A Pin Up Picnic... In A Bar!

Every year, The British Belles put on a little meet in London of pin ups and vintage style lovers. The original was named Pin Up Picnic In The Park - since it was pin ups... in a park. But sadly we're British and rain moved the event from Hyde Park to cocktails at Barrio Shoreditch. And so it was a Pin Up Picnic.. In A Bar!!

I always have big ideas about making special themed outfits for events like these, since they're a great excuse for real dressing up. The problem with that idea, though, is I'm too lazy and busy to do that, and I end up picking out whatever is clean on the morning of.

I ended up picking up my Check, Please! dress, because in my world, gingham is a neutral. I made this dress in 2013 and it's the only one from my early sewing that I still wear!

It's been so long since I went to any sort of event that I feel like I've forgotten how to socialise! I spent a lot of my time with my housemate Ellie outside sheltering from the rain.

But don't think that I didn't have fun! Barrio Shoreditch was a great, colourful venue that was the perfect backdrop for cocktails and meeting friends old and new. Plus, there was a lot of tips about hair being thrown around - and I love hair tips!

I've mentioned my anxiety before, but I was wondering if you guys deal with it and any tips and tricks? I need to push myself to go to more events, but that pesky anxiety really gets in the way!

I know I've posted about The George bag before, but it's still my absolute favourite designs we do. I'd suggest grabbing a George item now if you've wanted one. The line is being discontinued! We do have a new pub design on pre-order, if you do miss out.

Hair Flower&Necklace; Handmade
Cardigan; Collectif (old)
Dress; Handmade
Brooch; Luxulite
Bag; Vendula London
Shoes; Melissa

I Carried A Watermelon With Lindy Bop

I love a novelty print. Actually, I BLOODY LOVE a novelty print. And right now, there's one brand killing it on the novelty front; Lindy Bop! I've posted a few of my favourite novelty prints from them before, and I'm always in awe of the quality. So I jumped at the chance to review the Lindy Bop Bambi Dress - in Watermelon Pip Print!

Surprisingly for some, I don't often wear red dresses for fear of clashing against my hair, but I just fell in love with this print. Unlike other watermelon prints, it's just the flesh and pips, which I think makes it unique. It also reminds me of some abstract art, so it makes me feel just a liiiittle bit cultured!

I also generally steer clear of orange-based reds because of the hair and skin tone. However, I don't think this looks bad at all? Oooh, that means I've gone and learned something about myself.

The Bambi Dress is a cute little sundress with a sweetheart neckline, elasticated waist and back, and side seam pockets. I'll say off the bat - this runs LARGE. I usually wear a 22 in Lindy Bop, and I'm wearing an 18 in this dress, but could easily go down to a 16. I always end up talking about my boobs when reviewing, but being less-busty means the straps are a bit loose for me. 

The elasticated waist is a great design point, but can end up a bit too blousy in the bodice if you don't size down. My sizing suggestion is; go one size down from your usual Lindy Bop size if you're busty. Two sizes down if you're less busty. Three sizes down for a much more fitted look.

It's funny how recently I'm less inclined to dress up because of anxiety - I've always dressed 'weird' or 'outlandish' since a young age. I've got one hell of a hard shell because of this, and although it's been a long time since I've had any comments, it's been a bit difficult to be looked at so much.

Also funny because I decided to take all my photos in a busy London park by myself, which really opens you up to questions, looks and people taking photos. How on earth do anxious bloggers do this all the time?!

But hey, aside from anxiety - how cute is the Biscuit Shop Grab Bag from Vendula London?

Wearing black with this dress was my attempt to almost tone it down because it's a real in-your-face colour, but the white bag brings out those white accents and I kinda love it. I'd love to wear this with green, too, to up the Watermelon realness! 

Buuuuut godamnit this dress is comfy, and if we ever have the sun back I'm going to wear it all summer! 

Hair Flower; Handmade
Brooch; Luxulite
Bangles; Splendette
Dress; C/O Lindy Bop (Disclaimer)
Bag; Vendula London (Disclaimer)
Shoes; Yours Clothing 

Some Southern Hospitality

The UK had a heatwave.
As we're Brits, we loooove a chat about the weather, and bloody hell guys it was HOT.

So over the weekend I managed to grow balls and sweat them off -  just in time to spend a few days with my sister-in-law and end up in a Coheed and Cambria mosh pit on the hottest day of the year. Seeing both the sister-in-law and Coheed were amazing, but the heat was a little less ideal!

As soon as hot weather comes in, I have this mental image of me wearing white eyelet lace sundresses and frolicking in tall grass having picnics and prosecco with beautiful sun kissed friends. In reality, I'm hiding under a tree with a warm cider with food thrown down myself complaining about how much I sweat.

Mmm, what a gorgeous mental image.

But hell, I never learn anything and ended up buying this top from Primark because MY GOD isn't it cute? I'm such a sucker for a frilled bardot and the aforementioned white eyelet lace, so this was kinda a necessary purchase. (Is any Primark purchase really that necessary, though?) It fulfils my summer dreams - regardless of the fact I dropped food down it and dyed the inside pink...

My love for gingham is everlasting, though, and this top was just so perfect for my Blue Gingham Skirt, that was blogged about last year. It reminds me of a stereotypical sort of Southern-American sweetheart, bar the overplayed accent, pigtails and penchant for country music!

• Hair Flowers; Lady Lucks Boutique
• Necklace; Handmade
• Top; Primark
• Brooch; Luxulite
• Bangles; Vintage and Splendette
• Bag; Vintage
• Shoes; Miss L Fire

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Ruling The Rain With Elements Rainwear

I live in England.

That much I'm sure you knew already, but it's important to remember. Because there's something that England does really well, in fact we're famous for it;

RAIN.

Up until the last week we've been plagued with torrential rain for a few weeks, and I got pretty bored of having to lug around a bastard umbrella with me all the time!

And this is where stumbling across Elements Rainwear was absolutely perfect!

They're a rainwear brand (obviously) that started in 1991, and most of their items are handmade to order in the same factory on some on the same machinery that the first PVC rainwear was made in the UK back in the 50s and 60s, which personally I think is pretty exciting to know!

They've got quite an extensive range of styles, from galoshes to long trenches and festival ponchos to full-skirted 50's styles, all in over 40 different colours in both PU and PVC!

I decided I desperately needed a see-through raincoat and was really excited to see that they do an 4XL size, which comes up as a 42" bust, 38" waist and 46" hips on their size guide. My personal measurements are actually over that, so for a hot minute I was actually concerned about it fitting, but I was quite pleasantly surprised!

After discussing with Elements about what style would be best for me since I wanted it to fit over petticoats and be long enough to cover my longer skirts, and we decided on the 50s Pleated Coat in NAT2, a semi-transparent PVC with a slightly heavier weight. Their customer service is fantastic, and I was offered a sample pack to work out exactly what fabric I wanted for this coat, since it was difficult to decipher the differences between their PU and PVC.

The Pleated Raincoat is called such due to its pleated high-bust and back, which would easily fit a bust that was slightly bigger than both the measurements and my own. One thing that isn't mentioned on the listing is that this particular style is actually a-line in shape from the pleating instead of being a fit-and-flare style, in favour of just being belted at the natural waist.

This is certainly not a bad thing! Since it has no defined waist or bust, as I said, it could probably accommodate measurements slightly bigger than the stated ones.

I'm generally against hoods on coats thanks to mainly having ridiculously styled hair that I don't want to get messed up, but the hood on this coat is actually one of the best features! Not only is it big enough to encompass a decent height of hair with a drawstring - it also is removable due to the snaps!
I bloody love an item with multi functions.

My secondary favourite thing about the coat is actually the buttons, which unlike my thoughts aren't actually traditional buttons - they're actually made of flexible plastic (possibly PVC, but I haven't a clue with plastics) which not only makes them completely waterproof, but also super easy to button due to being able to bend. Even with ridiculous nails like mine, there's no issue! 

At 5'7", this coat is the perfect length to cover most of my clothing, and since the a-line flare is practically freesized, easily fits a petticoat underneath. I actually tested this coat out for waterproofness during torrential rain whilst doing gardening, and I'm so, so pleased to say - only my hands got wet. This will keep you dry and stylish, and I love that the see-through fabric means I can show off my outfit without compromising dryness!

I bloody love this coat!!

Raincoat; C/O Elements Rainwear (Disclaimer)

Earrings; Bow and Crossbones

Necklace; Handmade

Cardigan; Collectif

Dress; Handmade

Brooch; Luxulite

Bangles; Splendette

Shoes; Melissa

On Outfit Posting and Body Image

In my new-found energy with making this blog, y'know, a fully-functioning blog without six-month gaps between each post - I've not only been making more of an effort to look good, but also grab actual photos of it so I can be vain as possible and post about my daily style.
You know, like actual bloggers do.

But sometimes it just doesn't work out the way you want it to.

This day in particular I loved my outfit. I made the top, skirt and the necklace which made me proud, but also I thought it just looked great. I whacked on my favourite faux leather jacket, threw my camera at my best friend and posed in front of Whole Foods thinking I looked the bees knees.

But looking at the photos made me a little exasperated - the image I had in my mind of what I looked like didn't stare back at me. In fact, I looked shorter and stockier than I think I've ever looked before, and it was disheartening.

I actually hated what I saw.

As my fingers hovered over "Delete" on these pictures, I realised something. You will not always look perfect. Maybe you'll pose wrong, or the light will make you look strange, or your camera does something weird to contort your body. Or maybe your mental image of yourself really just doesn't match up to your actual self.

Maybe you'll see a photo and kinda hate yourself.

This face makes me laugh, though. 

And maybe you'll post them up, because that's all part of you, in the end. Many years ago I hung up my self hatred, learned to love myself and say "fuck you" to the world - sometimes you have to say "fuck you" to yourself and that voice in your head that tells you that you're not enough, let alone perfect.

Headscarf: Vintage

Earrings: Bow and Crossbones

Necklace: Handmade

Jacket: Primark

Top: Handmade

Belt: Primark (old)

Skirt: Handmade

Bag: Vendula London (Disclaimer)
Shoes: Melissa

Because sure, I look short. I look fatter than usual. My cleavage wasn't as noticeable as it was in real life. My pose is all wrong.

But it's still beautiful, because it's me. And even when I don't look 'perfect', I still look beautiful.

Sakura Season

If you follow me on Instagram you would have seen that I was lucky enough to go to Tokyo again  last month.

One of the days I spent the morning wandering around the beautiful Shinjuku Gyoen - a gorgeous public garden which has traditional Japanese landscaping and two tea houses. I was even so lucky to see the first signs of cherry blossoms in the gardens, which made me somewhat emotional.

Naturally, I had to get some photos in front of the blossoms because I'm that sort of person. Less naturally, I had to drag a tripod to the other side of the world with me because I was on my own and had no one to take photos for me. This was not an easy task because of other people walking into the shot, and also using my phone as a remote meant a wonderful delay that often caught me off guard.

Don't I just look so happy?

But I was determined, damnit!

I won this Adalene skirt from Lindy Bop's daily Facebook competitions last year, and it really couldn't be much more perfect for this setting! With a border print of Japanese pagodas and Torii gates, cherry blossoms and cranes and even a background with Mount Fuji - it's such a beautiful skirt that I couldn't wait to wear whilst I was in Tokyo.

I'm not really into pink as I always imagined it would either wash me out or clash horrendously with my hair, and boy am I glad I was wrong! The colour is subtle and sweet but looks striking against black, and I'm a big fan of the button-down front.

Lindy Bop's sizing is notoriously disastrous, but I took a 22 in this based on the measurements of the size guide, and it was the perfect size for me, not too tight to cut me up, not too loose to fall off me - but the cotton does have a bit of give!

It also has pockets, and if you've followed me for long enough you might know I have a bit of a thing for them. Anything without pockets is a useless garment to me!

Away from the blossoms and into the shade, I'm wearing my well-loved Rachel coat from Collectif from years ago - and of course, a Vendula London Chocolatiers Grab Bag!

The bag is more of a Parisian feel than the skirt, a little shopfront of a patisserie with cakes and chocolates, which is actually incredibly popular in Japan, which clearly means it was a set meant to be, right? Right.

Coat: Collectif

Hair Flower: Lady Luck's Boutique

Earrings: Bow and Crossbones

Necklace: Handmade 

Top: Primark

Brooch: Luxulite

Belt: Primark

Skirt: Lindy Bop

Shoes: Melissa

Bag: Vendula London (Disclaimer)

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Strawberry Sundae with Florence Carousel Photography

These are from the first of the two photoshoots I did with Florence Carousel in September (the second shoot is here) and I can't even explain just how much I absolutely adore these images. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Florence is such a talented photographer. You need to check out her main website and her other site, The Street Style Carousel to see just how wonderful she is at capturing style and beauty.

This outfit is possibly one of my absolute bests because it's so matchymatchy and delicious. 

This skirt is another dirndl that was made around the same time as the All Hail The Gingham Queen Skirt in exactly the same way - it's simply just my favourite cotton gingham from Rolls and Rems in Holloway pleated onto a waistband. This one is lined in white cotton, has a centre-back zipper and gigantic patch pockets with ricrac trim.

Simple, but effective! 

Teamed with my original 60's cross-stitch bag with strawberries and strawberry accents on my Miss L Fire Sundae shoes (from 2013) and a handmade strawberry necklace - I will happily say I'm horrendously matchy-matchy, but god, doesn't it just WORK? 

Hair Flowers: Lady Lucks Boutique 

Earrings: Bow and Crossbones

Necklace: Handmade

Brooch: Luxulite

Top: Collectif

Skirt: Handmade

Bangles: Splendette and vintage

Bag: Vintage

Shoes: Miss L Fire

All photos are taken by and belong to Florence Carousel. Use of these photos is only permitted with her approval.
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All My Royal Subjects - With Florence Carousel Photography

Back in September I was lucky enough to do a little shoot with the amaaaazing Florence Carousel after work one warm day whilst the colours of the trees were changing, and I wanted to show you the photos, because frankly? They are AMAZING.

This was the second half of the shoot, and I changed into this outfit in a weird toilet cubicle which was not easy when it was absolutely bloody boiling!

Although this dress isn't technically finished (currently it's strapless as I need to put the straps on, plus add pockets in) it was formed enough to show it off. I bought the fabric from Fabric.com with vouchers I'd been given for my birthday (thanks again, Kristina!), and it's a nice lightweight cotton - nothing too exciting, but it does what I wanted to do, which was simply to make a bright green sundress!

The pattern is the No Cock Nor Tails bodice and a pleated dirndl, of which there's really no more to say than the other dresses featuring the same components, because I have this habit of making the same two dresses.

I'm not very natural at doing any modelling, I can't take myself seriously enough to pose without pulling faces between every shot - but Florence knew what she wanted and made me very comfortable until it started to just flow naturally, resulting in some pretty amazing photos, if I'm allowed to be quite so big headed! She literally has so much talent at portraiture and I love every photo!

Plus she chose a perfect background, this is the fountain outside Buckingham Palace, of which many jokes about me looking over my royal subjects/peasants ensued - because I'm basically The Queen. Right? RIGHT? 

Hair flowers: Lady Lucks Boutique and handmade

Necklace: Handmade

Earrings: Bow and Crossbones

Brooch: Luxulite

Bolero and Belt: Collectif

Dress: Handmade

Bangles: Splendette and Lady Lucks Boutique

Shoes: Miss L Fire

All photos are taken by and belong to Florence Carousel. Use of these photos is only permitted with her approval.