Beautiful Brocade! My Review of the Lindy Bop Tiana Twin Set

 Today, I am reviewing the Lindy Bop Tiana Twin Set in Burgundy.  The Tiana Twin Set consists of an off the shoulder dress with a flare skirt and matching bolero jacket.  The Tiana Twin Set is made of  luxuriant burgundy floral brocade, brocade is a heavy fabric with very little stretch.  This beautiful set is practical and perfect for the seasonal transition from summer into fall.  I love the vintage style of this set!  The best thing about the Tiana Twin Set to me is how versatile it is.  Michigan weather varies wildly in the fall months, some days it is 60 degrees and other days it is 80, this makes dressing for the day a bit difficult, Tiana solves this problem for me!  I can wear the jacket and dress together when the day starts out chilly but if the temperatures warm up the dress looks lovely on it's own. 

Outfit Details:
Dress: Tiana Twin Set in Burgundy Size UK22 Care of Lindy Bop
Earrings: Mystic Drop Earrings in Ivory From Ceci Punch Designs
Makeup: Tarte Cosmetics
Lipstick: Red Velvet from Besame Cosmetics
Shoes: Steve Madded-Thrifted
Hair Flower: Handmade by Me
Hairstyling by Alyx Halsey

 The Lindy Bop Tiana Twin Set flatters my curves and makes me feel like I just stepped out of a retro movie.  The dress is an off the shoulder style with bow detailing on the shoulders, a nipped in waist and full flared skirt.  I am wearing a petticoat under my skirt for fullness.  The jacket is a 3/4 sleeve bolero style with a rounded neckline that hits just at the waist.  Comfortable and classy for day wear or dressed up, this set can be accessorized to be appropriate for almost any occasion.  The floral brocade material is so luxurious and really feels like it is a true vintage piece.   It is a poly/spandex blend with very little stretch so be sure to look closely at the measurements on the size chart before you order, I generally check these because each Lindy Bop garment has a unique fit according to its style.  I am wearing The Tiana Twin Set in a size UK20.  Fit is just right, the bodice is snug with a bit of stretch, the waist nips in to flatter and the skirt can fit a full petticoat but also lays nicely without due to pleating at the waistline.  This shade of burgundy is just right for the coming fall colors but will also be lovely for the Christmas season.

This is my first Lindy Bop Twin Set but it makes me want to go snap up their other sets because these make a great addition to my wardrobe!  Lindy Bop consistently releases beautiful new designs, I cannot wait to see what else they have in store for the Autumn/Winter season.  The Lindy Bop Tiana Twin Set will give me a ton of wear for the upcoming holiday season, it is classy, timeless and versatile.  I adore Lindy Bop, they give me beautiful vintage style clothing with a huge variety of styles to choose from, great quality and an affordable price so I can refresh my wardrobe for each season without breaking the bank!

Fashion, sealed with a kiss! My SWAK Designs Lookbook

They say summer has ended but its hanging on here in Michigan, we have been experiencing a rather warm start to September with the heat of the summer season continuing.  I can see touches of autumn all around me though, so change is in the wind.  The tips of the trees are turning red, apple cider is being pressed fresh at our local orchard and Halloween decorations have taken over our stores.  Fall is my favorite time of year.  I love the bright beautiful leaves and the earthy colors that overtake everything but I do get a little melancholy because I love wearing pretty dresses and the weather here in Michigan can be rather brutal.  Wardrobe is trickier in cooler weather but being stylish doesn't have to be a summer thing!

For today's blog, I am thrilled to be working with SWAK.  SWAK (sealed with a kiss) is one of my favorite plus size retailers, they make trendy and affordable plus size fashions for sizes 14-36.  I have been a huge fan of SWAK for many reasons, they provide a great fit for real plus size bodies, high quality material and the fab style of their designs make me reach for them again and again!  I have been wearing SWAK for several years, their dresses are among some of my favorite wardrobe pieces.  I am excited to be collaborating with SWAK to bring you this lookbook highlighting some of their new pieces, sharing how I styled them and talking a bit about how I plan to transition them into cooler weather fall fashion.

The Eternity Maxi Convertible Dress in Forest. 

 I am smitten with this absolutely amazing dress!  The Eternity Convertible Maxi Dress can literally be worn any way you can imagine, an eternity of style.  The dress is a basic strapless maxi dress that has two long flowing panels of material attached at the top that can be wrapped in a multitude of different ways to create your own unique personal style.  I had a blast playing with this dress, watching videos on the SWAK website with instructions for some of the different styles to wrap the dress and have enjoyed how easy it is to change up the style.  I wrapped my Eternity Convertible Maxi Dress into a V-neck style that can be sleeveless or cap sleeved depending on how I move the shoulder material.  This dress is soft and flowing, it felt ethereal and lovely. I love how it moves in the wind, it is a very graceful dress.  Fit is generous and easy, I am wearing a size 1x/3x here and it feels perfect.  The dress is very long so as a shorter gal like myself you will want to wear heels or have it hemmed to fit.    I accessorized my Eternity Convertible Maxi Dress with nude heels, a homemade fall flower and leaf crown, the Acorn in the Meadow Necklace and pretty Amber Drop Earrings for a forest fairy fantasy.  This dress is a great wardrobe piece because it is wearable for every occasion and can be wrapped to fit any style, weather, or mood.

Outfit Details:
Dress: Eternity Convertible Maxi Dress in Forest size 1x/3x courtesy of  SWAK
Earrings: Amber Drops by Ceci Punch Designs
Necklace: Acorn in the Meadow C/O Summer Blue Jewelry
Hairpiece: Homemade Fall Leaf and Flower Crown

For my next choice I went completely outside the box.  I have been challenging myself to get outside my comfort zone this year and my next outfit really steps out of my norm.  First of all, since I have discovered pinup fashion I have worn dresses almost exclusively, I can actually only count three to four times I have worn jeans since I started this blog nearly two years ago.  Second, when I do wear pants, I ALWAYS wear a long top or if the top is shorter I wear a tank top underneath.  I have a bit of a belly flap that I am not comfortable with, this is one of the things I am working on being more accepting of in my journey to body love so its a big step for me to wear a shirt that doesn't come past my butt or nearly to my knees.  I am proud of myself for taking these chances and I could not have made a better partner than SWAK to dress me!

The Autumn Chiffon Top in Coral Leaves and Holly High Waist Jeans.

This is the ideal autumn outfit for a cool day enjoying a color tour, at your local orchard picking apples or searching the patch for that perfect pumpkin.  I love fall colors so I could not resist this bright coral top with its pretty leaf print and feminine lace hem.  The big flowing belled sleeves are one of my favorite styles to wear and the cold shoulder is trendy as well as flattering.  The Autumn Chiffon Top is light and sheer so I wore a plain brown tank underneath for modesty sake.  Fit is fabulous, I chose a size 3x so I could be sure that the bottom of the top would fit well over my butt/hip area, I generally wear a 1X in most tops but as I have a very extreme hourglass figure the hip measurement was the key to getting proper fit here.  I felt like a fall flower child in this top.  I added Amber Drop Earrings, contrasting teal peep toe wedges and a sunflower in my hair to give a cute autumn touch.

Outfit Details:
Top: Autumn Chiffon Top in Coral Leaves size 3x c/o SWAK
Pants: Holly High Waist Jeans in Dark Wash size 3x c/o SWAK
Earrings: Amber Drops by Ceci Punch Designs
Shoes: Bow Front Peep Toe Wedges in Teal by Qupid

The Holly High Waist Jeans are a dream!!  I have such a hard time fitting jeans on my figure.  My waist measurement is 38, my hips at the largest point are 56, with an 18 inch difference pants that will fit in the waist never make it around my butt or if they fit my butt they hang from my waist by a belt.  These were the reasons ]why I gave up on pants.  The Holly High Waist Jeans have saved me, I now have a pair of flattering jeans that fit great for those days when a dress or skirt is absolutely not practical.  They are a high waist style with a ton of stretch.  I am wearing a size 3x here, measurements on the site stated that they fit up to a 46 inch hip but the amount of stretch that this material has is phenomenal because they fit me perfectly, not to tight, just like a glove.  They are soft and comfortable, easy to move in, not stiff in the knees at all like some stretch jeans tend to be.  The high waist style will work with my vintage style wardrobe as well, I can't wait to pair these with a peasant top and ankle boots for a fun retro twist!

My first jeans in two years and exposing the self hated belly flap, I FEEL FREE!!!

The Farrah Maxi Dress in Black and White.

The Farrah Maxi Dress is a gorgeous wrap top maxi in fun bold prints that features adjustable waist and straps for the perfect fit.  The Farrah Maxi Dress features a bold black and white print that is a rarity in my wardrobe, I tend towards brights, florals, novelty prints, all things retro themed.  The Farrah Maxi Dress has a modern feel my wardrobe is lacking.  I felt like bold colored accessories would be perfect, a Red Mum in my hair, a chunky red necklace and sky high red platform heels gave the Farrah Maxi Dress the sophisticated feel I was looking for.  Fit is fabulous, the bust area is generous, the waist tie makes it easy to get a flattering fit and the skirt is generous.  The dress is very long, I had to have it hemmed because it was about 7-8 inches to long for me, at 5'3" it is not common for maxi dresses to be too long.  The Farrah Dress is perfect for a day spent shopping or date night out with your special someone.  I can easily transition this dress into the cooler months by adding a cardigan and ballet flats- or- a jacket, scarf and boots.

Outfit Details:
Dress: Farrah Maxi Dress in Black and White size 3x c/o SWAK
Earrings: Rose Drop Chain Earrings from Gigi's Traveling Boutique, our local fashion store
Necklace: Vintage Red Beaded Necklace
Shoes: Vintage Style Red Platform Heels by Madden Girl

I hope you have enjoyed my SWAK Lookbook as much as I loved putting it together for you!  What are your favorite pieces from SWAK?   Let me know in the comments!!!

Pumpkin EVERYTHING!!!! Ains & Elke StyleHaus Aurora Dress and Summer Blue Jewelry Review

Fall is my favorite season. Michigan is the most lovely state in fall and I am thrilled each year with the show nature puts on.  I love the cooler temperatures, brilliant colors, apple cider and PUMPKINS!  Pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin donuts, pumpkin decor, there literally is pumpkin everything!  We live in the country so pumpkin patches and pumpkins for sale at farms along the road side are also a common sight.  I love the pumpkin, they come in a fantastic variety of shapes and colors, yet each pumpkin is beautiful and interesting in its own unique way, just like all of us!

  I have been eyeing the beautiful designs created by Ains & Elke StyleHaus for some time now, they are makers of one of a kind, handmade vintage style items.  Alixis Lupien is the wizard behind Ains & Elke StyleHaus, her motto is, "Recreating the past, one stitch at a time".  My favorite of their designs is the Aurora Dress. The Aurora is an Ains & Elke StyleHaus original design, inspired by dresses from the 1950's.

 I love the classic line of this dress, it is a universally flattering style.  A fitted bodice with contrast color flayed bust detail, scooped back and gathered full skirt, there are so many things to love about this whimsical style.  I contacted Ains & Elke StyleHaus and they were kind enough to send me their lovely Aurora dress.  I had my choice of a huge selection of materials but with fall here, I HAD to have this gorgeous sunny pumpkin print.

 I love that I live on a lake, the bright colors reflecting off the water gave me the perfect setting to showcase the fall beauty of my home, wearing this lovely ensemble which is an autumn dream come true!   My photos were taken by Horvath Photo at Townline Lake in Lakeview, Michigan.  I am proud to shoot photos in my hometown, I am truly blessed to live in such a naturally spectacular area!

  

I love the fit of this custom dress.  It hugs me like a glove and flares out nicely, highlighting the parts of my body that I love! I took advantage of the lines of this dress by corseting for full curvy effect.  I am wearing an Orchard Corset CS-411 in Beige, Size 36, I will be posting my review of my corsets from Orchard Corset next week, but I can tell you right now that I absolutely adore them!! 

 The construction is amazing, the dress is perfectly finished and very high quality.  I can see the love and attention to detail that has gone into the design and creation of this one of a kind dress.  The dress is fun to wear, it is fitted perfectly, flattering on my petite, curvy frame.  The skirt is full and fun to sweep about in but even better, it features hidden pockets for keeping lipstick, your cell phone or other small items handy.  I adore my Aurora Dress!!  I accessorized with jewelry by Summer Blue Jewelry, bright yellow heels and a vintage turkey feather fascinator.  Thank you Ains & Elke StyleHaus!! 

Sometimes, dreams do come true!  When I chose the lovely pumpkin material for my dress, I had specific ideas about what I wanted to accessorize it with.  I wanted fun accessories that would compliment the beauty of the dress but add autumn pizzazz.  I had written a past Wishful Wednesday blog on an autumn theme and included the gorgeous handmade resin accessories from Summer Blue Jewelry, so her bright, eclectic variety of designs were the first thing that popped into my head when I saw the perfect outfit in my mind.  

Summer Blue Jewelry creates sparkly, vintage inspired jewelry that is affordable, fun to wear and made to match to any outfit, just like our Grandmother's would have worn. Their one of a kind pieces are handmade using vintage elements, new findings and custom made molds as well. Since all of their pieces are hand-made they will vary slightly from piece to piece.   I contacted Summer Blue Jewelry and she was kind enough to send me the Acorn in the Meadow Necklace and The Great Pumpkin Waltz brooch with matching earrings to complete my dream ensemble!! 

 The Acorn in the Meadow Necklace is the perfect finishing touch to any autumn, fall or harvest themed outfit. Necklace is Lucite leaves, acorns, and moonglow Lucite oak leaves dangling from a complimentary plastic chain.  I have worn my Acorn in the Meadow necklace with vintage and modern styled fall ensembles and it has received many compliments, as well as the fact that my Mom likes it so much, she has stated her intention to steal it from me (HAHAHA, never!) 

The Great Pumpkin Waltz Brooch is a big Bakelite / fakelite style pumpkin brooch. Poured from a custom mold, created by Summer Blue Jewelry, with a hand painted stem, big vintage moonglow Lucite leaf and curly vines popping from the stem. Brooch is about 2.25 inches across in the center of the pumpkin. This Brooch is magnificent.  I love the bright, glittery orange with the brilliance of the moonglow Lucite and the cute springy accents.  It is perfect for any fall, autumn, Thanksgiving,or Halloween outfit!  I have pinned my Great Pumpkin Brooch on dresses, pinned to my coat and, I even wore it in my hair attached to a bobby pin, it is such a bold and fun fall statement piece!   Summer Blue has a piece to match even season, holiday, mood and outfit.  Thank You Summer Blue Jewelry!!

I felt like a fall pumpkin fairy in my Ains & Elke Aurora Dress and Summer Blue Jewelry ensemble.  I cannot wait to wear this outfit when I am enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday with my family!  This is my favorite fall outfit, hands down! 

What would be your dream Ains & Elke StyleHaus dress AND which of the Summer Blue Jewelry designs pieces would you pair with it? For more fun keep up with me on Facebook or Instagram!