Fall/Winter Fashion – Leggings!

I’m not much of a pants person. Ever since I used to work from home in my pajamas all day I just find them too restrictive, so I stick with skirts and dresses as often as I can. Plus, I barely even own a pair of pants that fit, and I don’t care about them enough to go buy new ones. So my solution to taking your summer wardrobe into the cold seasons? Leggings!

Now there seems to be some confusion about how to wear them. Lots of sites are around to explain it, but still don’t always make it all that simple. And we’ve all seen girls out there who think leggings are pants – they’re not. So to make it easy for you, the most basic rule that I can gather about leggings is cover your butt. Long shirts, blazers and sweaters, and skirts, and dresses all go with leggings. It doesn’t matter how short your top is in front, as long as your butt is covered; for example you can wear a tshirt in an ordinary length if you pair it with a longer cardigan or blazer. If you don’t have anything long enough to wear on top, you can simply add a skirt of just about any kind.

Almost. Leggings are the easiest way to extend the wear of your dresses so you can keep them in your daily rotation all year round, but as a second, though not crucial rule, I find it looks best if your skirt or dress doesn’t extend past your knees. You can feel free to ignore me here but that’s just my own preference. This is why when winter comes I find myself actually looking for mini skirts and mini dresses (and what a great time to find them on sale!) since most of my regular dresses are on the longer side. I just bought a flowy little dress in dusty pink with a black sash and it will look great with black leggings and a black cardigan or blazer. Then when it finally warms up again I can wear it on its own 🙂

Of course at the moment spring seems a very long way off, and I live in the land of the pure evil deep freeze, so when you need to arm yourself against winter like a real pro, leggings also do double duty as long johns, even with themselves (layering 2 or 3 pairs at once has got to be warm enough, especially when you have thermal ones!) So stock up, because leggings are your new best friend.

My Love of the Swing Dress

I noticed that despite this being a blog mainly about style, it’s been a while since I actually wrote about CLOTHING. Maybe it’s because I’ve only just recently become somewhat adept at hair and makeup, and new things are exciting. So anyway, I decided to write about something I’ve felt quite strongly about for some time now, my love of the swing dress.
This is not a love I’ve had all my life. When I was a kid, no dress was big or poofy enough for my taste. If I dressed the way I wanted to in my fantasies, I would have needed to block off whole streets to get around. But then, I grew up. An appreciation grew in me for all things sexy, sleek, adult.

When I saw swing dresses, I thought they were horribly frou frou. They were too juvenile and too girly. I wondered how a girl could be taken seriously in them. However once I started to really explore my love of vintage style, I knew I couldn’t avoid them forever. I didn’t have to like them, but I did have to give them a chance.
And this is a perfect example of why stepping out of your comfort zone can be a great thing. I purchased two simple halter swing dresses  in blue from Trashy Diva on clearance for 35$ each, and they immediately revolutionized my wardrobe.

First of all, these particular dresses were about as simple as a plain white tshirt. They begged for some artistic expression. There’s something incredibly appealing about something you can make you own, but that already has the hard work done for you. On one of the dresses I spent days sewing a white ribbon trim an inch or so above the hem. This is now my “sailor dress”, inspired by a dress from Pinup Girl Clothing that I neither could afford nor ever saw available in my size. The second I dyed black, or at least I tried to, since it ended up coming out a dark navy. It’s just as well, because now I plan on sewing a black ribbon to the hem of that one and the two can be good and evil twins.

What I didn’t expect, but should have if I had thought about it any length of time, was how unbelievably comfortable they are. They’re hands down the least restricting thing you can wear below the waist. I feel like I have nothing on at all, and have been tempted many times to fall asleep in them. This is why I find it incredibly amusing when people are so stunned by just how “dressed up” I am to do every day normal activities. One pizza guy nearly lost his damn mind. I’d hate to see how his girlfriend dresses.

But above all else, I would have to say that the most appealing thing about the swing dress is how flattering it is on every body type. Like I’ve said about other vintage style clothes, they don’t hide your curves, they celebrate them. If you don’t have any to begin with, these dresses will create them. Either way, they’re incredibly easy to get in your size, since your hip measurement doesn’t factor in at all, perfect if you’re a different size on top than on the bottom. This is the most universally flattering and easy to wear clothing item I have ever encountered. My mom once had to poke me in the ribs to prove I wasn’t wearing a corset, while I had decided on that dress because I was planning on stuffing my face that day and knew no one would be the wiser. I scoff at people who say their hips are too big, or they’re just generally too fat. I PROMISE you, a swing dress will make you look amazing.

Then finally there’s something to be said about the fantasy factor. If you’ve ever had that familiar weirdo dream of prancing around in Victorian gear, the swing dress can give you the same feeling as being a proper civil war lady without actually looking anywhere near so odd. The way they move when you walk, the beautiful upside-down flower shape you see when you catch yourself in the mirror – all these things are the subtle little somethings that make swing dresses make me feel good. Even when I’m not in the mood for one on a particular day, if it’s all I have to wear and I put it on anyway, it still makes me feel pretty, still puts me in a better mood, so I wonder how I ever could have considered putting on anything else.
So now the formerly anti-frou-frou me is slowly building up a collection. I just got my first true vintage swing dress a couple weeks ago, a gorgeous copper number probably from the early 1960s.

Even if you have any doubts, try one, just once. Get it cheap, because it’s easy, or make one, because that’s easy too. You’ll see. I’ve seen this change of heart happen in others besides myself, and you’ll probably see it in yourself too.

Pinup Girl Clothing

Pinup Girl Clothing specializes in a slightly edgier version of clothing styles from the 1950s and early 1960s, but they are so much more than just pretty dresses, separates, shoes, and accessories. They absolutely epitomize the idea of not just selling you an item, but an entire lifestyle to go with it. This is largely due in part to the accessibility of its owners and models, and the community of customers that was built round it on facebook.

First, let’s talk about the clothes, shall we? What gorgeous clothes they are! You obviously know by now how much I love classy, sexy vintage-inspired clothing, and this site delivers, but they have something a little different. With one of their house brands Deadly Dames, you can get clothes with an edgier more modern feel, perfect for punky yet sweet rockabilly girls. This is just what these clothes need to stand out from all the other vintage-inspired clothing being sold out there today. They even sell monster shoes, super high heels with zombie and werewolf prints. Even while different they retain the ability to be incredibly flattering on absolutely any body type. Going beyond rockabilly, another of their house brands Pinup Couture has a sweet more classic feel, and Dixiefried effortlessly recreates the look of the stars from the golden era. There’s never been an easier way to have fun with your look.

PUG as they’re known are also very unique for the models they use. One of their models, Micheline Pitt, is also the designer for Deadly Dames, and a makeup artist among other things. Another one of their models, Masuimi Max is an accomplished fetish and pinup model and tightlacer. Many of their models have tattoos, and most importantly, they’re all different sizes. The absolutely stunning Doris Mayday (my personal favorite) is envied by tons of girls for her sexy curves, and amazing burlesque performer and PUG model La Cholita remains a prominent feature despite being plus-sized. For good measure they still have slim girls, and variety is the point. PUG is extremely in tune with what their customers want, and one thing that is often lacking from other clothing companies is being able to see what an outfit would look like on YOUR body type. Beyond anything else, this company shows you that gorgeous has no size.

If you become a fan on facebook, you’ll become a member of a community of girls who love pinup style. The boards are always active with topics such as how to achieve the perfect vintage look including what underwear the models have on under certain outfits, what size to buy and how to launder the items, and even items for swap and sell. You can browse through hundreds of customer photos and post your own in the hopes of getting a comment from one of the amazing women behind the company, and they’re always giving hair and makeup advice, and sharing the latest coupon codes.

PUG doesn’t just try sell you a lifestyle to make you buy their clothes, they deliver. And this is one of the reasons why I’m so devoted to this store and its brands. These are beautiful people inside and out, and with these clothes you’ll feel extremely beautiful too. Pinup Girl Clothing offers the whole package.

Stop Staring!

I just can’t not write a review about Stop Staring!, the brand that produces irresistible vintage-inspired dresses. I’m often asked where I shop, from friends and strangers alike, and I just have to tell you that this is one of my favorite brands, and I’m nuts about it. These dresses will instantly bring you back to the glamour of the 30s, 40s and 50s and allow you to be stylish, classy, and incredibly sexy. There’s just nothing like them.
I have to stop and mention how big a fan I am of dresses in general. People often complain about finding clothes that are comfortable, and for me, mixing and matching separates is a huge pain. I’m all about maximum efficiency. Dresses solve those problems. Throw one on and you’ll immediately look pretty and put-together with hardly a thought, and there’s no question they’re comfier than your skinny jeans. Even a well-selected casual dress will put your style head and shoulders above the rest, since it’s strangely uncommon to see people wearing them these days. I really don’t know why. But I would love to bring them back into every-day wear, and that’s exactly what I plan to do. Stop Staring is going to be one of my no-fail go-to places for these dresses. As seen here and here, many women agree.

I remember discovering this brand about a year ago, but it took me a long time to actually make a purchase. It wasn’t that the dresses were too expensive. Despite being worn by celebrities such as Christina Aguilera, Kat Von D, and Kim Kardashian, and even being featured weekly on The Price Is Right, they’re surprisingly affordable. But damn, it’s just so hard to choose! And I always try to make the very most out of every purchase, so I wasn’t going to jump into it.
Eventually I fell seriously in love with the Lula dress in Eggplant. I agonized over it, because I was so nervous it wouldn’t look good on me. Like many of their dresses it falls just below the knee, and I was worried that this would make me look short. But just after Christmas I went for it, and holy crap am I ever glad I did.

As soon as I put on the Lula it became my favorite dress. It was so incredibly well-made, expertly tailored, so glamorous, and it gave me the most amazing curves! That’s my favorite thing about these dresses. They don’t try to “correct” your curves, they celebrate them with endless adoration. They make you look incredibly fabulous just for being you. For the first time I felt like I had hips, and I loved it. Even our lovely apartment “house mother” Janina was astounded and told me I needed to run out and get more very soon! Consequently these are perfect dresses for larger women. If you’ve ever had a hard time finding clothes that are flattering for your body type, from boyish to hourglass to plus-size, look no further.

The other thing I love so much about them is the ease of their style. They’re sexy, but classy and sophisticated at the same time. They’re vintage inspired, but designed for the modern woman in mind, so you can have an interesting style without any fear of looking like you’re wearing a costume. And they’re perfect for every situation. The number of day-to-night dresses is incredible. They’re great for smart-casual, work, a fun night out, events, everything. And that’s important, because once you try a Stop Staring! dress you’ll want to wear it every day. I sure do. And now I’m waiting to receive the Raileen in blue. Swoon!