Holiday Cocktail Style: Collectif Penny dress

A little while back I showed you two lovely Stop Staring! cocktail dresses suitable for holiday wear. I promised a third option from Collectif, and that’s what I’m reviewing for you here! Meet Penny, an attractive sweetheart front-cross halter strap wiggle dress made from stretchy black bengaline.

Collectif Penny dress
Collectif Penny dress

Bengaline is a comfortable, flattering fabric that works incredibly well in vintage wiggle dress styles. The Collectif Penny is no exception. The cut and construction are fabulous, and the fit is very good. This is the kind of dress that is snazzy enough on its own – look at that bodice! – but dresses up really nicely given its neutral color and sleek lines.

Collectif Penny dress
Collectif Penny dress

More pictures and review after the jump… Continue reading “Holiday Cocktail Style: Collectif Penny dress”

Rio Revisited: Nagel Girl, pin up style, for Halloween!

Several years ago for Halloween, I decided to bring to life my favorite Patrick Nagel painting. Usually described as “woman with flower in her hair,” the piece is also known as the alternate cover art for Duran Duran’s iconic Rio album.

Nagel Girl
Woman with flower in her hair, AKA the “alternate” Duran Duran “Rio” cover art!
Nagel Girl by Missy
Me as the Nagel girl, by Miss Missy.

The first incarnation of the outfit included a royal blue tube top and raspberry capris, both of which I made myself by altering commercially available patterns. Since I’ve gotten a lot smaller since then, I decided it was time to put together a new “Rio” look for this Halloween. This time, I’m using separates produced by popular pin up clothing manufacturers.

Continue reading “Rio Revisited: Nagel Girl, pin up style, for Halloween!”

Holiday cocktail style: Stop Staring! Twilight dress

The holidays are coming, and I’ve collected a trio of dresses that will work for just about any occasion the season might throw your way! The first is the Twilight dress by Alicia Estrada’s Stop Staring!, a ladylike vision in black stretch bengaline and a lace-like net illusion fabric. Stop Staring! is a great American-made vintage reproduction brand designed to fit and flatter a myriad of sizes and body types.

Stop Staring! Twilight Dress
Stop Staring! Twilight Dress

Continue reading “Holiday cocktail style: Stop Staring! Twilight dress”