Radiant Roses! My review of the Lady Vintage Dirdle Dress in Vintage Red Rose

 Today, I am reviewing the Lady Vintage Dirdle Dress in Vintage Red Rose Print.  This dress is such a delight!  I am completely enamored of every aspect of it.  Lady Vintage is a London based company that offers a plethora of amazing vintage styled garments in sizes 8-32.  The Dirdle Dress features a square neckline on a fitted bodice with wide straps, a tapered waistline and full flared skirt. The Dirdle Dress also features a sash tie to emphasize the waistline and the full skirt is large enough to accommodate a petticoat.  This dress comes in a variety of unique prints so there is a print to fit every personality and occasion.  I am always happy to see a company make the effort to be body positive and size inclusive and I know that Lady Vintage truly cares about their customers because they offer their clothing in a huge size range so there truly is something for everyone!  

 I love how this dress fits, it really highlights my curves and makes me feel gorgeous.  I am wearing the Dirdle Dress in a size 20, fit is wonderful.  This dress is made for curves!  The bodice is comfortable and modest, making this a great dress for those times when cleavage is not appropriate but the shape of the dress is undeniably feminine so it is sexy in an understated way.  The skirt is full enough for a petticoat, I am wearing one here but it looks lovely without because the material holds its shape, belling out to give the skirt fullness.  The sash at the back of the waist allows you to cinch the dress to fit your shape and comfort level and it emphasizes the waist to give that exaggerated vintage silhouette. The material is a high quality cotton elastane blend that stretches for comfortable fit and movement but is heavy enough to have structure and stand up to repeated wearings. Ladies, this dress has POCKETS!!  Nice, roomy and super handy, pockets on a dress are rare so the Dirdle Dress having pockets confirms that it is indeed the perfect dress.  Lady Vintage have a gift for designing vintage inspired dresses that are practical for everyday wear.

Outfit Details:
Dress: Dirdle Dress in Vintage Red Rose from Lady Vintage
Cardigan: Cropped Cardigan in Red from MAK Sweater
Purse: Vintage Inspired Purse in Red from Lola Von Rose
Earrings: Bad Girl Hoops in 24K Gold from Vixen by Micheline Pitt
Bracelet: Fleur Bangle in Red from The Moby Duck
Flower Crown from Amazon.com
Makeup: Tarte
Lipstick: Victory Red from Besame Cosmetics
Glasses: Zenni Optical

I adore the Vintage Red Rose Print on the Dirdle Dress.  A bright garden print with red roses, greenery and accenting flowers in shades of purple, peach, pink and yellow on a cream backdrop.  I love roses, they are my favorite flower bringing back memories of my grandmother so for me the roses are the star of this dress.  I had fun playing up the red roses with my favorite accessories but the colors in it allow for many different ways of styling and I enjoy dresses that inspire a myriad of different moods and looks!  

 I had to wear this dress in the perfect garden setting but even though its April, winter is still lingering.  It's still snowy here in Michigan so we took the opportunity on a rare warm day to head to the beautiful Dow Gardens in Midland, Michigan to take these photos. Filled with thousands of plants, walking paths, water features, themed gardens, mid century bridges, sculptures and architecture; Dow Gardens is a paradise that I enjoy wandering around for hours admiring!  I cannot tell you how many people stopped me to compliment my outfit, I was told I looked like a fairy, a princess and everyone complimented this beautiful dress.  The Dirdle Dress is a timeless piece for your wardrobe, a classy dress that will never go out of style.  I love wearing clothing that makes me feel good and the Dirdle Dress in Vintage Red Rose by Lady Vintage made me feel like a million bucks!  

Whimsical Wildflowers! Introducing the new Karina Dresses Wildflowers Print!

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Hello!  It has been a bit since I have blogged and I apologize, the time has just gotten away with me.  Michigan seems to be in the midst of the longest winter ever and over the last month it has been a struggle with my health with flu and colds going around like crazy.  It's still snowing even though April has arrived so I am thinking spring thoughts and trying to will spring to come even as snow flies!  I have some great content coming up so get ready for a ton of new reviews and pretty pictures.  Follow me on my Instagram or Facebook for more fun content; Outfit of the Day photos, food, random thoughts, funny stuff and ridiculously fluffy Pomeranian photos are guaranteed!

Today, I am happy to introduce Karina Dresses newest Signature Print, Wildflowers.  I am reviewing the Nora Dress in the new Wildflowers Print.  I love the cut and feel of the Nora Dress and in this whimsical, bright Wildflowers print, it reminds me of the cute but casual house dresses I remember my Grandmother wearing when I was younger.

The Wildflowers print is adorable.  Cute, pop art style flowers dance about on a blue backdrop.  Bright and cheerful this print is perfect for the coming warm months.  It adds a bit of primary color whimsy to my wardrobe, I tend towards pastels and fancy rose based floral prints so this pop art floral is a bold and fun way to wear one of my favorite prints.  When you combine the Wildflowers print with the Nora Dress, you get vintage perfection!

The Nora Dress is features a v-neck bodice, cap sleeves, a defined waistband, gathered back and a circle skirt with pockets!  A comfortable yet elegant dress that can be worn at home for casual comfort or easily dressed up and worn out on a dinner date.  I love versatile styles and this Nora Dress is so great because it can be worn in so many ways.  I have paired it with a cardigan and petticoat here because it was a chilly day outside, but it looks equally as cute on it's own and will be lovely to wear on a hot summer day with sandals!

Outfit Details:
Dress: Nora Dress in Wildflowers Print in size XXL from Karina Dresses
Cardigan: Cardigan in White from MAK Sweater
Flower: Gerbera Daisy from Vintage Box 1947
Earrings: Bad Girl Hoops in 24K Gold from Vixen by Micheline Pitt
Makeup: Tarte
Lipstick: Victory Red from Besame Cosmetics  

I am wearing the Nora Dress in a size XXL here, which is my normal Karina size.  The fit is great, this dress loves my curves and has a good amount of stretch to make it super comfy.  I love to wear my petticoats with my dresses, so I am delighted in this full circle skirt but it looks just as lovely on its own.  I cannot stress enough how thrilled I am when a dress has pockets.  It is so convenient to be able to put your wallet or phone in the pocket of your dress instead of always having the added worry of keeping track of a purse. I love a dress with pockets it makes my life infinitely easier!

Another reason to love Karina is that each of their dresses is made of the same Microfiber blend that is wrinkle free and machine washable.  I love that I can pack several Karina Dresses for a trip and they come out of a bag ready to wear, they make it so much easier to travel.  I am also a huge advocate of buying American made products wherever possible and Karina Dresses are proudly made in the USA!

Moody Blue! Introducing the Karina Dresses Megan Dress in Blue Moon Print

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 Today, I am introducing the beautiful Megan Dress from Karina Dresses.  Part of Karina's new Moody Blue collection, the Megan Dress is an old favorite in the new Blue Moon signature print.  This dress is an instant classic!  I love the vintage feel of the design and the Blue Moon print makes is an eye catching little number that is both comfortable and chic.

Outfit Details:
Dress: Megan Dress in Blue Moon Print, size XXL Courtesy of Karina Dresses
Petticoat: Dancing Days Petticoat in White by Banned Apparel
Earrings: Vintage Inspired Resin Hoops in Cobalt Blue from Pinup Girl Clothing
Flower Crown: Claire's
Makeup: Tarte Cosmetics
Lipstick: Victory Red from Besame Cosmetics

 I cannot gush enough about how much I love the Megan Dress.  This style fits my vintage aesthetic to a "T", it is flowing and super comfortable while being incredibly stylish with minimal effort.  Some days I just want to grab a dress and go, as soon as I put it on this Megan Dress it instantly became one of my favorites.  This will be a dress that I can wear at home for comfort but it can be dressed up and endlessly accessorized so it can be worn anywhere.   The Megan Dress is a V-neck with a defined waistband, pretty gathered sleeves and a flattering flared knee length skirt.  This dress is so slimming, the V-neck style flatters and enhances the bodice, tapering and defined at the waist, then the flared skirt gives a curvy shape that looks great on everyone!  Karina uses the most wonderful microfiber blend material that breathes, stretches and resists wrinkles so these dresses travel easy and look great right out of the bag.  I am wearing a size XXL, it fits just right with lots of stretch for comfort.  I love that the skirt is large enough to accommodate a petticoat, it adds a lot of retro flair to the dress and gives me extra layers of warmth in the wintertime.

 I am also absolutely enamored of this gorgeous new signature Blue Moon print.  A lovely deep teal blue background with semi circles of sky blue, soft grey and cream, this simple geometric pattern is stunning!  Blue Moon has beautiful colors to accessorize.  I chose simple complementary accessories so I could really let this dress shine.  It was a lovely day with blue skies and we still had a dusting of snow, even the Michigan winter weather matched my dress.  I am wearing one of my favorite flower crowns, cobalt resin hoops, a petticoat and simple vintage black heels but the Megan Dress in Blue Moon is the star of my outfit.  I cannot stress how flattering this Megan Dress is and the Blue Moon print takes it to the next level of sophistication.  Karina Dresses are timeless, versatile, stylish and easy to wear, I am thrilled to have this Megan Dress in my wardrobe!

 Tell me your thoughts in the comment section or for more content and photos follow me on Instagram or Facebook.  Thanks for reading!

Bodycon Beauty! My review of the Kiyonna Bianca Ruched Dress

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Today, I am reviewing the Bianca Ruched Dress in Plum from Kiyonna.  This is by far the sexiest dress in my wardrobe!  A dramatic departure from my normal cutesy vintage style, this bodycon dress is chic and stylish while being soft and comfortable.  The perfect dress for date night or any occasion where you want dramatic style, Bianca will guarantee all eyes are on you!

I am the first to admit that I play it safe with style.  I wear outfits that are fitted on top but flare out on the bottom to camouflage my tummy and butt.  I have always been picked on for my big butt, bullied all through school I learned to hide my body instead of celebrating it.  I love my body but rarely embrace anything that shows off my shape closely, so when I saw the Kiyonna Bianca Ruched Dress, I fell in love but I was terrified of wearing a bodycon dress, I do not generally feel as confident in these fitted styles.  I want to get past that, so I took a risk and I am so glad that I did! 

Outfit Details:
Dress: Bianca Ruched Dress in Plum, size 2X courtesy of Kiyonna
Hair Flower: Orchid by The Pin Up Curl
Earrings: Pearl Drops by Ceci Punch Designs
Makeup: Tarte Cosmetics
Lipstick: Victory Red by Besame Cosmetics

The Bianca Ruched Dress is a bodycon dress with flattering ruching, a peek-a-boo neckline and dramatic draped cold shoulder sleeves.  A fresh and trendy reworking of a classic starlet style, the Bianca Ruched Dress has all the vintage style that I love with modern accents.  Made of a rayon and spandex blend material, this dress is soft as a dream while having great stretch that accentuates every curve.  This material is fabulous because it is breathes and moves with the body making this dress feel like a second skin.  The ruching is amazing, it can be adjusted just right to flatter your shape so the dress looks made for you.  The peek-a-boo neck can also be adjusted to show more or less as desired by simply tucking the neckline to suit your needs.  I love the draped cold shoulder sleeves, they cover my arms while still giving a sexy peek of shoulder that I just love!  Purple is my favorite color and this rich shade of plum is pretty and sophisticated.

 I am wearing the Bianca Ruched Dress in a size 2x here, it fits me perfectly, hugging every curve and embracing my body.  It highlights my hourglass shape and shows off my body in a way that I rarely do.  I will admit, I felt self conscious at first, there's a stigma that surrounds visible belly outline and I am not used to showing off my shape in a fitted dress but as a mom who has had a C-Section and a gal who has always been belittled for being plus sized, I am over that!  My body is beautiful just as it is, it has survived, thrived, made life and brought me through everything both good and bad, it deserves care and unconditional love!!

The Bianca Ruched Dress in Plum is definitely a show stopper, I got tons of compliments as well as a few people simply staring open mouthed.  I loved how I felt wearing it, I was like a starlet, all eyes were on me and everyone had something wonderful to say.  It made our date night all the more special because I dressed up in a way my husband rarely sees me and he loved it! Kiyonna knocked it out of the park with this style, I cannot gush enough about it.  It felt wonderful to embrace my body in a whole new way and Kiyonna made sure I looked amazing doing it!

Effortless Style with Karina Dresses, featuring the new Naomi Dress!

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I am happy to be back after a blog hiatus to focus on health and spend the holidays with my family!  I suffer from anxiety and depression, in the winter with the holidays it gets much worse, I wanted to focus on things here at home as well as my own health so it was necessary to take a break but I am back with lots of new content to come in 2018!!  If you want to see more,  you can also follow me on Facebook or Instagram for outfit of the day posts, lots of candid life photos and tons of Michigan love!

Today, I am happy to be collaborating with Karina Dresses to introduce the NEW Naomi Dress in Tulip Garden from Karina's Sweetheart Collection.  Karina Dresses specializes in effortless everyday styles.  Made from a microfiber blend of polyester and spandex, Karina Dresses are the original easy dress, they fit beautifully on all body types and they travel effortlessly because the material is wrinkle free.  I mean you can literally wad this dress up in a ball, pull it out and it still looks perfect, definitely something we need more of in our busy lives!

The Naomi Dress is a new style for Karina!  A swingy, skater style dress with a fitted scoop neck bodice, cute cap sleeves, a full flirty circle skirt and ladies, best of all, it has POCKETS!!  I cannot contain my rapture when I receive a dress and it has pockets, the sheer joy with which I skip around happily informing the world that MY dress has POCKETS is ridiculous!  BUT, it is not common for women's dresses to have pockets and I believe it is one of the most underappreciated design elements in women's clothing.  These pockets are a great size too, large enough to hold both my cell phone and wallet, so very convenient!

Outfit Details:
Dress: Naomi Dress in Tulip Garden Print, Size XXL C/O of Karina Dresses
Earrings: Bad Girl Hoops in 24K Gold from Vixen by Micheline Pitt
Glasses: Zenni Optical
Cardigan: Cardigan in Olive C/O Mak Sweater
Heels: Black Kitten Heels from Mossimo
Makeup: Tarte Cosmetics
Lipstick: Victory Red from Besame Cosmetics

 The Naomi Dress fits like a dream and feels even better.  The microfiber material is so light and comfortable to wear, the shape flatters my curves and it does not cling but floats and swings around you.  This dress has tons of stretch, I went with a size XXL and it fits me just right.  The bodice is nicely fitted, cut modestly and it nips in at the waist to flatter. The cap sleeves are cute and comfortable giving a nice bit of upper arm coverage.  The length hits just below the knee on me at 5'2" tall.  The skirt is generous, flaring at the waist and very full with lots of fun movement, there is enough room to wear a petticoat underneath if desired for vintage styled looks.

Photo Location: Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan

I adore the pretty Tulip Garden print, it is a classic Karina pattern but the skater style Naomi Dress gives it a fresh and flirty feel.  This is a dress that has many styling possibilities, I love having pieces in my wardrobe that inspire me to create many different looks, it is such a joy to change up my look with simple changes in accessories, it shows off my personality and mood for the day!  Naomi is an effortless style, it can be worn alone in the summer for an easy, chic outfit, but it would also be great dressed up with a petticoat, contrasting belt, heels and pretty vintage accessories.  Naomi could also be worn in the winter with a cardigan, leggings and boots.  I am in love with my Naomi Dress!  I adore so many of Karina Dresses lovely selection, they have designs that suit every mood, style and size.   Which Karina Dress is your favorite?

Beaded Beauty! My Review of the Gatsby Lady Scarlet Vintage Inspired Fringed Flapper Dress

Today, I have traveled back to the 1920's to review the Gatsby Lady Scarlet Vintage Inspired Fringed Flapper Dress in Black Silver.  This glorious frock is perfect for all your upcoming Holiday style needs.  Glitzy and glamorous, perfect for parties or perhaps playing the part of an intriguing guest at a murder mystery dinner; the Scarlet Dress is a sequined and beaded masterpiece that will make you want to dance the night away!

The Gatsby Lady Scarlet Dress includes a fully beaded overdress with a black underdress.  It is a masterpiece! Elegant beading swirls and sweeps around the dress hugging my curves and flattering my shape!  The beads in shades of silver, black, pale celery green and aqua decorate the dress in swirls, stripes, leaves and a bold rose accent in the center.  My favorite part of the Scarlet Dress design is how the pattern in the beading accentuates my figure, it is a cleverly designed to give shape to the figure and to camouflage trouble areas, drawing attention to the waist and hips with striped beading down the side that draws the eyes to curves.  The dress is heavy, as it is fully beaded but the weight is not noticeable once it is on.  I love how the beaded fringe shimmies, it really makes this dress a joy to wear.  The Scarlet Dress is petite friendly, at 5'2" the dress hits me a few inches below the knee.  The sleeves are sheer with leaf pattern beading and sequined cuffs, I love the extra arm coverage because Michigan winters are frigid and more coverage is always a plus.

Outfit Details:
Dress: Scarlet Vintage Inspired Fringed Flapper Dress in Black Silver C/O Gatsby Lady
Lipstick: Cherry Red from Besame Cosmetics
Makeup: Tarte Cosmetics
Shoes: Madden Girl-thrifted
Makeup and Hair Styling: Alyx Halsey

 I love the fit of this dress!  I am wearing the Scarlet Dress in a size UK24 /US20, it fits perfectly showcasing my curves without being clingy or uncomfortable at all.  The material has a bit of stretch, you do not want to stretch too far because of the beads but there is a decent amount of give so the dress is form fitting and comfortable. I was a bit hesitant to try the flapper style, when I think of the 20's I tend to think of the stereotypical waif thin flapper, so I was a bit scared as a curvy gal to try this 20's style, it is a huge step outside of the box but I am so glad I took a chance!  I cannot get over how fabulous this dress feels and looks, it fits my body perfectly highlighting my shape nicely and looking ever so elegant.  Gatsby Lady really know how to create dresses that flatter all body types!

I loved channeling the flapper style of the 1920's for this look.  I did some research into the time period,  a fascinating point in history where women escaped the rigid social structure of Edwardian times and really started thinking for themselves.  They began cutting their long hair and dressing in bold look-at-me styles because they were sick of being in the background.  "The Flapper awoke from her lethargy of sub-deb-ism, bobbed her hair, put on her choicest pair of earrings and a great deal of audacity and rouge and went into the battle. She flirted because it was fun to flirt and wore a one-piece bathing suit because she had a good figure, she covered her face with powder and paint because she didn’t need it and she refused to be bored chiefly because she wasn’t boring. She was conscious that the things she did were the things she had always wanted to do."   The flappers were responsible for many of the freedoms that we enjoy as women today!  Read more about Flappers- Here.

For these photos I really wanted to embody the look of the era.  My gal pal Alyx is a wizard at transforming modern women into vintage vixens so we worked together for retro perfection.  My hair is mid back length, we styled it into a faux bob, added dark smoky eyes, and bold dark red lips to a pale face so I look as though I just stepped out of a speak easy in the 1920's.  It is such fun to try on different eras fashions, it gives me a glimpse of history and the new, exciting role women were starting to play in changing society 100 years ago.  Gatsby Lady helps you to take a fun step back in time and look amazing while you do it!

Which Gatsby Lady dress is your favorite style?  Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for more photos and sassy fun!