The Collectif Ginger Strawberry Print Wing Bust Dress

Dress from Collectif, also available at Top Vintage, Attitude and eBay, peeptoe slingback sandals from BHS, bamboo bangles from Collectif, handbag and pearl earrings are vintage

As soon as I set eyes on this adorable strawberry-print sundress from retro supershop Collectif, I knew I had to have it on my body and in my blog. The pattern is scrumptious – fruity red on a clean white background makes it super summery. The classic 1950s shape with its full swing skirt and nipped-in, belted waist is flattering as hell and the elasticated panel at the back means you can feel a little bit smug and size down.

As if this dress wasn’t giving you enough reasons to defy convention and marry it, the straps are adjustable so you can change your neckline whenever you fancy! I also love the attention to detail of the wing bust, which can be folded up or down depending on how vintage you’re feeling.

To summarise, I am a smitten kitten. So are lots of other vintage lovers so this one sold out quickly on the Collectif website. Don’t worry though, I’ve thoughtfully included multiple links at the start of this post to increase your odds of bagging one of these beauties for yourself.

My Polka Dot Rose

Dolores Polka Dot Rose Half Sleeve Dress from Collectif, shoes from New Look, vintage handbag

I’m a huge fan of Collectif and a particular devotee of their Dolores dress. I have it in eight(!) different prints threatening to burst the hinges of my wardrobe at any moment. (See here, here and here for proof of my love.) So I was pretty excited to see the autumn/winter spin on my old favourite.

The winter edition of the Dolores is a more modest cut than its summer cousin. It’s still got that va-va-voom-ka-pow-pow-pow-boom-pow silhouette but the slightly higher sweetheart neckline reveals a glimpse rather than a yard of cleavage and the half sleeves ensure goosepimply bingo wings are contained and insulated.

The print combines two vintage classics – polka dots and roses – to create a tongue-in-chic, cartoonish vision of feminitity. Betty Boop would rock this frock. As would Minnie’s older, more worldy wise sister, Minxie Mouse.

The Collectif Dolores Doll Dress In Pink Hibiscus

Dress from Collectif, vintage handbag, wedges from Amazon, hair flower from Violets In May, bangles and earrings from Bow & Crossbones

Yesterday was the hottest day of the year in London so I decided to dress like I was attending a Hawaiian vintage wedding. It was great! I felt so happy all day! I totally recommend picking a weather appropriate party theme for your everyday outfit and letting it uplift your spirits.

For the wedding I was going to in my head I wore my Dolores swing dress from Collectif. I’m already addicted to their wiggles but their swing style was a new fashion adventure. I love how the longer length gives a more authentic vintage look. The full skirt makes me feel very ladylike and quite bridesmaidy.

I’m wearing a 10 even though my bikini diet this year has been heavy on ice cream. Definitely size down in this style for a pin up look that flatters your figure and a size label that flatters your ego.

To complete the tiki theme I accessorised with my bamboo bangles, plumeria earrings and my favourite fuschia hair orchid. No-one I know got married, but it was a beautiful day.

For my complete guide to Hawaiian vintage dresses, click here.

The Collectif Fairy Summer Bouquet Doll Dress

Dress from Collectif, cardigan from Krisp, wedges from Amazon, vintage handbag and earrings, sunglasses from Accessorise

Hello sunshine!

I love this dress because it’s so easy to wear and I’m very lazy. You get all the girly appeal of a 1950s frock without the pesky boning digging into your ribs. It’s a great holiday dress because it’s completely faff-free. In fact it’s so low-maintenance you don’t even have to do up a zip. The shirred back panel and adjustable spaghetti straps ensure a perfect fit. I’d definitely recommend sizing down for a neat, vintage look. Then just pull it on and skip off into the sun.

In case you get addicted or have an aversion to cheerful yellow roses, it’s also available in these charming prints.

Navy and candy coloured both from Collectif

Vintage Essentials No.5: The Cigarette Trousers

The Bonnie Blackwatch Cigarette Trousers by Collectif, beaded cardigan from Collectif via eBay, vintage handbag, shoes from Dorothy Perkins

It’s the year of the trousers! I’m trying to extend my casual wardrobe because to be quite frank and a little bit Rita, I’m tired of the guy at the corner shop asking me if I’m off to a party when I’ve just popped out for some milk. So here I am, in my trews, ready to do lunges and high kicks and all those other acrobatic moves you just can’t get away with in a pencil skirt without it splitting.

If you’re after pantaloons with a vintage look but don’t like your cankles or can’t be arsed to shave them, then I recommend a pair of cigarette trousers. This ankle-grazing, high-waisted style became popular with women in the 1950s and with me late last year. They are far more forgiving than their calf-chopping cousin, the capri pants, which transform sturdy limbs like mine into trotters. Like most things, except perhaps tracksuit bottoms, they look even better worn with heels.

The Bonnie trousers I’m wearing are from Collectif and come in a range of fabrics. Confusingly, the different colour-ways don’t all fit the same. To avoid the already stressful process of trouser-buying becoming a weepfest, check the product description on the webiste to see if they come up large or not. I cried in a changing room so you don’t have to.

green, check, houndstooth, black

The Collectif Ashley Coat Review

Ashley coat by Collectif, polka dot dress by Collectif, shoes from Dotty P, vintage handbag

You might notice I’m not pouting as much as usual. It’s not because I’ve realised that incessant pouting makes me look horribly vain. It’s because this coat fills me with so much joy I can’t help but smile. Or, as in the last picture, do an impression of a happy cat.

I’ve been in love with it since last winter, when it spurned my advances by being sold out everywhere. After a year lived in the worst kind of regret – regret over the missed purchase that would undoubtedly have changed the course of my life – I discovered Collectif were bringing it back and I was as giddy as a schoolgirl covered in kippers.

Finding a coat that doesn’t make me look massive is a challenge. Finding one that not only looks good but also insulates is nearly impossible. But the Ashley is perfect. The tie belt and V-neck are flattering while the thick wool-blend and faux fur trim keep you toasty.

More wonderful news is that the Ashley is currently half price on the website, which makes me strongly tempted to buy it in black and green too…

The Collectif Rizzo Blackwatch Check Dress

Dress from Collectif, velvet belt from Wheels & Dollbaby, handbag from Boohoo, shoes from Dorothy Perkins, earrings are vintage

I love wearing this dress so much my other dresses are starting to feel neglected. The below-the-knee pencil skirt and delicate puff sleeves make it ladylike but the va-va-voom cut and punky print give it some attitude. This blend of sophistication, sauciness and sass results in one immensely wearable dress. It will take you from day to night and from office to bar to last bus home.

It reminds me of a Vivienne Westwood, not just because of the trademark tartan but also the voluptuous silhouette and that seductive crossover neckline. Fortunately for budget-conscious bombshells, Collectif are a far more affordable label. Lately they seem to have colonised my wardrobe with their reasonably priced and unreasonably gorgeous retro designs.

It sold out pretty darn quickly on the Collectif website, but you can still buy it at one of my favourite eBay stores, Sirens & Starlets. Collectif also do another fabulous tartan pencil dress, which is available now.

Vintage ladies know that tartan is a classic choice for winter, but this year catwalk trendsetters have caught on too.

I don’t choose my clothes based on what’s fashionable – most of my wardrobe was the height of fashion sixty years ago. But it does make me happy when designers feature vintage styles in their collections, which will then filter down to the high street and become readily available to the likes of me.

To conclude this check-heavy post, here are a few more wintery lust-haves. Now you too can put the tart in tartan.*

grey wiggle dress, black Peggy dress, 60s mini dress, swagger suit, red pencil skirt, swing trousers

* I am reclaiming the word tart because it is excellent.

A Velvet Dress For Autumn

Dress from Collectif, velvet shoes from Dorothy Perkins, handbag and earrings are vintage

One of the things I love about Collectif is the way they have certain signature shapes that they keep bringing out in different fabrics and patterns. So when you find a style that suits your figure, you havn’t just found one new dress you feel fab in, you’ve found ten! And with every new season you get new spins on an old favourite.

The Dolores wiggle is one of their go-to styles that works for me. It’s sexy but not pornographic, dressy enough for evenings out but doesn’t make me feel overdressed in daylight and, most importantly, it’s incredibly flattering. So I was delighted to see Collectif had done a floral velvet version for AW13.

I love a bit of velvet in winter. It’s sumptuous, sophisticated and a fantastic insulator. And although I’m normally a sucker for bright colours, I actually really dig the dusky, faded hues on this frock. It gives it a more antiquey, flea market look. Because everyone knows how glamorous fleas are. Now excuse me, I’m off to visit the mosquito emporium.

The Collectif Regina Hawaiian Party Dress

Dress from Collectif, corsage worn in hair from Violets In May, wedges from New Look

A while ago I went to a Hawaiian themed party. While my friends fretted about what to wear, I knew I had everything I needed already in my overstuffed wardrobe. I’m a huge fan of fifties style tiki dresses so I had several on hand for this particular luau.

I decided on my Regina Hibiscus dress from Collectif. It’s a brilliantly designed party dress because it can be worn by all shapes and sizes. A gorgeous and very streamlined friend of mine has the same frock and it looks stunning on her size 6 figure. Thankfully it also flatters curvy girls like me with its black background and fitted hourglass shape.

The stetchy fabric makes it comfy and easy to move about in but it’s still supportive. I found it looked best on me in a figure-skimming size 10 worn without a bra. It was a relief not having to worry about my bra straps showing, although the increased probability of accidentally flashing a nip was slightly stressful. It’s a testament to the dress that despite countless cocktails and lots of dancefloor wiggling, both nips stayed covered.

To my inner exhibitionist’s delight there was a photo booth at the party. Naturally I seized the opportunity to experiment with accessories and practice my surprised face.

Diary Of A Vintage Holiday Wardrobe

I’m not a light packer. I always pay for extra baggage and, as goes the story of my life, I’m still overweight. My justification for the bursting suitcase seams and (this year) broken handles is that my summer holiday is my annual chance to actually wear my extensive vintage swimsuit collection. Here’s a look by look account of what I wore on my recent holiday to Spain.

First Night Out

Dress from Collectif, hair flower from Violets In May, wedges from New Look

Feeling a bit of a post-flight porker, I adopted a tried and tested outfit formula. LBD + heels + a colour pop accessory = flattering, fast-track glamour.

Beach Time, Baby

Swimsuit from Next, skirt from Tara Starlet, wedges from Primark, hair flower from Accessorize, sunglasses from duty free

The next day I craved colour and kitsch to get me in the holiday mood and distract me from my stonking hangover.

Cafe Hopping In Collectif

Sundress from Collectif, wedges from Amazon (£5.99!), handbag from River Island

I couldn’t resist the sunniness of this sundress. It’s ideal for holidays because it’s bright, playful and the swing skirt stops your thighs getting all sweaty.

Senorita Swimwear

Swimsuit from For Luna, skirt from Miss Selfridge, headscarf from Deadly Is The Female

En route to the beach/pool/garden, I like to wear my one-piece swimsuit as a halter top. I also love a theme and this look was inspired by 1950s Spanish film stars.

Malibu Barbie

Swimsuit from Next, skirt from BHS, wedges from Amazon, hair flower from Violets In May

During my holiday I became completely addicted to this fuschia orchid hairclip from Violets In May. It was a quick, fun way to add pin up appeal to all my outfits.

Never Enough Pink

Dress from Stop Staring, handbag from Primark

Stop Staring dresses are perfect for travelling because they ooze retro flirtiness and the body-skimming stretchy fabric is practically creaseproof!

Getting My Cherries Out

Swimsuit from For Luna, shorts from Tara Starlet, headscarf from Deadly Is The Female

This is the first vintage style swimsuit I ever bought. It’s very special to me because it put a permanent stop to years of bikini body shame.

Dinner With A View

Dress from Stop Staring, handbag from Pimark

I wore white because it showed off my tan and polka dots because I’m obsessed.

Leopard Print And Polka Dots

Swimsuit from Seafolly, skirt from ASOS, bag from Primark

Ah, my failsafe fifties swimsuit. Even when I’m feeling massive after using my holiday as an excuse to pig out, I still feel good in it. It’s very supportive.

Last Day Lunch

Dress from Collectif, handbag from River Island, wedges from New Look

I went mid-century Mediterranen for my final day in Spain. My hours of hard work lazing around in the sunshine had paid off and I felt proud to have realised my dream of being as tanned as Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra.

¡Adios bitches! xx