The Perfect Purse! Lola Von Rose Vintage Inspired Handbag Review

Another beautiful sunny day here in Michigan!  I am enjoying the weather as much as possible.  The summer is coming to a close, the cool temperatures and colors of autumn will be here before we know it.

Today I am reviewing the Lola Von Rose Vintage Inspired Handbag in Red.  This gorgeous reproduction handbag was inspired by fabulous retro plastic and lucite handbags of the 1950's.  I have always loved the style of these cute little purses but the price of an actual vintage bag in good condition can be quite high.  I was delighted to come across Lola Von Rose on Instagram and instantly fell in love with their modern interpretation of this vintage classic.

  The Red Vintage Inspired Handbag is gorgeous!!  Made of sturdy bright red plastic, it measures 9.5 inches long, 3.25. inches high (not including the strap) and 4.75 inches wide.  This bag is roomy!  I had my wallet, cell phone, two Besame Lipsticks and powder inside, a vintage perfect way to carry the essentials.

  I love the stylized rounded handle and ovoid shape.  The plastic exterior is glossy and sturdy, I also found out while shooting on the pier that it is water tight as Lake Michigan washed over the pier trying to steal both my purse and shoes!

Photography: Photography by Hanah Tepe at the Pier and Lighthouse in St. Joseph, Michigan
Dress: Bernice Swing Dress in Mint Rose by Lindy Bop
Purse: Vintage Inspired Handbag in Red by Lola Von Rose
Earrings: Mystic Drops in Ivory by Ceci Punch Designs
Brooch and Bracelet: Red Rose Brooch and Red Floral Bangle by The Moby Duck

This Vintage Inspired Handbag in Red has become one of my favorite accessories, it's adorable and matches so many of my outfits.  It's easy to grab on the way to any event, it compliments my wardrobe and helps keep me looking pinup perfect while being practical!  I love my Lola Von Rose Vintage Inspired Handbag in Red!  Which Lola Von Rose Vintage Inspired Handbag do you love most?

Summer love! Kiyonna Luring Lace Dress Review

Summertime is so much fun!  It gives me such joy being out in nature, traveling and wearing pretty dresses that aren't practical in the winter.  I have been seeing sexy strap styles all over the internet and since I have been challenging myself to get out of my fashion comfort zone I had to get in on the strappy summer action with the stunning Kiyonna Luring Lace Dress in Ruby.

Dress: Luring Lace Dress in Ruby size 1X courtesy of Kiyonna
Earrings: Kelsi Ear Jacket by Gorjana via Rocksbox
Necklace: Rayne Necklace in Ivory Pearl by Kendra Scott via Rocksbox
Ring: Hexagon Pave Ring in Moonstone by Olivia and Grace via Rocksbox
Lipstick: Red Velvet by Besame Cosmetics
Shoes: Vintage Sprigged Floral Print Wedges

The Kiyonna Luring Lace Dress is a trendy twist on the classic summer sundress.   A gorgeous off-shoulder dress with floral lace sleeves, fitted bodice, adjustable straps and flared knee length skirt.  The Luring Lace Dress is fully lined which provides modesty and structure to the garment but it is still lightweight and flows beautifully.  

The Luring Lace Dress is easily my favorite style from Kiyonna, I felt positively luscious in this dress, it strikes the perfect balance between sweet and sexy!  I rarely get into modern trends but I felt this style has a bit of vintage glamour to it as well.  I am a sucker for off-shoulder styles, I find them to be a lovely way to show a little skin while still being modest.  When I thought I couldn't love the dress more, we get to the best part, the straps.  The Luring Lace Dress has adjustable straps that can be worn can be worn in a couple different fashions to cater to your personal style.  I love the look of a v-neckline with the straps crossed in back:

Dress: Luring Lace Dress in Ruby size 1X courtesy of Kiyonna

Earrings: Jenny Bird Flagstaff Earrings in Gold/Lapis via Rocksbox

Necklace: Gorjana Vivienne Necklace via Rocksbox

Bracelet: Nakamol Pearl and Multicolored Bracelet via Rocksbox

Lipstick: Red Velvet by Besame Cosmetics

Hair: Alyx Wiltse using Beauty and Pinups Fierce Firm Hold Finishing Spray
Shoes: Vintage Sprigged Floral Print Wedges

But you can also wear them in this lovely keyhole style with the straps crossed in the front, as shown on the Kiyonna Website:

Photo: Kiyonna

The Luring Lace Dress is very flattering, hugging my curves and flaring out into a graceful knee length skirt.  I am wearing a size 1X, fit is perfect and the length hits my 5'3" frame at just below the knee.  The dress fits and flares so I suggest choosing the best fit for your bust/waist as the bottom of the garment is more free sized, I can wear a 14/16 top but need a 22/24 bottom and the fit of the 1X which is a 14/16 is form fitting and flattering on me.

The knee length is a step outside the box for me.  I have always had a love/hate relationship when it comes to showing my legs but this dress looks so amazing, I'm pretty sure no one would notice my legs anyway!  The Ruby color is dramatic and lovely, I rarely wear jewel tones in the summertime but I am trying to break out of those style ruts and this shade really pops with the green summer foliage.  I wore my dress for a romantic stroll in the garden while out on date night with my husband, accessorizing it with sparkly gold and pearl jewelry from Rocksbox.   Absolutely perfect to wear for any summer activity, comfortable and fashionable, I could go on forever about how much I love this dress!  Kiyonna has the hottest styles and sizes tailored to fit real plus size bodies beautifully, this is why they are my favorite plus size retailer!

This dress strikes the perfect balance between sweet and sexy!

Everything's coming up roses! Lindy Bop Bernice Swing Dress in Mint Rose Review

Today, I am reviewing the gorgeous Lindy Bop Bernice Swing Dress in Mint Rose.  I  discovered Lindy Bop dresses from the very beginning of my pinup modeling because they were in the wardrobe rooms of every photographer I worked with.  I loved the styling, quality and fit so naturally I had to add Lindy Bop to my wardrobe.  Lindy Bop is home to fabulous retro styled wardrobe pieces that are affordable and high quality.  I have had my eye on this gorgeous Bernice Swing Dress in Mint Rose since it was released so when I had the chance to do a blog review for Lindy Bop, I absolutely had to have it!

I am a sucker for roses, they are my favorite flower, although I haven't met a flower yet that I didn't love!  Roses bring back memories of my childhood, my Grandmother Beatrice had a beautiful rose bush in her yard that she would let me cut blooms off each year.  I have fond memories of waiting for the roses to bloom so I could enjoy their sweet perfume and it brings back feelings of blissful childlike joy.

 The Bernice Swing Dress in Mint Rose combines one of my favorite colors to wear, mint green with a beautiful vintage red rose print.  This print is so very retro, scattered with rosebuds and cascading to lovely rose border in full bloom.  The Bernice Swing Dress fit me perfectly except for one issue, being quite petite at 5'3", the straps were much to long for me and unfortunately they are not adjustable.  I did have to have a minor alteration made to the dress by a seamstress, having the straps shortened, this was not a difficult fix but I would love to see Lindy Bop offer future dresses with adjustable straps so the fit can be easily personalized.  After having the straps fixed the fit is amazing, Bernice hugs my curves and flatters beautifully!  

I am impressed with the quality of the material.  The Bernice Swing Dress is made of a lovely soft cotton material and fully lined with viscose, this dress does not have stretch so measuring yourself well is key to a great fit.  The lining is a thoughtful feature giving structure to the bodice and shape to the skirt. I love wearing petticoats but sometimes in the summer it can be rather uncomfortably hot.  The skirt of the Bernice Swing Dress has a nice drape and fullness giving a graceful vintage silhouette without a petticoat but has room for the addition of a petticoat if more fullness is desired.  One of my favorite features of this dress is the pockets!!  Pockets are a welcome addition to any dress giving us convenience of carrying necessary items with without sacrificing style.  The pockets on the Bernice Swing Dress are cleverly hidden in the gathered full skirt and are roomy enough to carry a cell phone or wallet inside.

Photography: Photography by Hanah Tepe at the St Joseph North Pier and Lighthouse
Dress: Bernice Swing Dress in Mint Rose, Size US 18 , courtesy of Lindy Bop
Earrings: Mystic Drops in Ivory by Ceci Punch Designs
Brooch: Red Rose courtesy of The Moby Duck
Bracelet: Red Floral Bangle courtesy of The Moby Duck
Purse: Vintage Inspired Handbag in Red courtesy of Lola Von Rose (review coming soon!)
Shoes: Vintage White Floral Print Wedges
Styled with Hair Products courtesy of Beauty and Pinups
Lipstick: Red Velvet by Besame Cosmetics

  The bodice has a flattering sweetheart neckline that is accented by perfectly placed gathers and cute matching buttons, tapering in the waist with a full gathered skirt.  The Bernice Swing Dress comes with a cute contrasting white belt that cinches the waist and accentuates your curves.  The dress looks lovely with or without the belt so you can change up your style.

I love this dress so much!  It has fast become one of my wardrobe favorites.  I love the contrast of the red roses with the mint green background so I chose to accentuate that contrast by matching the Bernice Swing Dress with lovely red rose themed vintage styled accessories.  This dress can be styled many different ways, it is beautiful enough to wear casually with pretty accessories or it could be dressed up with the addition of a red petticoat, red heels and pearls.  In the winter it could be styled with a white lace trimmed petticoat, red tights and a mint cardigan.  I love styling my dresses for wear in any season, I enjoy finding new variations in my wardrobe pieces that way things never become stale!  Lindy Bop is one of my favorite vintage inspired designers, I cannot wait to see what they come out with next!!!

Lake Michigan Dreams....

I had a lovely time taking blog photos at one of my favorite places in Michigan, St. Joseph.  St. Joseph is filled with fabulous dining, quaint shops, beautiful beaches and so much charm I find it intoxicating.  I was thrilled to get a chance to work with the amazing pinup photographer, Photography by Hanah Tepe from South Bend, Indiana.  Hanah and I had a glorious time creating magic on the North Pier with the newly restored St. Joseph Lighthouse as a perfectly Pure Michigan backdrop.  Tiscornia Beach, The North Pier and its lighthouses are beautiful to enjoy a peaceful walk while listening to the music of the waves, feeling the wind in your hair and enjoying the seemingly endless panorama of Lake Michigan.