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!

Getting Ready for that Honeymoon: Bolero “Margarita” Dress Review

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.

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 😉

Affordable Vintage Repro for Curvy Girls – Review of Lindy Bop “Octavia”

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!

Beach-side Basics – Review of Bolero Beachwear Halter Retro Dress

I have to say starting work at a new company and a completely new branch of childcare (special needs kids) has had me facing a problem with work attire – I need to have something quite easy-going that can be washed with no problem, even several times a week. So you can imagine that stretchy jersey dresses have been a great option for me, especially as I work right next to a beach where we play with the kids on a daily-basis! When Bolero Beachwear came out with their halter dress a few months ago, I immediately knew this was the perfect work dress for the hottest days of summer, but also great for hanging around at a summer cabin and going for a girls night out on Fridays. Lucky me, the lovely Patricia who is the CEO of Bolero, decided to send me a dress to try for a blog review! Here are my thoughts on this Marilyn-esque little number… (Psst! Thank you miss T for taking the pics, I really appreciate it and love you forever <3)

It’s pretty obvious that the Halter Retro dress got its inspiration from Da Queen, that is Marilyn Monroe. You know the iconic flashing scene with the white dress? I think you do! Instead of going for the classic white only, Patricia has come up with a few different colours and prints that the Halter Retro dress can be made in and obviously, as a big fan of classic styles and colours, I decided to go for my favourite colour, red.  The dress is made from a very stretchy and quite thin material, so it is perfect for the more active summer days when you don’t want to stress about being restricted by your clothes.

I received my dress in size Medium, but Bolero Beachwear is overall on the generous side of sizing, so I could have probably gone down to Small, which I wear with my Erica and Carmen dresses comfortably. The bodice is lined to make it more sturdy and the cuts of the top accommodate a large bust very well. The neckline of the dress is quite open but I still find it work appropriate in laid-back work environments, especially if you throw on a cardi like I did in the pics (this one is from Collectif). Bolero also make lovely little shrugs in basic colours so make sure to add some to your cart! As the dress must be worn with a strapless (mine is the Curvy Kate Luxe in 30H), there is not much cleavage and I quite like it that way. The top part of the dress covers my bra completely which is a huge upside when talking about a halter dress for big busts.

One of the biggest selling points for Bolero Beachwear is the wearability and easiness of the clothes – they are easy to travel with, don’t require ironing and can be washed several times without losing colour. I simply cannot wear a lot of “Dry-clean only” clothes at work, as when I wash them in the machine, they don’t really like it that much. Also I can get pooped, pissed or puked on at work (yes, we work with babies too!) so I need to have something that I can clean with ease immediately. This is the reason I love Bolero for: there is no hassle if I drop something on my dress or a child gets messy – my Bolero dresses simply don’t get ruined (unless it’s foundation or something equally tricky that stains all clothes!).

In addition to being easy, I have found some great wardrobe staples from Bolero – my Erica and Carmen dresses get a lot of wear as they can be dressed up and down and worn through the year with some tights and cardis to make them more versatile in cold weather. This is why I usually choose the most classic colours and prints when it comes to basic dresses such as the Halter dress – so that they could be easily adapted to my pinup style and will look good after years and years of use.

I am all for team Wear-Whatever-the-Fuck-You-Want (as my dear friend Jessica put it), but if you are wondering who this dress would be for, I would say it suits very well someone who is either an hourglass shape or top heavy, as the top part of the dress is clearly designed for a fuller bust but also for a wider back. I found myself pulling the back up a few times when wearing the dress, as the Medium might be a tad too large for me. If you have a wide back and a big boobs though, this is the dress for you! I usually find every other dress too snug for me in that area, which is why I was amazed how roomy the dress is for a quarter-back built girl like me, haha.

To be honest, I don’t really have anything bad to say about this dress – it is comfy, looks great and has pockets! What more can a girl hope for?! I think it pretty much tells it all that I didn’t have time to photograph this dress before yesterday, as I wore it through the whole summer (it was probably my most worn dress for three months) and it was in the wash all the freaking time (oops, so sorry, Pat…)! The Halter Retro dress costs $120 which is a bit up there, but personally I feel it is worth the splurge. These garments are made locally in USA and thus cost a lot more to make than your average China dress. They are also made with love to achieve the highest quality and fit a fuller bust like a dream. What’s not to like! If you want to shop Bolero, take a look at their online store, here.

Full-Bust Pinup Fashion Haul

I love fashion. Sometimes, as you may have heard me say it, fashion does not love me. I am in a constant struggle to find clothes that actually fit me. And I am not talking about t-shirts and jeans. You know, I am not a t-shirt and jeans kinda girl! Even if there are a few brands out there that make full-bust appropriate fashion, I have to say not many of them explore some more structured styles as they are a bit trickier to make. Don’t get me wrong – I love simple stretchy dresses as well since they are great for days when you just want to be comfy, but I do like to wear some pretty extravagant tailored pieces as well.

Along the way I have tried many clothing styles – I was one of those weird kids who wanted to be all at once and I do have quite a few style regrets as well. I mean, who thought it was a great idea to put on a tiny doll hat on your head? Apparently, I did. Even though I did have some phases of ridiculous clothing choices, I became infatuated with vintage styling years and years ago. I think I was probably 14 when I told my mom I wanted to look like Dita Von Teese and I still remember what she replied: “Darling, it’s only a crap loads of slap and hair dye.” Which is kind of true, I guess (hehe).

I finally became dedicated to the pinup / vintage style about a year ago – actually when I first started my Instagram (which is btw a great source for some awesome pinup inspiration)! I started to order more clothes online where I could actually see the measurements in a size chart to determine if something would even remotely fit me. Rule of thumb is that if the size chart says 34″ in the bust section, then it most likely will not fit (hehe)! A girl can dream though… However, I have stumbled across some brands that cater for fuller busts as well, so here’s a little clothing haul for you gals that struggle to find nice fitted clothes for you boobies!

Pinup Girl Clothing: Bella Donna Dress in Italian Landscape (+ Forever 21 cardigan + Face Stockholm glasses + Sophisticated Lady hair flowers)

To warn you right off the bat, most of these dresses are Pinup Girl Clothing aka PUG. Why? Because their sizing just usually works for me and I don’t have to worry if I can zip these dresses past my boobs. The first dress I ordered from PUG was their Evelyn (which I could perhaps review later?) and then came the long-sleeved Heidi. However, it’s been a while since I got them so I wanted to introduce you to my latest purchases.

I decided to buy the Bella Donna dress (now sold-out in this print) in Medium with some gift money I had and as it was in the PUG final sale section, I knew I had to get it for my upcoming bday in November. The dress finally came, about a month before my big party and to my shock horror, it was too small. I was devastated and had a horrible tantrum over it as I had checked the measurements before clicking the dress into my cart. After I had tried it on, I knew I had to measure it to make sure – and surprisingly enough, the dress DID come up too small for the size chart. It measured about 13″ flat at the waist, meaning it was probably sized like a normal PUG Small. Well, I ain’t Small in their size chart, so no wonder it didn’t fit.

However, when you engage in the pinup community, you usually learn all sorts of tips and tricks, so I had heard that some of the PUG dresses could be ironed through and stretched, so the fabric would stretch to meet the size chart measurements. I did this to my Bella Donna and after that it fitted VERY SNUGLY but fitted anyway, so I could finally zip it up (and I also went on a more healty diet but didn’t lose an inch lol). The boob department is boned with this particular dress and it’s great for girls who are a bit more well-endowed. I am a 30H so quite busty and it fits me but does quad-boob a bit, so not the most modest of dresses on me at least. However, I can wear it with no bra on which is great and liberating!

What I really like about this dress is that its straps are fully-adjustable so you can make it fit your body a bit better than most dresses with regular spaghetti straps. I have loosened them up a bit as I am long-torsoed and this dress is made for short-torsoed girls especially. I find that the waistline of the dress still comes up a bit high for me, but I am not super fussy about it as I think it looks great anyway!

Pinup Girl Clothing: Jenny Dress in White Harlequin Print (+H&M cardigan + home-made swan brooch +  a vintage scarf)

The Jenny dress is the original version of the PUG Bella Donna and it features a lower waist line, thinner straps and a more simplistic styling without the ruffles. It comes in so many prints and colours and is regarded as the basic pinup girl wardrobe staple every PUG lover should own. I got this dress as a birthday present from my boyfriend and even though he cringed a bit at the print first, he did love it when he saw it on me.

The Jenny dress also features the same boning as the Bella Donna and thus I can easily wear it without a bra. This dress was advertised to me as specifically bust-friendly but with this print, I have to disagree. I mean, if you would be like, say 30FF, I would be quite fine but 30H is another thing. Also, the size Medium is very small with this style as well – so I would advise to size up with Jenny’s if you are not interested to iron and stretch them! Mine measured again 13-13,5″ at the waist, laid flat, so I had to stretch it a bit to match my 28″ waist. Not horribly inconvenient but a bit of a hassle anyway. As I live in Finland, exchanges are not really possible for me so I need to make everything work as they are. (I have to say though that my Evelyn and Heidi fit more true-to-size and no need to stretch them at all!)

Pinup Girl Clothing: Jenny Dress in Orange Border Print (+ Bolero Beachwear bolero + Sophisticated Lady hair flowers)

I know it’s a bit boring to review two of the same dresses in the same post but let me tell you, there is a difference between two of these! I got this Orange Border Jenny from Retro Glam (a Canadian pinup retailer) at the Black Friday sale and even though it did add up a bit with the taxes and custom fees, I am super glad I got this dress as I have been drooling over it for months.

The Orange Border Jenny was almost as tight as the Harlequin one so I did stretch it a bit but not as much as the Harlequin. The waist zipped up even before stretching but I did some work on the torso to make it more comfortable and now it fits really well! The bust department of this particular Jenny is much better though than with the Harlequin one, as it seems a lot higher and thus can contain a lot more boob. I am not sure why this is, but no clothing brand is completely consistent with their sizing. I also like the orange belt that came with the dress as it makes the ensemble a bit more unique than most other Jenny dresses.

Lady Vintage London: Swing Dress in Red Lips Print (+ Poinsettia hair flowers from Sophisticated Lady)

I had been wanting to order from Lady V London for a while and when about two months back they had one of my favourite prints (this gorgeous Red Lips one!) on sale + free shipping, I could not resist the temptation. Usually Lady V dresses are around £45-55 which is not a very high price, but as I need to pay for international shipping and the Euro/Pound conversion rate is crap at the moment, it really adds up and I didn’t want to pay that much for a dress I did not know would even fit me. When the price of the dress went as low £19 I was ready to take the plunge and ordered this beautiful dress in their swing style.

What I was really afraid of, was the sizing of the dress. I had heard Lady V dresses were quite bust-friendly, but when their size chart stated that UK size 10 had bust room for 34″ boobies, I almost lost my hope. However, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best as I did not want my waist to be swimming in the dress – and it worked! This dress is amazing for my boobs – my only gripe with the fit is that the waist line is a bit too high for my body/taste but then again, I am a long-torsoed gal. The material is lovely stretch cotton and the zipper is good quality, meaning no broken zippers for trying to yank the the zipper past my boobs. If I would have to say one bad thing about the quality of this dress, it would be that unfortunately the colours run a bit in the wash and you might end up having red-ish spots on your dress unless you wash it with a colour catcher.

This would be my autumn/winter haul and I will get back to any new bust-friendly dresses as I get to buy some more! Which one of these was your personal favourite? Let me know in the comments below! Lots of kisses and happy holidays to everyone! xx

Introducing Bolero Beachwear – Dresses for Busty Pinup Gals!

I love reviewing lingerie – it’s my passion, obviously – but I do have a great love affair with pretty dresses as well. The thing with pretty dresses though is, that not every dress I try fits me that well – not even half of them! I can rarely zip up UK size 10 past my boobs which is why I usually result in buying a size up and then cinching the waists with a belt. When I heard about Bolero Beachwear and saw some lovely fellow bloggers rocking their dresses, I decided to chat to Patricia, the owner of this lovely brand.

Bolero Beachwear started out when the recession hit the USA in late 00’s – many women were left without jobs and so was Patricia, as the beachwear company she was working for had to close down because of the owner’s cancer and customers closing down their own businesses. Patricia, the wonder woman behind Bolero, decided to start a business of her own and so she ended up founding Bolero Beachwear and designing her very own beach cover-ups. After consulting with a busty customer, Patricia decided to make additional dresses and other items for us well-endowed women, as she wanted to accommodate her customers’ needs. Today I am reviewing two of her DD+ clothing collection dresses – Erica and Carmen! *These dresses were gifted to me by Bolero Beachwear. All opinions are my own! Photos were taken by Nina Tulilahti Photography. *

The Erica dress – named after Erica from the fabulous “Sophisticated Pair”!

Patricia was super excited to send me the dresses as she knew how much I would enjoy styling them with my pinup way! Both of the dresses are full circle style with deep pockets (!!!) so they can definitely be worn with or without a petticoat (I am wearing them with one in each pic), whatever suits your personal style the best. I really enjoyed both of the styles and opted them in basic colours, black and white, which makes them both perfect staples in my wardrobe.

The Erica dress is a 1/2 sleeved wrap-dress style which I loved the most of all Bolero dresses. It comes in a sweet polka dot print, but also in basic black and another, more modern monochrome print. I haven’t owned any polka dots in years which is why I wanted to be a bit nostalgic and try to style them to my current taste. Patricia was so kind to send a couple of different sashes along my dresses, and I paired the Erica with the classic red sash you can see in the pictures. I think it goes perfectly with some red lipstick and a hair flower (from Sophisticated Lady Hairflowers) which look quite Christmassy together!

Carmen dress + the signature black bolero!

The Carmen is a more feisty little number which could easily work as the little black dress in any woman’s wardrobe, especially in the summer. As I live in Finland, I need a cover-up for this particular dress as it’s sleeveless, but luckily Patricia had included a lovely little black bolero in my parcel as well – the perfect pairing with anything sleeveless or even strapless! I rarely wear any boleros actually but find this style particularly flattering and simple enough to please me.

When it comes to the style of Carmen, I would prefer it with some small cap sleeves even, as I am a bit self-conscious about my arms. It’s probably a bit silly as I have worked hard for my biceps (lol!) but I do find them a bit masculine with my pretty dresses. So to conclude, I do like my dresses with sleeves as they soften out my features a bit. However, I can imagine this dress being perfect for anyone who lives in a warmer climate and does not like her armpits getting damp!

When it comes to sizing, I found the dresses to run fairly true-to-size in the waist area. I went for my regular non-vintage-reproduction size (as repro usually runs smaller than high street) Small and was very happy with the result. The Small is perfect for my 28-29″ waist and even though the bust is meant for 36″, I can easily fit my 40″ boobs into it without any fabric pulling or distorting the polka dot print. Both dresses fit similarly and are really easy to get over your head and wear casually. The sleeves of the Erica dress are also roomy enough for my big guns (hehe) and the fabric is overall wonderfully stretchy. As a huge plus,s these dresses feature a reinforced back (an extra layer of fabric at the back part of the dress), meaning your bra bands are less likely to show through (I wore a tight Polish band in the shoot so you need to excuse me!).

What I wear my Bolero dresses most for, is everyday situations when I don’t want the hassle of closing a difficult back zipper or I know that I might get messy at some point. These dresses are really easy to clean, as you can just toss them in a washing machine and even if you spill something over yourself (don’t get me started on ketchup!), these materials are super easy to just rinse clean. I would say, if you work with kids and still want to stay fancy – you really need these dresses in your life! Another upside is that Bolero dresses don’t wrinkle whatsoever, so they are perfect for those active days, even while travelling.

All in all I am very happy with my new Bolero dresses and regard them as a lovely option for anyone with a fuller bust and interest in a more casual pinup style. The Bolero garments are designed and manufactured in USA which adds up the awesomeness of the brand even more.

If you are interested in getting something from Bolero, they are having a sale right at this moment so go and snatch up a lovely wardrobe staple of your own! You can get free shipping and 20% off with a code HOLIDAY20. The Erica dress is now on sale for $140 and the Carmen dress for $120.

What are your go-to clothing brands for a fuller busted figure? Let me know, I am always open to any good tips on how to dress my boobs! xx

D+ Clothing Review: Koperta Krótka Dress by Urkye + DISCOUNT CODE

When it comes to buying dresses I am a complete hoarder and sucker for anything pinup-esque. However, there is always the problem of le boobs – last week, I had to return two lovely dresses to their warehouses as they just wouldn’t go over my chest. This is when the boob-friendly clothing companies come in to play and they have never disappointed me yet. When the Polish curvy clothing brand Urkye offered to send me their brand new Koperta dress to review, I was instantly smitten to have something to fit my curves properly. All of the pics are by the lovely Tiina from a Finnish blog called Kissanpäiväkimara.

The Koperta is a classic stretchy cotton-blend wrap dress. It hits me just above the knee which is very flattering length on almost anyone, unless you are super petite. I fell in love with the Tuba dress last summer and the Koperta is growing to be my next new favourite for this spring. As the Tuba is definitely more of a summer style, the Koperta sports short sleeves and a more flare-y skirt part which makes it great for layering up with a cardi and thicker tights as well. I chose to style the dress with a rather traditional pinup way – a vintage scarf, mid heel pumps, hair flowers and and a skinny belt to cinch the waist in.

The Kopertowka dress comes in three different colours for this spring season: Black, Red and Forget-Me-Not Blue. Obviously the special name of the blue one drew me in and I decided to opt for it as I already owned a few black and red dresses in similar styles. The decision was definitely right – I got so many compliments wearing this dress to a pub on Friday night and it seems to flatter my eye colour and skin tone very well.

Sorry for the weird-ass ribs! I know they are super prominent but what can you do…

When it comes to sizing and fit, I must say I was very pleased with both. The size chart would put me at 38ooo but as I had worn the Tuba dress successfully in size 36o/oo (click for the review!) I decided to just go up with the bust size, to a 36oo/ooo. These dresses have a lot of stretch to them so I would say it really depends on how you like your fit to be – tight or loose – and then go with that. I like a tighter fit to accentuate my curves and a little less coverage on the bust so the oo/ooo was a good option. However, the neckline is pulled quite low in the pictures and if you wish, you could opt to wear it higher for a more modest look. For reference, I wear a 32G Gossard Retrolution bra under the dress.

The sizing with Urkye works in such way that you will opt a certain bust size in addition to your regular European dress size. The sizes go from o/oo to ooo with the first fitting someone moderately busty and the ooo fitting an extremely busty figure. My bust is rather full but I do fine with both of the smaller sizes rather than ooo as I don’t like a lot of coverage over my chest. The dress size itself is regular European sizing in which I’m usually 36-38 (or UK 10-12).

If you gals want to get this dress for yourself I must say it’s a bargain for such great quality! The blue colourway is sold for 145 Polish Zloty which is about 35 euros – not bad, huh?! The shipping costs are reasonable too, depending on your parcel weight of course. How do you like the dress and have you ever tried anything from Urkye? Did you like how I styled it? Let me know in the comments! :)

EDIT: If anyone of you my dear readers is still interested in getting their own Koperta, Urkye has offered you a code to get 10% off both their short and long-sleeved Koperta dresses! Use the code 2CAKES at the checkout to claim your discount. The code is valid until 10th of April 2015.

Introducing Bitter Lollipop: Tailored Fashion for the Full-Busted

When Kelly, the owner of Bitter Lollipop clothing, emailed me some time ago, I had not heard of her brand and was delighted to be asked to review something from their recently launched AW14 collection. Of course, I knew I had to give Kelly’s baby a big shout out as there are not that many brands making tailored clothing for us full-busted gals. I am not usually a fan of most companies that make full-bust appropriate clothing as they usually come up a bit dull with their designs (with some exclusions of course) so I was smitten to see some nice prints in the Bitter Lollipop collection.

The first dress I tried from the brand was their lovely Riley which appeared to be a bit too big for me. This was the time when Kelly and her tailor were still figuring out the sizing, so I just sent the dress to a fellow blogger so she could try it on. A few weeks later, Kelly asked if I wanted to try either of her New Year inspired dresses and of course I said yes!

Bitter Lollipop designs come in UK sizes 8-16 and two different fits – Busty and Buxom. To determine your size, I would recommend taking a look at the brand’s own size chart. The first time I tried the Riley dress I went for a size 12 Buxom as that was the size the chart put me into. Unfortunately, the sizing was a bit off back then and the dress seemed to fit better someone between UK sizes 12 and 14. However, Kelly quickly fixed the sizing to be more true-to-size and here I am, prancing around in my lovely new Emma dress, size 10 Buxom.

The size 10 Buxom should fit someone with a waist around 27″ and a bust of 38″ but I can tell you that there is a bit of room for size fluctuation with this dress. My waist is currently around 27,5″ tightly measured and the size 10 feels very comfortable and not tight at all. Also the bust part has plenty of room to it and can accommodate my 30H bust easily.

The dress feels incredibly well-made and that really makes up for the price (£129), which can seem a bit high at first. Bitter Lollipop products are handmade in UK which really adds up the value as well. You can literally see that this dress is lovingly crafted by hand and well-though out to suit a curvy body type. It’s lined with a stretchy cotton all the way which makes the dress quite heavy but also really comfortable against skin.

Usually the Bitter Lollipop dresses are about knee-length but this particular dress along with the Isabel fit-and-flare dress are made a bit shorter to make them more appropriate for New Year’s celebrations. I usually wear knee-length dresses but it’s good to have an option. Also, the Emma dress certainly makes my legs look super long! As the style is meant to be festive, I paired it with some red satin pumps (some old YourFace collection), a vintage belt and a feather-y hair clip from H&M. I also added some red lip gloss for extra sparkle 😉

All in all I am extremely impressed with the quality of Bitter Lollipop and it’s safe to say that their designs are a long-awaited addition to any busty girl’s party or work wardrobe. The necklines and hems seems to be appropriate for office and the cuts perfect for a curvy figure. Also, listen up gals! Bitter Lollipop has a FLASH SALE for two days now so you can snatch up your very own Emma dress (or something else as well) with a mighty 50% OFF. That means you’ll only pay £65 for this beauty! The items are made-to-order so it usually takes about 3-5 days to finish the product.

So lovelies, how did you like my Emma dress and the Bitter Lollipop? Also, do check out my lovely friend Sarianna at “the Sweet Vanity” -blog. She was kind enough to take the pics for this post! The makeup and hair is by yours truly 🙂

Suomeksi: Meillä kurvikkailla naisilla ja tytöillä ei ole aina ihan hirveästi valinnanvaraa mitä vaatetukseen tulee – usein napit sinkoilevat paidoista jo heti kättelyssä ja mekot harvoin menevät kiinni vyötärön yläpuolelta. Olinkin siis todella mielissäni kun Kelly “Bitter Lollipop” -nimiseltä merkiltä otti minuun hiljattain yhteyttä. Bitter Lollipop on myös minulle ihan uusi merkki, joten oli mukavaa päästä kokeilemaan heidän uusinta luomustaan, Emma-mekkoa!

Bitter Lollipopin mekot tehdään käsityönä Briteissä ja ne on suunniteltu erityisesti rintaville naisille. UK-kokoja löytyy 8-16 eli EU koissa nämä vastaavat 34-42. Istuvuutta löytyy kahdenlaista, rintavalle sekä todella rintavalle (Busty ja Buxom). Itse kokeilin vaatemerkin uuden vuoden rientoja varten suunniteltua Emma-mekkoa koossa 10 Buxom, joka tuntui olevan juuri oikea kooltaan ja istuvuudeltaan.

Mlyös laadultaan ja mukavuudeltaan Emma tuntuu olevan huippuluokkaa, mikä sitten näkyykin hintalapussa. Onneksi voin kuitenkin todeta, että mekko on todella hintansa (£129) väärti! Jälki on todella siistiä ja mekkoa ryhdittää joustavasta puuvillasta tehty valkoinen vuori. Tyylikin on kohdallaan: Emman kangas heijastaa mukavasti valoa ja näyttää upealta vaikkapa punaisten korkkareiden kanssa!

Jos oma tissiystävällinen mekko kiinnostaa, kannattaa Bitter Lollipopin sivuille suunnistaa NYT. Nettikaupassa on nimittäin meneillään tästä päivästä huomiseen iltaan asti FLASHSALE, jonka aikana valikoiduista tuotteista (mukaan lukien Emma!) saa alennusta 50%. Nyt Emman saisi siis 65 punnalla 😉 Mitä mieltä muuten olet tästä mekosta ja asukokonaisuudesta? Käypä ilahduttamassa minua kommentilla!

DD+ Clothing Review: “Vivi” Dress by Lindy Bop

 
Hiya lovelies! It’s Father’s Day in Finland today and while spending it with my dad and little sister, we decided to take some pics for the blog. My dad had gotten me this dress for my grandpa’s funeral so I wanted to review it for you as well; sorry about the picture quality though, I don’t know how to use my camera yet so it wasn’t focusing properly and it was quite dark outside too. These are the only decent pics and even they are slightly blurry.

But onto the dress! I saw the “Vivi“ dress on Lindy Bop’s Facebook page about a week ago and decided it would be a good choice for my black dress, as I would be needing one very soon in the future. The dress cost only a very affordable £34,99 so it was a no-brainer as I new the delivery would be fast and the dress quite curve-friendly. I was a bit hesitant about the neckline as the bust section was meant for someone with a 34″ bust and mine was about 5″ more than that. I decided to go for size 10 anyway and was happy that I did! The dress was very VERY hard to zip up at first, but after the side zip had loosened up a bit, I could easily zip it up after a few wears.

The waist of the dress fits me perfectly but as I guessed, the bust area was a bit snug and so were the sleeves. I am quite muscular when it comes to my arms so it’s sometimes a bit of hit and miss when it comes to sleeved items – this however, has just the right amount of space even though feeling a bit restrictive at first. Also, you can see a glimpse of my bra from the neckline, as it’s forced to be quite revealing on me. However, I feel like my Ewa Michalak “SM Mgielka” is doing a pretty good job and makes my boobs look nice with the dress style.

With my Vivi dress I’m wearing an old petticoat (quite a pathetic one though…), some hair flowers from H&M and my new Dresslily ankle boots. I am not much of a black-wearing person so I decided add colour with some red shoes and a matching lipstick as they brighten up any outfit. What do you think of the ensemble? xx