Posh Frock Friday: Vintage style!

Today's Posh Frock Friday takes a look at glamming it up, Vintage style!

"You can never be too over dressed". A motto I seriously live by! Do you fall into the trap of saving something for 'best' only to find that there's not really an opportunity to wear your 'best'?! Me too, so instead, I wear my best everyday!

Sometimes though, a real 'Posh Frock' is required and if you are pulling the stops out glamour wise, then it has to be vintage dahling! (Or vintage inspired!)

 1950s inspired rockabilly cherry print prom dress

 Mad Men Inspired wool Hobbs LBD

 1950s style netted prom dress by Oasis

 Retro sixties shift in gold brocade by Oasis

Don't be afraid to look 'over dressed'; you are beautiful inside and out, believe it and wear it with pride!

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Indian Summer!

Way hey! It's arrived as promised, a glorious Indian Summer and if you're a fan of bargains then check out the redressing sale page for some last minute buys!

Gorgeous size 12 tea dress by South reduced to £15

Size 14 Dorothy Perkins dress reduced to £10

Fat Face size 16 cotton tunic dress reduced to £15

 

Enjoy the glorious sunshine and grab some rays! (Apparently it's due to snow next month?!?)

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Who can wear what Wednesday... Swing Trousers

I had to write this post today as my gorgeous new 1940s style swing trousers arrived from Heyday! Vintage Style. I have treated myself to the grey as I'm not a huge fan of black but wanted a darker. more Autumnal colour.

Aren't they fab?! Although I specialise in dresses, I also like vintage style trousers for very cold and wet days when tights just aren't enough leg coverage. I've had swing trousers before from Heyday and they are just fab as they are so easy to wear, easy to wash and still have that authentic forties edge. Although there are plenty of high waisted, wide leg trousers around at the moment they have too much of a 1970s vibe for me so it had to be something a little more authentic.

The beauty of wide legged trousers is that they suit all kinds of body shapes whether you are more pear shaped and hippy or straight up and down. The trick is to balance your shape at the top (am sounding like Gok again aren't I?!) But it's a really simple and true rule, balance. If you have wider hips then a flared leg will always be good and teaming your wide leg trousers with a cap sleeve shirt will help provide the balance I'm talking about. If you're more straight up and down then make sure the width of the trousers isn't too much giving you hips when you don't actually have any! That's why I favour these trousers in particular as I'm not overly hippy but do have a bit of stomach (3 children!) so I favour the high waist as it keeps everything tucked neatly into place! Wear your wide legs with heels and suddenly you own really long legs- great if you're not leggy and tall to begin with. Heyday trousers come with a turn up and a regular leg length of 31" but do offer a fab alteration service which will ensure a great fit!

This is me in my beige pair of Heyday swing trousers. I'll take some pics of myself in the grey ones soon!

In the meantime, here are some more 1940s style trousers available online and in vintage reproduction shops.

Tara Starlet £60

Vivien of Holloway £38

Lady K Loves £35

River Island £34

Religion £100

Oasis £50

So you can see from the last 3 pics as comparisons with wide legs on the High street, the vintage reproduction prices aren't too bad either! Which are your favourite 1940s style high waist swing trousers?!

An A-Z of me!

I have stolen this idea from a lovely fellow blogger Straight Talking Mama, as it already came with the prompts and I thought it tied in perfectly to my last few posts and gives you a better idea of the woman behind Redressing. So here goes!

A- Age: 39 (40 this November!)

B- Bed Size: King (with 3 kids you may need room to share.)

C-Chore that you hate: Cleaning the loo (doesn't everyone?!)

D- Dogs: Having 'borrowed' a friend's dog for a few days the other week who was so easy and fun that we actually found any other dog is probably a bit more than we have time for right now but will certainly re-visit the idea.

E-Essential start to your day: Prayer and strong coffee (and quite often a visit from my friend Raych from Tag & Button).

F-Favourite Colour: Green, definitely.

G- Gold or Silver: Silver. (As a colour analysis professional I know that silver is best on me. I can look with you at what colours you should be wearing for £5!)

H- Height: About 5ft 5.5" I think, although I usually wear heels.

I- Instruments you play: None. (Sorry!)

J- Job Title: Owner and inspired creater of Redressing. An online shop providing beautiful vintage & contemporary style pre-loved dresses to all women everywhere who deserve to look and feel utterly gorgeous! (I am also available daytime or evenings for you to host a Redressing evening where we come to you complete with over 150 fetching frocks and gorgeous gowns! Read more about that here!)

K- Kids: 3 gorgeous girls aged between 12 and 5. They delight my heart.

L- Live: Coventry, UK. A mad ring road and easy access to anywhere and everywhere! A City of hope and reconciliation.

M- Mother's Name: Joan (suddenly fashionable again post 'Mad Men'!)

N- Nickname: Ange or Angie. (My gorgeous husband has a few other pet names but they are ours and ours alone! After 17 years of marriage he is still so The One.)

O- Overnight hospital stays: Childbirth, a case of suspected meningitis of my middle daughter who was 2 months old and a broken ankle aged 14.

P- Pet peeves: Slurping tea! Even though I'm a Northerner, I can't abide slurped tea.

Q- Quote from a movie: Donkey to Shrek "Everybody has layers!" (not my fav film but I agree with the sentiment!)

R- Right or Left handed: Right

S- Siblings: One fab brother who now lives in Sydney... we miss him and family A LOT!

T- Time you wake up: 7ish. Eldest daughter is at Secondary so leaves early- we like to pray with her before she goes so are up although I don't leave the house until 8.30.

U- Underwear: Yes, always wear it!

V- Vegetable you hate: Avocado ( is it a veg?) don't hate it but it hates me so is best avoided at all costs.

W- What makes you run late: Bad planning and no alarm clock! Am not usually late.

X-Xrays you've had: Ankle and chest. Oh, and teeth. Do teeth count?

Y- Yummy food that you make: That would have to be cake, bacon & egg mini tartlets, meatballs and pancakes. (Don't make all that much else!!!)

Z- Zoo Animal: I can't remember the last time I went to the zoo! Not a huge fan, can I have an aquarium animal instead? In that case, Dophins.

1940s Inspiration

Today's outfit is more of a nod to the forties as my dress is a floral tea dress style and of course is worn with my lovely warm 1940s style beret! (You can't see my boots properly though- gorgeous red Doc Martin Authentic Wedges, I love them!)

I love this look as it's very easy, comfortable and quick to throw on in the morning and yet looks stylish and thoroughly vintage.

The dress is one of my favourite Cath Kidston longer length ones in jazz floral. I picked it up in a sale at their outlet store in Bicester. The cardi is thrifted (charity shop!) and my beret a New Look purchase this season. The brooch is an antique pin which I love for it's bit of bling!

I try and find plenty of forties inspired frocks to sell on the Redressing website as they work on a wide variety of shapes and are a very easy style to wear for some glamorous vintage chic! I'm updating the website Monday so keep a look out for some new arrivals in this style.

In the meantime, here of some of my favourite tea dresses available to buy this month ,both High Street and Repro Vintage. I've included the price tags too.  (Another reason why the Vintage Chic collection is worth a look; nothing is ever over £30!) Enjoy!

Tara Starlet £75

 

 

New Look £24.99

Cath Kidston £95

Pearl Lowe at Peacocks £40

First Outfit Post!

Ok, am a bit new to this so please bear with me!

As a vintage lover but a relatively mainstream mother of 3 and small business owner I like to create a semi-hybrid look that gives a rather large nod to the 40s and 50s. I love anything from these eras especially as the decades reflect a time of morality and ethics that appeals to me. I'm also determined never to be a follower of fad fashion- I don't feel any special link to the decade in which i live and am happy to be disassociated from it in fact, so back to the 1940s and 1950s I willingly go!

I love seeing women dressed in ways which leave them looking both beautiful and different, so here's my look for today. I hope you like it!

 My dress is originally from Principles. It gives just the right amount of hint to the 1940s tea dress and is covered in gorgeous polka dots (you can't really see them here!) The jeans are store-bought skinnies as I'm saving up for some Lady K Loves Capri pants. I think they work better than leggings (which I don't really like on me) and keep me warm when the weather turns, which it frequently does on the school run.

I always wear a flower in my hair and this one is a double orchid in soft green from New Look I think. I'm off to see Lynsey at Le Keux events next month and quite fancy some proper Betty Bangs but in the meantime I wear my full fringe with hair flower (or beret).

I'm wearing my Pompadour pink Rockalily lipstick; I love the smell myself.

Well, that was fun. I told you I was back!

Angie
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I'm back!

Hello Blog-World and SO SORRY for the prolonged absence!
It's great to be back and to fill you in on all my news since last time we met.

Redressing has gone from strength to strength lately- I've had so many wonderful women invite me into their homes so I can host a Redressing event with their friends and it has been my privilege. What confidence boosts a new frock can give and how lovely when a room-full of women of all shapes and sizes agree! There have definitely been certain Brands that have just flown off the stock rails and I'm happy to say I'm buying just the right dresses to refresh many a wardrobe. Hurrah!

I will be continuing with my A-Z series on Fab Frocks and Gorgeous Gowns; reminding you all that you are gorgeous INSIDE and out, and of course what type, style and length of dresses suit your special shape, but I'm also hoping to treat you all to the woman behind the business a bit more... AKA, me!  I'm going to start including outfit posts, introducing you to a variety of guest bloggers, sharing with you more of my style, both in fashion and home and how you can achieve it, as well as showcasing choice items from Redressing and elsewhere. A little bit more of an insiders view into my Vintage loving, identity re scripting world!

I hope you like it!
Angie
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