Collecting Collectif - the sale haul!

A good ten years ago, my mama took me to a small store in London selling reproduction vintage style clothing. She bought me a dress, which I kept in my wardrobe and only wore for special occasions, and when I was feeling brave. Fast forward to today, and as my regular readers will know, I'm wearing my vintage gear full time and I've rekindled my love of Collectif Clothing. They recently had a fantastic sale, and as a wee birdie in one of my fb groups had warned me it was imminent, I'd been perusing the site for a while, mentally filling my basket. I was a canny shopper and had been hoarding my Christmas monies to spend there and so I filled my boots. I've only worn a few of the things, so I'll be reviewing my pieces here and there.

First up, the wonderful Pippa dungarees and Chrissie Fair Isle sweater.

So  the waist of these is just like a normal pair of jeans, except with the zip at the side, so you can flop the pinafore down and tuck the straps in if you like. I'm a UK 18/20 waist and have always sized up to the 22 for my boobs. As there is no back, and the straps adjust, I probably could have stuck to a 20, but I'm not a fan of tight denim, and this is a good solid weight denim, so these are perfect for me. The button is a bit stiff, but I'm pretty sure it will loosen up with usage. The sweater is divine. Double knit, so super warm, and just the right length for me in the body too. The sleeves have enough give to be comfortable and hit my elbow just right. It's washed like a dream, making me very glad I bought it in both green and blue!

Next up is the red check Caterina dress

I ADORE THIS DRESS. Oh my goodness it's such a delight! The fabric has a similar feel to a brushed cotton, so I think it will work all year round. The sleeves are generous, which is often something companies forget when sizing up for us larger lovelies. I get so frustrated when I buy a dress that fits beautifully everywhere but cuts me off above the elbow. These have a bit of give, but don't look baggy. My only complaint is the belt. There is no prong/notch fastening, it just slides, and every time I bend or sit it loosens and dangles when you stand back up. I'm toying with trying to order this in the green/blue check too. 

I'm not much of a trouser person, but I did buy the Bonnie cigarette pants.

I loved the feel of these, and the size 20 was the right choice. It was pretty big in the waist, but comfortable around my tummy, and I loved how they looked, however within an hour of this photo being taken, the seam in the right leg had ripped open all down the tummy, and the left was starting to rip.

Now the customer service people are usually fantastic, so I have no doubts that they will sort it out for me once business hours start again tomorrow, but I was so disappointed as I really loved these. 

Today's ensemble is the Elsa skirt and Alma cardigan

No issue with this belt, and I like how the waist sits higher and has a wee arch detail to the front. The fabric is a little thin, but feels nice and looks like it will hold its shape well. The pleats are in a nice position, and though the skirt is a little long, I'm happy with it. The cardigan is deliciously thick and toasty and the cabling pops really well. The sleeves are very long, coming all the way to my finger tips, but the cuff is strong and holds up easily enough. It is true to size, and generally gorgeous all round, so again, I'm glad I bought it in green too. 

So far, apart from the hiccup with cigarette trousers, I am loving my haul! Collectif remain one of the few companies who do decent plus size items, particularly in tops/blouses and these guys in particular have a lot of feeding friendly items. 

Keep your eyes peeled for part two and the rest of the haul 😉

Tootsie's Big January Giveaway!

Nothing beats the January blues like a good freebie, and though I haven't had any myself, it's no reason why my lovely readers should dip out, so I've gathered a few lovely items to give away this cold dank January. (Don't forget to hit the Facebook and Instagram pages for their giveaways too!)

Unless you've been under a rock ( or full of the joys of flu like us) you'll have heard someone raving about a dress. Whether they called it a fake Monica, or simply THE dress, most of the body positive forums and groups are talking about a ruched wiggle dress and I have one to give away. Meant to be a Uk20, it is very forgiving and very stretchy so would easily fit up to a 24 and in this teal, with the draped sleeves, it's eye-catching! 

 

The rules are simple. 

1. Comment below telling me where you would wear the dress.
2. Share a link to this blog on your favourite platform.
3. Don't forget to pop back and see if you've won.

The winner will be pulled on Sunday 29th January 2016

**Please note: All items being given away across the blog, Facebook and Instagram have been bought by myself. Nothing has been donated by the suppliers. If you are a brand and you'd like to be involved in a giveaway collaboration then feel free to send me a message. 

Just call me Ariel

A few months ago I was lucky enough to win a beautiful swimsuit from Forluna swimwear, on an Instagram competition held by the gorgeous Atomic Amber  I've wanted this suit for so long that I've lost count, but could never justify buying it for myself when I never went near water. Well, things change. I refuse to inflict my fears of water on my kid, so he started swimming lessons at 12 weeks old, and this lead to that most horrifying of tasks...buying a swimsuit. 

We've all been there, standing in the oh so slightly yellow light of a grotty changing room, trying to squeeze your wobbly bits into what feels more like a sausage casing than a piece of clothing. We know the futility of peering through the racks of gorgeous kinis and suits for that elusive bigger size before admitting defeat and picking up that bland skirted monstrosity that you saw an elderly lady try on earlier. I don't think I know a single woman who hasn't had at least one experience like this in their lifetime. 

It shouldn't be like this. I do know one kickass lady in NYC who works in swimwear and they have some great stuff, but I've struggled to find anything in the UK so I was beyond ecstatic to find I'd won a suit, and the suit of my choice, no less. There was no indecision. I may not have the stunning Atomic Amber's figure, but I wanted the gorgeous green Esther Williams suit she had featured in her giveaway. I'd coveted it for years and now was my chance!

I've been holding off on reviewing, convinced that I'd find time to get some decent photos taken of me in the suit, but who am I kidding? I'm a mama to a 5 month old baby...finding time for things is almost impossible! So here we are. I got the husbeast to snap a few pics after our class and of course there is the selfie stick "it's here" photo from months back. I'm not disappointed. Not at all. Quite the opposite, in fact! The fabric quality is fantastic, thick and stretchy and it's held it's colour well. Sizing seems fairly accurate too. I'm currently a U.K. 22 for the boobs (HH/J cups) and the size 22 fits ok. You may want to size up a little, but I'm happy with mine as it is. The elastane content seems to be pretty good, as I regularly pop a boob over the top to feed the lil dude...swimming is thirsty work! It goes through the machine each week and washes like a dream. But more importantly, I feel like a frigging mermaid in it. I know I am not, but I feel tall and lithe and sparkling, and I have gone from dreading going near water, to looking forward to our weekly lesson. Obviously, the good instructor has a lot to do with this, but feeling confident in my fabulous suit sure as hell doesn't hurt 😉 

Now I've got my eye on their retro two pieces...maybe in a pretty print this time? Anchors? Polka dots? Who knows...but I'm surely feeling brave enough to rock a bikini these days! 

 

 

Service With A Smile

During my pregnancy I looked at the information available to me and decided that I wanted to try breastfeeding. I've been lucky and have a lot of support. My journey is a whole other post waiting to be written, but being a vintage fashion mama when you are both breastfeeding and plus size isn't easy at all. For a start, there's very little to find in store...you are pretty much limited to online shopping. Then there's sizing. No two companies seem to use the same damn size chart! This is particularly frustrating post partum, when most women's bodies are in a state of flux anyway. After spending a small fortune on both feeding friendly clothes and return postage, I decided to regal you with some of the service experiences I've had. 

See in the social media age, good customer service is more important than ever. It takes just minutes for that pissed off customer's tweet to go viral and contrary to popular opinion, not all publicity is good! The vintage world is still relatively small and it takes even less time for word to get around. I'm glad to say that my experiences have been predominantly good. I've discovered a couple of new to me brands and most of them have been fantastic. Not all though. I'm going to stick to my primary teaching roots and follow the "2 stars and a wish" format today, and all items pictured or mentioned have been bought and paid for by me and I've deliberately chosen companies where I've had a slight issue, so I can compare and contrast their approach to a problem. 

First up is the UK's own Voodoo Vixen  I discovered them through the lovely Atomic Amber and was thrilled to find they'd recently updated their "curve" plus size line. Over two orders I bought two gorgeous embroidered cardigans and and two dresses. The first order had just one cardigan, which came so quickly, and was such lovely quality that I went back to try a little more. However, after 10 days had passed without this order arriving, I got a little concerned and called them to see if the package had been mailed. I spoke to the lovely Jag who could not have been more helpful (or apologetic). Less than 24 hours after my call confirmed that the package had gone missing, I had a replacement my doorstep. Both dresses were gorgeous and great quality. Sadly one is going back as the buttons on the front don't actually work, but I've told the hubs he needs to take me out so I can wear the other soon 😉

 

Next on my list is The Oblong Box Shop , in the United States. I ordered 2 of their quintessential blouses, as I am really struggling to find affordable button front blouses with a retro feel. I desperately covet the gorgeous one from The Seamstress of Bloomsbury, but sadly she doesn't do ginormous milk truck sized ones. Within a few days of placing my order I received a stock email stating "your package has been delivered, please let us know if you haven't received it". So I let them know. They replied to say that the tracking claimed it was delivered to my address. Naturally, I responded politely, explaining that this was inaccurate. I also explained I'd had issues in the past where USPS claimed the item had been delivered...when all they'd done was handover to their U.K. Counterparts. It can take up to a month for a USPS parcel to get to me. Their response to this was pretty rubbish. They told me that the tracking said it was delivered and that once that occurred it was no longer their problem. They even said that they thought my packages were being stolen! To add insult to injury, when the blouses finally arrived, the sizing was totally off. Despite ordering a size 46"-48" chest, they were a good 4"-5" from being able to button up. I'm a uk 22 in the chest, and my size 14 mama is wearing one of the blouses in the picture below. There wasn't much extra room at all! Given their previous attitude and the cost of returning to the US, I guess I'm just going to have to try to sell them on in a B/S/T group.

 

Finally I've bought a few items from Miss Candyfloss  a Swedish based company. Oh the lovelies they have! I desperately want most of their new Librarian a girl collection. I feel like a bloody goddess in my trouser jumpsuit from there. I found them super helpful when I contacted them to ask which of their clothes had working buttons on the front and which would be most accessible for breastfeeding. The kind staffer who replied gave me a comprehensive list of styles to check out. However, the trousers I bought had some stitching missing from the crotch (that was embarrassing as I didn't notice until I'd worn them all day 🙄) I contacted the company and they replied quickly with an offer to replace. When I explained that it was an easy fix and I'd already sewn it, they gave me a discount code for my next order. They could not have been more helpful and the quality of their fabrics is fantastic. They are fast to respond, as well as ship and I cannot fault their service. I also cannot wait to have a few more pennies so I can use my discount code to order some of their dresses...and we won't mention the stunning silver jumpsuit that's just waiting to fall into my basket 😉 oh why must maternity pay be so low 😭

 

Three different experiences, three different countries and three different outcomes. Thoroughly recommend both MC and VV, but if I were you, I'd be wary about TOBS. What brands have you found that are fab? Can any of you help me find that elusive retro button front blouse? 

And a final plea to clothiers. Please state in your item description if the buttons work or not! It makes all the difference to us boobyfeeding mamas!