the edge of my armpit. I think this will get better over time as I haven’t washed the bra more than twice now (there’s a huge review pile to test out each month, so most of my samples only get a couple of washes before being reviewed). However, in any case I would love to see Samanta revising their strap-placement a bit as I know there are a lot ladies who suffer from too widely placed straps immensely.

I also got to test the M300 brazilian briefs which are made of very same mesh/embroidery and sleek polyamide blend as the bra band. The seamless back of the brief is great under tighter jeans and also, quite sexy with its very wetlook-like appearance. The size Medium fits my 39″ hips very well but the rise with the M300 is pretty low, so ya be warned. However, I do like this style completing the set and I am always open to falling in love with new panty styles if they forgive me my ever-growing butt 😉

If you would like to give Spinel a proper spin (hehe), do use the code Mette at the check out to get 20% off your A122 Spinel bra. The bra retails for (full price) 56,30€ and the briefs for 26,30€ on the Samanta online store so not bad at all, especially with the discount! If you live in USA, please contact Samanta via email to place your order. Also, do ask for different shipping methods if you are hesitant about the shipping costs! Have a lovely Sunday everyone and let me know in the comments how you liked the review and Spinel, I would love to hear from you 😉