When it's dreary and wet outside, as it has been for quite some time now where I live, I often find that I start to reach for the more decadent feeling pieces in my wardrobe–the velvets, the jewel tones, the contrast prints. The rich burgundy of this Elegant Floral print combined with the striking black stenciled floral motif definitely feels wet-weather appropriate, well suited for leaning into the moody feel of darkening evenings and sodden nights.

Elegant Floral Florence Dress gifted by Lady V London fit size review plus size pinup Miss Amy May

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We're definitely in that dreary, awkward time of year–Christmas is over but winter has barely begun in earnest, so it feels a lot like there's not much to look forward to except cold. Eventually, thank goodness, Pancake Day will give us something to be excited about, but in the meantime it's not uncommon that at this point in January I can often feel uninspired by the notion of creating an outfit suitable for winter.

With this new Lady V dress, however, deciding on a styling was easy. I looked over the fairytale-reminiscent, wintery print, glanced out my window at the chilly, rainy sky outside, and decided in a second–faux leather, and a lot of it. Red roses might remind you of Belle or Aurora, but this queen is happy to take on the cold without a beast or a prince, just a pair of warm boots and some sass.

Miss Amy May plus size pinup fit review Lady V London Wonderland rose print Hepburn dress Continue reading →

Lady V London produce a variety of dress styles that have become staples of their brand, re-releasing them in new prints and colours each season. For lovers of a particular dress shape, that means ladies can stock their wardrobe with a piece they know works well for them in lots of different patterns and colours suitable for every occasion. One of Lady V London's most popular and enduring dress cuts is their Hepburn dress, a classic 'audrey'style sleeveless dress with a modest round neckline and a long, full swing skirt. I'm somewhat amazed it's taken me this long to try out a Hepburn, but I'm not surprised to find it's as timeless and lovely as I would have predicted.

Glamorous Black Lace Hepburn dress Lady V London plus size pinup Miss Amy May size fit review audrey dress

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Summer is approaching, swiftly it feels with our recent bursts of sunshine, but I know the English weather so I'm certain that it can be relied upon to rain on our parade, quite literally, to keep that spring feeling alive for a few weeks more. My favourite apple tree hasn't blossomed yet, after all, so until it does I am determined to consider it spring. It is, if you didn't know, my favourite season, as well as the perfect excuse to frolic in every dainty floral frock in one's wardrobe. Today I add another, with this gorgeous Beautiful Roses print Liliana by Lady V London.

Lady V London Beautiful Roses Liliana dress

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If you feel like it's unusual to see me in purple it's because it is. It's one of the few colours I don't usually wear, to the point that I generally gloss over any purple styles I see whilst shopping, not even registering on my radar. However, the moment I saw this Lady V Amethyst Dirdle dress I was in love, immediately envisioning pairing it with a green cardigan to lift up the purple and put one in mind of rich toned, previous jewels.

Plus, something about purple makes me think of my mum, which is lovely given we just celebrated Mother's Day yesterday. So let's look at the dress that almost could have passed me by, but was much too stunning to do so!

Amethyst Rose Border Dirdle dress by Lady V London Miss Amy May plus size

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They say everyone has one base neutral colour they most utilise in their wardrobe, either black, navy or brown, and I've always been someone that is drawn in equal parts to navy and black, with no gravitational pull towards brown at all. This autumn, though, I've begun to notice that I've finally begun to appreciate brown and all it has to offer in complimenting the shades of fall especially. With this Lady V London dress that feeling became fully solidified, because look at this precious example of a golden fall evening personified!

Lady V London Gold Leaf Isabella dress plus size Continue reading →

There's several different ways a dress can win me over: by it's colour scheme, it's print, or it's overall shape. This Illustrated Rose print Liliana dress but Lady Voluptuous got me on all three.

When the Liliana dress was first released a few months back I immediately wanted to try it. I'm a sucker for off the shoulder dresses because I think they're flattering on every body shape and size, so this Bardot sleeved full skirted number easily ticked that box. The way the sky blue of the print's background interacts with the pinks, purples and greens of the floral pattern left me in no doubt this was a summery, bright look that I would be happy to wear.

Illustrated Rose Liliana dress Lady V London plus size

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You may or may not know that I am very selective about my novelty prints. If they're too cartoony, whimsical or bright, I tend to stay away. Same with featuring animals and fruit, typically. But, you know, there are exceptions to every rule, and the new Toucan print Estella dress from Lady Voluptuous's SS17 line is one of them.

Considering it features both fruit and animals by way of pineapples and birds, you'd think it would be a no go for me, but colour plays a big part in what appeals to me about a print and it was the colour scheme of this birdie pattern that really reeled me in. The muted mid blues of the flora contrasted against the mustardy yellow of the pineapples and the rich navy blue of the toucans are magic for me, combining some of my favourite shades in one summery print that somehow isn't garish, overpowering, or even brow-beatingly tropical despite the toucans and fruit. It's kind of like a tropical print done by way of England, where our summers are typically breezy, less than sweltering, and sometimes a bit damp. This print is Summer Lite, if you will, Tropical Paradise at Twilight, Birds Sheltering From A Monsoon. It's subtle as well as fun, and I like it a lot.

Lady V London Lady Voluptuous Estella Tropical Toucan Print dress Continue reading →

Floral prints are typically associated with spring and summer clothing, understandably. There's some gorgeous flowers that are favourites for autumn and winter though, like poppies and poinsettias, so I've often wondered why it isn't more common to find floral prints for the colder seasons that feature these flowers. At the very least, it wouldn't be so hard to create a floral print in darker, autumnal colours that would work well through the end of the year, even if the flowers featured in them aren't technically winter bloomers.

Well, Lady V London have fulfilled my yearning for a winter floral with their limited edition Christmas Floral Print Lyra dress. The Lyra dress is actually a key bestseller piece from Lady Voluptuous, Lady V London's plus sized range designed in collaboration with Georgina of Fuller Figure Fuller Bust, with all designs available in UK sizes 16 to 30/32. The Lyra dress in particular makes for a perfect Christmas outfit not just because of this gorgeous seasonal floral, but also because it's so damn comfortable to wear. Whether you're hosting a dinner party for friends, busting a move at the office work do' or eating your way through the house on Christmas day itself, Lyra has got you covered in style and comfort.

Lady V London Lady Voluptuous Lyra Dress limited edition Christmas Floral Print Continue reading →

madisonbThere are certain styles of vintage dresses that are regularly recreated amongst vintage reproduction clothing companies. One of the most popular of these styles is that of the flared swing dress with the contrast ruched bust. It's one of the first vintage silhouettes I fell in love with, years ago long before it ever occurred to me that I could begin dressing in that style. I remember seeing a vintage dress featuring this bust style in a movie and thinking it was the most feminine, lovely design I'd ever seen, and yearning for clothes to still be made that beautifully. Continue reading →