Hi everyone! Only 1,5 weeks until the “big” wedding! I am so excited, needless to say. I am sure you understand that is why I have been a bit absent lately 😉 It takes a superwoman to plan a wedding, finish your uni essays in time, plan a burlesque event AND go to work everyday, so I have been too busy and exhausted to blog recently. However, I managed to fit in a photoshoot with my trusty friend and photographer Perttu Luomala, to create this review for you guys!
I received my latest Bolero Beachwear dress months ago, but sadly it was too cold already in Finland to wear it over the autumn and winter. You may not believe it, but we still actually have a bit of snow here and it’s almost mid-May! Our temperatures here in Oulu climbed above 0 C only a few weeks ago. Now it’s full-on spring and we are enjoying our generous +10 C almost everyday 😉 I am so happy, as I couldn’t wait to wear my new Bolero beauty – the Margarita dress – that had been sitting in my closet for months with no wear!
Thank you also to our wonderful photo location Mango Discobar for letting us have our shoot there! Great place to take some tropical shots of a tropical dress 😉
The Margarita dress is a flowy summery little number with a knee-length hem and some versatile “puff”-sleeves. I personally like the sleeves off my shoulders as it shows off the cleavage area nicely. All in all, I am happy that the dress even has sleeves, as many summer dresses are designed to bare the arms – which is not something I prefer with my body personally. Don’t get me wrong – I love my strong arms! But I do find my figure more balanced when they are covered even just a little bit.
The dress consists of a black peasant-style top and a flowy, circle-skirt like printed bottom which meet at my natural waist with an off-the-centre black sash that is attached to the dress. I like this detail as it accentuates my waist but also is practical being attached to the dress and not falling down or rolling around my waist while moving! The skirt part of the dress is not a full circle nor does it need to be – I think your could wear it with a short petticoat but I actually like the relaxed look without one! However, the choice is yours depending on your style. I have had many compliments about this dress already and I’ve only worn it for a few times because of the weather! The colour combo is fresh yet stylish – I like my clothes colourful but classic, so they fit many occasions.
This dress is a size Small and it fits my roughly 40-29-40″ measurements well. Bolero sizes are very forgiving, as their garments are made of stretchy yet high-quality materials that can take a bit of size fluctuation. This is a rare combination in my opinion, as most regular high-street brands do offer stretchy clothing but their clothes also become a bit shapeless after some wear. This does not happen with Bolero dresses – my Bolero “Erica” dress is still my go-to dress for almost any occasion except for formal events. It is my most worn dress for teaching burlesque workshops – I have literally rolled on the floor wearing it, and it is still perfect with no signs of wear on the fabric.
The Margerita dress is made from a similar fabric to my Erica dress, which is why I have high hopes for its durability as well. Can’t wait to wear this in my future workshops! It’s pretty but still practical which is the combo I need while teaching. The top half of the dress is double-lined as with all Bolero dresses and it fits my 32GG bust in it easily. I would imagine this dress could fit even a couple of cup sizes more if needed! My suggestion for the bra to wear with this would be the Curvy Kate “Luxe”, which you can read a review of HERE.
Once again, I am trying to come up with some constructive critisim on the Margarita dress, but I really have nothing to complain about. The usual little issues I have – too little bust room and a too-high waist seam – shine with their absence! Once again, the Margarita dress is designed truly with curves in mind. Even the sleeves fit well for someone as muscular as me and have plenty of stretch to accommodate movement.
As regular readers know, I am also a big fan of companies that manufacture their products where they design them. This allows for a more transparent manufacturing process and both the designer and the customer know that these clothes are ethically made. Personally, I only buy vintage and ethically-made (read: no child-labour, stolen designs or dangerous chemicals involved!) vintage-style clothes these days. I want to support small businesses, so we can build a better fufure for our planet and economy. If you want to do the same thing, check out the Margarita dress (sizes XS-1X) here for $140 at the moment.
Two cakes on a plate 