GIVEAWAY: Enter to win a $100.00 gift certificate from Violet Vixen

The holiday season might be wrapping up for most of us this week, but that doesn't mean that the festive spirit has to end entirely, too. I know how busy, and at times even stressful, the past few weeks have been for many of us and as such, I really wanted to offer all of you a fantastic giveaway to usher in 2015 with.

For this inaugural blog giveaway of 2016, I'm absolutely delighted to have teamed up for the first time ever with popular online American vintage reproduction, alternative, steampunk, and goth fashion purveyors, Violet Vixen.

Their frequently updated shop is chock-a-block full of the kind of fun, fashionable, timelessly lovely offerings (sourced from an array of different brands) that so many of us go weak in the knees for.

With everything from novelty prints to timeless florals, dresses to tops, corsets to handbags, and offerings for both men and women, Violet Vixen is a delightful site with a wide away of products that are sure to appeal to just about any vintage, pinup, rockabilly, retro, steampunk/Victorian Industrial, or alternative fashion fan.



{Just a small sampling of Violet Vixen's fabulous (current) products, any one of which might be an ideal choice to put your $100.00 gift certificate towards, if you happen to be the winner of this exciting giveaway. From top left to bottom right: Hawaiian Sidecar Dresss | Dragon Lace Pink Cupcake Corset | Betsy Pink Sparrow Gumball Purse | Cherry Blossom Plus Size Dress}



In addition to very generously offering one lucky Chronically Vintage reader the chance to a $100.00 gift certificate (voucher), the lovely folks at Violet Vixen also kindly sent me a cuter-than-cute Flamingo Fun Skirt to review, which I will be sharing here with all of you in an upcoming outfit post in early 2016.

(As mentioned here last week, we've continued to experience snowfalls here everyday as of late, which makes shootings quite dangerous for our photographic equipment, otherwise I'd be posting snaps of myself in this charmingly lovely skirt here today; again, watch of them a wee bit further on in the year.)


Giveaway Details:

This giveaway, which is open to readers worldwide, is for one $100.00 USD gift certificate/store voucher from Violet Vixen, which will be put towards merchandise on their website.

Violet Vixen has informed me that they will also provide shipping cost coverage up $35.00 for those outside of the USA.

Just to clarify that point, if you are the winner and you live outside of the USA, your gift certificate can be put towards up to $100.00 in merchandise and then if three are shipping costs beyond that $100.00 value, Violet Vixen will cover such shipping costs up to a total of $35.00 (this is due to the fact that their shipping prices run on the steeper side for those outside of the US).

The giveaway is taking place between today's date (Wednesday January 6th) and 11:59 PST on Wednesday January 13, 2016, with the winner being drawn and contacted via email (as well as possibly announced on social media) shortly thereafter.

If you've like to enter, please feel free to do with as many of the following Rafflecopter options as you desire.

The only one that is mandatory for entry is that you leave a comment on this post, the rest are entirely optional. The more that you enter, the greater your odds of winning.

Should you happen to have any questions about this giveaway, drop me an email and I'll be happy to answer them as best I can for you.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

♥ ♥ ♥

A huge thank you to Violet Vixen for this wonderful giveaway opportunity, and the very best of luck to all those who enter!!!

Reviewing my (fabulous!) new Dot Dash Dress from Love Ur Look

Outfit details

Vintage royal blue nylon hair scarf: (Probably) eBay
White plastic rose earrings: Claire's
1980s does 1940s/50s red plastic beaded necklace: Gift with purchase years ago
Vintage inspired Dot Dash A-line Dress c/o: Love Ur Look
Royal blue cardigan: Garage Clothing
Red plastic bangle bracelet: Forever 21
Vintage wide yellow bangle bracelet: Thrifted
Vintage white plastic bangle bracelet: Thrifted
Red faux leather cross body bag: eBay
1950s white embroidered wrist length gloves: Unknown, had for years (likely eBay or Etsy)
Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay
Dark blue patent pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red


Photography by Tony Cangiano

♥ ♥ ♥

There are a substantial number of vintage reproduction and vintage inspired clothing lines that I've had massive crushes on for years now, but which - often because of pesky things like a weak Canadian dollar, shipping and import costs, and/or the items I love most from said brands selling out before I can get to them - I've not yet had the pleasure of adding any of their fine offerings to my closet.

One of those companies, whose offerings I've swooned up many a storm over for quite a while now, is the much adored European brand, Love Ur Look, who put out a modest sized, curated selection of beautiful offerings each year (and have some really commendable ethical business practises, as detailed on their About page).

Thus when I was contacted by them and kindly offered a choice of one of two of their latest warm weather frocks, I couldn't say yes quickly enough. I've been curious for ages now about the fit, quality, silhouette and other elements of this brand's products and let me just say, once I finally had one in my hands, I was impressed!

I opted for the Dot Dash A-line Dress, because it is both incredibly cute and also quite different than any other frock I currently own. Being short and curvy, I often steer clear of all, or predominately, white dresses and, really, garments in general, but I had a feeling that the cut and use of primary hues on this dress would help "save me", if you will, there and thankfully such was definitely the case.

You guys, seriously, I am ridiculously in love with this dress. Permit me then for a moment to extol some of its many, many virtues:


-Length: I just barely squeak in at 5'2" and where the hem hits here on me is my favourite length for a dress (or skirt). A little past mid-calf, but not quite ankle grazing - what is often called "tea length". It's long enough to add a crinoline underneath, though there is already a bit of one built into the skirt (as you can see in a couple of the snaps above), so you'd likely get a lot of fullness if you added more tulle beneath this relatively wide skirt. I could not be any happier with the length of this dress on me.

-Sleeveless: While I rarely bare my arms completely in public due to reasons of personal modesty, I flat out love it when dresses are sleeveless because it means less bulk when layering, something that I’m always conscious of given that my upper arms are not my best feature in the slightest.

-Matching fabric belt: Though there are no actual belt loops on this dress, it comes with a thin belt made out of matching fabric. If you didn't want to wear it around your waist, you could easily utilize it as a skinny hair tie/scarf instead, if so desired (or forgo using it entirely).

-It has pockets: I love, love, lovvvvvve it when dresses or skirts have pockets and this charmer includes two at a nice, natural hip height. So handy, so practical, soooo appreciated!
-Crisp colours: Though the fabric that this dress is made from is quite thin, thanks to the fact that it's 100% cotton, the colours on it are fabulously sharp, vibrant and beautiful.

-Awesome neckline: Seriously, this has to be one of my favourite necklines on any garment I've ever owned. From the wide shawl meets sailor shaded collar to the built in panel of red and white striped fabric, this neckline is fun, flattering, and fabulously unique.

-Fantastic nautical vibe: From the primarily colour palette of blue, red, and yellow set atop snow white to the mid-century modern-esque design of the pattern itself (which somewhat resembles highly stylized bunting flags) to the striped fabric at the neckline, there is such a charming, super vintage-y nautical vibe at work here that I just adore!

-Fit: I love the fit of this dress. From the bust to the waist to the arm holes, it fits me excellently and is quite true to size, in my opinion (plus its a-line shape is very becoming and would work well on most types of figures).

-Price: At £56.00, this dress is still within the reach of many folks and is what I'd call middle of the road in terms of price point for cotton vintage style dresses. Considering the built in tulle underskirt, awesome pattern, tea length skirt, exciting neckline, and warm weather versatility of the frock, I think its price is very fair and would genuinely have no problem paying that myself, had I purchased this dress, instead of receiving it as a review gift (thank you so much for it, Love Ur Look).


As you can no doubt gather, I am smitten with this dress. I wore it for a family get together at my sister's house on Mother's Day, to antiques & second hand auction last month, and am slipping it on more days than not when out running errands or just bopping around, as Tony and I were doing on the sunny afternoon recently when we captured these photos in the delightful little nearby town of Summerland (which, despite its proximity of less than 20 minutes from Penticton, we had somehow, entirely unintentionally, never done a shot in before).

It was a glorious late spring day - one of those days that you wish you could put it a jar and let out again come the dark evenings of January, when summer feels like it might as well be on another planet. To embrace the warm weather, I teamed this darling Love Ur Look dress with a vintage royal blue head nylon scarf, royal blue cardigan, a trio of plastic bangle bracelets, a red vintage necklace, my trusty white plastic rose earrings, wrist length white 1950s gloves, red cross body/shoulder bag, and dark blue pumps.

If I could only wear one vintage reproduction/inspired dress this summer, this gem from Love Ur Look would be it. It is perfect for the sun-kissed months and would come with me instantly, were I packing for a warm weather vacation anytime of the year. This is my first item from this popular UK line, and I wholeheartedly hope that it won't be my last - as I am beyond in love - quite fittingly give the brand's name - with this marvelously fun Dot Dash A-line Dress.

Do you own anything from Love Ur Look? How has your experience been with this wonderful brand's offerings?

Alice's Pig (Gorgeous!) Coco's Crescent Dress Review

Outfit details

Carnation pink snood: eBay seller tina.g-2008
White plastic rose earrings: Claire's
Navy blue shrug: Sears
Coco's Crescent dress c/o Alice's Pig
Vintage gold flower brooch: Unknown (had for years)
Orange faux leather skinny belt: eBay
Gold tone metal bangles: Payless
1950s orange sheer gloves: (Probably) eBay
1950s/1960s pink handbag: Unknown (had for years)
Nude seamed nude stockings: eBay
Navy blue patent pumps: Payless
Lip colour: Clinique Raspberry Glace


Photography by Tony Cangiano

♥ ♥ ♥

Even if you're a a huge Lewis Carroll fan, you might not instantly get the reference in the company Alice's Pig's name, but once you learn that it stems from none other than that most beloved of childhood tales, Alice in Wonderful, the moniker suddenly snaps into place and suits this (relatively) new fashion brand delightfully well.

Based out of Brixton, South London in the United Kingdom, Alice's Pig is a 21st century women’s clothing line that looks to the past for much for its inspiration, while also keeping an eye on the trends of today’s world.

It was launched two years ago in May of 2013, and while it is not a vintage reproduction company, nor, would I say, one that strictly aims to replicate styles from decades past, a lot of their pieces do certainly have distinct notes of yesteryear style and are apt to instantly appeal to vintage wearing ladies the world over, very much including yours truly!

That's why when I contacted by the lovely brother and sister team of Amanda and Nicolai who created Alice's Pig, I jumped at the chance to collaborate with this exciting brand. From their dynamic website that presents the brand's offerings in a fresh, fun, interactive way to the fact that they offer free global shipping, to the old school influenced products themselves, there is a lot to appreciate and adore about this brand and their thriving online shop.

If you're wondering about the name, besides the reference to Alice and Wonderful, Amanda and Nico opted for this reference, in their own words, because, "The brand image comes from our love for Alice in Wonderland, where crazy is normal. The name is a reminder that colliding styles and cultures can produce something interesting and that there can be beauty and surprise in anything; even in a pig."

While Alice Pig's inventory is not mammoth at present, it is well curated and highly appealing, and I won't lie, I spent the better part of day debating which of their beautiful, stylish, and very wearable looking items to select as as wonderfully nice complimentary review gift (thank you so much for it, Nico and Amanda).

With pieces that the duo defines as a "modern, urban take on vintage style", I was intrigued and tempted by a number of their offerings (some of which, it should be noted, take their inspiration keys from later 20th century decades, whereas others look back further to the 1940s - 60s for elements of their sartorial DNA), but ultimately opted for the gorgeous Coco's Crescent dress.

From the elegant floral and bird pattern (which, when my mom saw it, on the day that these photos were taken, she swooned over every bit as much as I did!) to the fact this dress is lined, to the seriously cool element that is the built short-sleeve bolero that can be removed, if so desired (it attaches with the row of buttons across the upper chest area of the dress), to the classic silhouette, I was thoroughly hooked (ooohh, and don't even get me started on the tremendously pretty "tail feather" style panels on the back, that lend this piece such a joyful sense of movement with each step - plus, it has pockets on the front!!!).

The dress arrived in a flash, was securely and attractively packaged, and was even lovelier, to my eyes, in person than it appeared on Alice's Pig's website. We've been getting a lot of rain here in recent weeks and so finding suitable days, or even dry hours, for photos, on those days when we're out and about has been tricky at times. Thankfully though, a recent weekend jaunt north of Penticton to the absolutely charming town of Peachland (that has to be one of the best names ever for a town!), provided a few rain-free, if still overcast, moments for a shoot featuring this sophisticated floral print frock.

I have to say, as someone who has a closet does a very good job of emulating a lush garden, I'm no stranger to pretty florals, but this one really blew me away. Not only is it stunning, but its colour palette is fresh, fun, and very wearable, especially since it offers one a wide range of hues to pick and pull from when it comes to styling the rest of your ensemble.

The quality of the fabric here (100% polyester for the body of the dress and 100% cotton for the lining) is lightweight, breathable, comfy, and nice quality. The colours of the design are even, crisp, and delightfully vibrant. This is really a great dress and just the kind of thing I'd reach for if I had a wedding, garden party, tea party (fittingly, given the brand's nod to all things Alice in Wonderland :) ), baby shower, gallery event, or cocktail shindig to attend in the near future.

Interestingly, much like this Voodoo Vixen dress that I reviewed here last summer, this tremendously lovely frock from Alice's Pig is devoid of any black or white in its design, which can potentially make styling such a garment a little bit tricky. Luckily the generous colour palette of the flower and bird design paired with the standout navy blue buttons (interestingly navy blue does not actually appear in the pattern of the dress itself, but it certainly compliments the colours of it and the combo is nothing short of striking!) eliminated that potential hurdle and gave me a lot to work with on that front.

Looking at this dress, one could easily see it being styled in a 1940s, 1950s, or 1960s direction, just depending on what other accessories, as well as your hair and makeup styles, you opted for. I was in a 40s mood that day, so I teamed it with a carnation pink snood, white plastic rose earrings, cropped knit shrug, vintage sheer orange gloves (which I love to bits!), orange skinny belt, vintage gold tone floral brooch, pink 1950s - 60s faux reptile skin handbag, gold tone bangle bracelets, classic navy blue patent pumps.

That is, I'm the first to admit, a lot of colour, but thanks to the bold beauty of the dress' pattern itself, I think it came together and worked really well. I definitely have ideas for how I'm going to style this dress the next time I wear it, and plan to pull from the both the green and the gray in the floral design.

One thing that surprised me about this dress, especially because I had selected it part because of the hemline that was shown online, is that it is a lot shorter than I expected it to be. I'm barely 5'2" and have a 28" inseam, so my legs are not exactly giving any supermodels a run for their money in the slightest. I had expected this dress to hit me at more of a mid-calf point, but as it is, it barely skims my knees. I'm very thankful that it does though, because I virtually never wear dresses, skirts or cropped pants that don't clear my knees, due to reasons of personal modesty that are very important to me.

To their credit though, Alice's Pig does list the length of their garments online, but I guess because in the photos, illustration, and video, it looked a bit longer (and it was listed as being 112.5 cm/44.2 inches long in the size that I selected), I was still surprised that it was so short on me. No worries though. This somewhat shorter length works great for the roasty-toasty days of summer, and I just wanted to point out this fact, in case you are thinking of purchasing this beautiful Coco's Crescent dress yourself and were curious as to where it might hit on you.

Objectively and without a speck of bias because this was a review product (you'll never get a biased review from me, doing so would go against my own integrity to no end), I love this dress. I would have no qualms paying its £66.00 price tag, especially if I was intentionally buying it for a special occasion like the ones I touched on above, and I say that as someone whose modest personal budget making purchasing items from the UK quite the rare and special occasion. The fact that Alice's Pig offers free worldwide shipping, would seal the deal for me all the more.

I really enjoyed wearing this lovely dress, as it suits spring and summer sublimely, and getting a chance to review one of a new-to-me brand's offerings here for all you. If you haven't checked out Alice's Pig's fun website and offerings yet, I highly encourage you to do so.

And if you're interested in adding some of Alice's Pig's truly delightful fashions to your own wardrobe, the fine folks there have very kindly provided me with an exclusive discount code for Chronically Vintage's readers. Please use Alicespig10 at checkout, to save 10% off on all purchases between now and June 8, 2015.

Thank you again to Alice Pig for this gorgeous, vintage influenced floral print dress. I adore it to bits and felt like my frock had been painted by a talented artist, as the florals are off-the-charts gorgeous and the whole piece is a vision of loveliness.

Chic, cozy, completely charming vintage appropriate sleepwear from Maddy James

For most of us, even those who love these icy cold months, there is no season that calls for hunkering down inside and staying roasty-toasty quite like winter. It just seems natural to get our inner grizzly bear on and hibernate - at least come evenings and weekends - from November to March (or April/May, if you live in most parts of Canada!).

Tony and I love to do just that on our rare days off as snowflakes whirl around outside like giant handfuls of confetti, settle in for movie marathons, TV series binges (how did any of us get by on that front with out Netflix? :)), games of scrabble and long, delightfully leisurely hours of reading (he, usually, on his Kindle, I - die hard traditionalist - with a good, old fashioned paper book in hand).

This winter I've had the immense pleasure of spending many of those care-free, much needed moments of relaxation in a pair of fabulous Aubrey Pajamas that I received as a review gift last year from vintage inspired loungewear company Maddy James (who you may remember from this April 2014 interview post with the company's founder, Gina).

As I discussed in that post, Maddy James' timelessly classic, highly vintage inspired sleep and lounge wear fills a major void in the vintage reproduction/vintage inspired world - that of beautiful old school approved attire for our downtime at home (not to mention when one is traveling and comfort because an even more important issue while living out of a suitcase).




The Aubrey pajama set (pictured above) is truly charming and very well constructed - not to mention as comfortable as a winter cloud. The short sleeve top is made from lightweight viscose rayon and trimmed with cotton on the adorable fluttery sleeves. The pants - an area where I often run into issues due to the fact that it's challenging for me to wear tight things for long periods on my mid-section due to some of my medical conditions - are fantastic and a million miles away from being tight (due to the waistband, I mean) or hard to sport for hours or even full days at a time. They're made of 100% cotton, are flat front and sport a very easy to get along with elastic back.

Like most of the best pj's out, I find that this two-piece 1940s style set only gets softer with each washing and having lived in frequently for for a few months now, I can honestly say that they've held up superbly after many wearings and washes. I love that this sleepwear set can work all year round. During the chilly winter months I do top it with a robe or cardigan sometimes for extra warmth, but its combo of short sleeves and long pants mean that it will be perfect on its own for the other three seasons, which I can't say of most other lighter or heavier weight/long sleeved pj sets.

The Aubrey pajamas, which are available in two colours (purple and blue) retail for $70.00 US and are worth every penny (and then some!) in my books. They're truly comfortable, highly becoming (which is not something that can be said of all sleep or lounge wear in the slightest) and wonderfully mid-century looking.

In addition to this fun set of forties style pj's, Maddy James, an American based company that just started last year, sells a great selection of other vintage appropriate lounge and sleepwear with pieces to suit the tastes, moods, and lifestyles of many early to mid-century fashionistas (and of course, their timeless beauty makes them ideal for those who are fans of contemporary garments as well).

Nightgowns in lux, completely Jean Harlow worthy fabrics and cuts, pajamas so soft and comfy you may never want to take them off, robes that exude glamour and sophistication at every turn, and cute, fun separates that suit summer's heat especially well, round out the current list of Maddy James offerings. Many (if not all!) of which I know any of us would love to add to our lounge and sleepwear wardrobe (thank you can do just that from ordering directly from Maddy James’ online shop).



{The unendingly sophisticated Cynthia Breakfast Coat from Maddy James' line of robes. Image, along with that of the Aubrey pajama set above, via Maddy James' website.}


I would personally place Maddy James' offerings at high up on the quality scale and adore that this US based brand is offering women the the ability to bring a heart dose of yesteryear off-duty style into their vintage or 21st century wardrobes alike (at present Maddy James offers small to XL sizes, as well as plus sizes for some of their garments). My Aubrey pajama set came with us to Vancouver Island last fall and has seen more play since I received it (thank you so much for the awesome review gift, Gina) than any other loungewear in my wardrobe, hands down.

From their classic Hollywood sophistication to their soft-as-a-feather materials and top-notch construction, Maddy James' pieces are the kind of lux, own it for years (if not forever!) sleep and loungewear that any old school loving lady's wardrobe needs.

Trust me, I'm honest-to-goodness sporting my Aubrey pj's as I type this. You'll live in anything and everything you receive from Maddy James and wonder how your at home leisure hours ever got by without these stylish sleepwear offerings.

Sin in Linen Tattoo Kitchen Linen Set Product Review

With an eye-catching - some might even say, provocative - name like Sin in Linen - one would expect a company with this moniker to deliver alluringly beautiful offerings and let me assure you, there is no risk of disappointment here!

In the latter days of 2014, I was contacted by one of the fine folks at Sin in Linen, a brand that I'd previously heard of before, but wasn't overly familiar with, and offered the chance to review one of their fantastic kitchen linen sets. I always seem to (proverbially speaking!) burn through such items (my adorable dog's penchant for stealing tea towels and claiming them in the name of canines everywhere certainly doesn't help matters on that front :D) and welcomed the chance to refresh my linen closet with open arms.

While I didn't get to pick the set I wanted myself, as soon as I found out which one I was being sent, I was totally happy and on board with it. The Sin in Linen Tattoo Kitchen Linen Set is bursting with old school tattoo art charm that is every bit as at home in a retro styled abode as it is in the realm of a rockabilly, psychobilly, pinup girl influenced, or even contemporary house.





The Tattoo Kitchen Linen Set (pictured above) currently retails for $32.00 and consists of an apron, a tea towel, an oven mitt, and a pot holder, all of which are made from 100% cotton. Surprising though it may be to for to learn, despite wearing one nearly daily, I only own three aprons, and one of them is very much on its last legs, so the apron in this set was a particularly welcome gift.

The tea towel is not the plush kind with looped fibers, but instead a durable woven cotton towel that makes for both a function item and a beautiful display piece hanging from your oven handle, a hook, or even used as a small center place mat in the middle of the table. While I wouldn't call the oven mitt and pot holder the absolute most heat-proof or durable I've ever used, I utilized both them for much of my holiday season baking last month and rarely felt the heat of what I was pulling from the oven or microwave when wearing/holding them. They've lovely quality and like this whole set itself, are a cinch to clean in the wash thanks to the fact that they're cotton.





The charming apron, which features a tie waist, a handy front pocket, and a darling little decorative bow, is my favourite item from the set and I would have no qualms with paying $32.00 for it alone (should you wish buy it solo, the Tattoo Apron retails for just $19.00 on its own, which a very fair price these days for a fuller sized, 100% cotton apron like this). Atop red and green Christmas season attire, it was especially striking and even garnered a compliment from the mail carrier, when I opened the door one afternoon while sporting it.

Sin in Linen is based out of that Pacific Coast powerful house of a city, Seattle, Washington and was founded by Sandy Glaze. On top of fabulous kitchen linens, the brand also manufactures what they describe as "out-of-the-ordinary household goods with designs that encourage women to express themselves through style that is tough and bold, while still being sexy and feminine. Sin in Linen ignites passion in the home with exciting designs inspired by retro aesthetic, pinups, tattoos and rock ‘n roll". You've got to love that business mindset!



{An example of Sin in Linen's gorgeous bedding, the Bow Duvet Cover would work wonders in all kinds of different decor settings thanks to its stellar blend of old school and classic styling, as well as its black and white colour palette. If I was in the market for new bedding, this would be very high up on my list of choices.}


Their other offerings include bedding such as duvet covers, comforters, bed skirts, sheet sets, pillow cases, and even (super cute!) baby bedding; bathroom items like shower curtains and towels, assorted kitchen items including table clothes, oven mitts, aprons, dish towels, and linen sets like the one I was sent to review here today; home accent pieces such as curtains, throw pillows, calendars, and throw blankets; and in the future, a line of Sin in Linen apparel as well (which I'll certainly be bursting with excitement to see!).

Sin in Linen's products generally feature patterns of a decidedly vintage inspired, thoroughly rockabilly nature, though some (such as those featuring spider webs) channel a goth or gothabilly vibe as well. Others are romantic, some are brazen, some are kitschy, some (such as certain florals) are more modern meets classic, and all feature the sort of images that most any vintage, rockabilly, goth, punk rock, mid-century modern, or tattoo art fan would definitely adore.

Frequently on my blog, I review clothing and accessories and adore doing so, of course, but sometimes its fun to shake things up a bit and I love that this awesome Tattoo Kitchen Linen Set gave me a chance to do just that. I really want to thank the kind people at Sin in Linen for bestowing this review gift on me and for giving me a chance to share about their terrific products with my readers. After being put through its paces this past holiday season, each piece in my set is still holding up fabulously and will continue to be used often in our kitchen (with the tea towel being kept far away from pilfering pups! :)).

Whether for your own house or to give as a gift (I can't help but think how perfect their offerings might be for 2015's Vintage Secret Santa gift exchange come the holiday season at the end of the year), Sin in Linen's offerings are well priced, very attractive, and positively chock-a-block with great old school charm and loveliness that always have a very welcomed spot in the home decor world.

So, we meet again eShakti! (Or, what I wore for Christmas Day this year)

Outfit details

Black satin 1950s hat: eBay
1950s sterling silver and rhinestone screw back earrings with matching necklace: Gift from a dear friend ♥
Vintage style metallic brocade dress: eShakti (this specific dress is no longer in stock)
Silver faux leather skinny belt: eBay
1950s black velvet stole wrap: A Better Time
1950s/60s metallic mesh handbag: Either a gift or thrifted (can't remember for sure)
1950s black gloves: ChameleonCMC
Opaque black tights: Ardene
Sparkly champagne peep-toe heels: The Bay
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red

Photography by Tony Cangiano

♥ ♥ ♥

Two years ago quite literally to the day, I had my first experience working with the well known online fashion powerhouse eShatki. This brand offers a wide range of modern and vintage-y looking styles that can either be purchased in standard sizes or customized to your exact measurements/specifications, including changing things like sleeve and hemline lengths, as well as, in some cases, necklines (either for free or at very modest prices, depending on what the change is).

Unfortunately, for reasons pertaining both to fit and absurdly high DHL courier fees that I was charged, my first experiences were not very position ones and though I did work with the company again in early spring 2013, with somewhat better results all around, I haven't worn the dress I got then since and honestly doubt it will ever see much play in my wardrobe, as the fit isn't particularly flattering.

I always like to try and get along with everyone - very much including the companies I partner with here on my blog or personally buy from (both of which I've done with eShakti), and when they contacted me again in early December to ask if I'd be interested in reviewing one of the items from their elegant holiday line, I took a few days to think about it, but ultimately said "yes" to the dress. :)

Knowing already from past experience, that eShakti has yet to fit me to size (each garment I've received from them has measured at least 2 inches smaller than the stated measurements given in their item listings in key areas like the bust and waist), I ordered up two sizes and am extremely glad that I did. While this did mean a bit of extra fabric in the waist and a little in bust, the addition of a silver hued skinny belt from my closet was able to help wrangle that in instantly.

Due to the fact that eShakti puts their zippers on the side and tends to cut very narrowly in the torso (an area that I would generally consider myself to be quite slender in - you can clearly see my ribcage when I'm in the buff), I size up to ensure that I'll be able to breath and that their garments (excluding skirts, naturally) will fit me comfortably.

If we went off measurements alone, in theory I would be a size six, but I ordered a size ten (I never care in the slightest about size numbers, fit is what counts in my books) and am extremely glad that that I did. When ordering garments from them, eShakti asks for your height and here I also "sized up", so to speak, and stated my height as 5'4", instead of its actual 5'2". I did this because I've found that past garments that claimed to be below the knee, rarely were and as that's super important to me with all my clothes (that they hit below the knee, I mean), I'm very glad that I did add a couple of inches to my height when ordering this dress. In addition, I opted for the custom options of 3/4 length sleeves and a princess neckline on the dress, which came in standard form with a v-neck and short cap sleeves - two styles that generally look awful on me.

Though even with sizing up, due to the side zipper, it's tricky to get in and rather hard to get out of this dress (doing so involved me kneeling on the floor and Tony pulling the dress off over my head by the ends of the sleeves), which is made from a lovely, thick brocade fabric (that is lined in the skirt, helping to add to the garment's fullness). Still even with these relatively small issues, I really must say that this is my favourite eShakti garment I've owned to date and I very much appreciate the company's desire to collaborate with my blog again.

When I ordered the dress, I did so with the intent of sporting it on Christmas Day, which is precisely what I did. I must say, it garnered compliments from Tony and all my relatives who were present that day, with my mother even saying that it was her favourite dress she'd seen me wear in years (aww, thanks, mom!). I really adored this great 1950s inspired dress as well. Its thick, but comfortable, brocade fabric - a rich mix of silver and gold metallic threads forming a floral design on a cranberry hued background - was both warm and incredibly holiday season appropriate.

Christmas Day was very grey, overcast and accompanied by dim light, so for our photo shoot that afternoon, we just took snaps on my parent's deck. This is a formal dress and I truly love that about it. In keeping with the sophistication it exudes, I went with a gorgeous mid-century vintage sterling silver demi-parure comprised of a rhinestone necklace with matching screw back earrings, which was an amazing gift from a treasured friend two Christmases ago. I also teamed it with a 50s/60s metal mesh handbag, 1950s black velvet wrap, black vintage gloves, modern silver faux leather skinny belt, a beloved black satin 1950s hat, opaque black tights, and a killer pair of sparkly champagne hued peep-toe heels that I feel in love with, and Tony promptly bought me, nearly three years ago now.

I really believe in dressing to the nines for the holidays and centering my Christmas Day ensemble around this stunning eShakti brocade dress allowed me to do just that. Though the fit isn't 100% perfect and I did have to rig the system when ordering, again, it's the best fit I've had from this company so far and I'd certainly be happy to review and/or purchase from them again in the future, as I now have a greater degree of confidence when it comes to figuring out what size of theirs to select for dresses.

Our Christmas was filled with all the usual joys of the Day - family, feasting, gift giving and receiving, playing games, basking in the glow of the tree, and other pleasures that - much like sporting such a fabulous holiday season dress - come but once a year. It’s hard to believe another Christmas is behind us again, but thankfully the season as a whole still has a few more days and I’ll be celebrating each of them with loved ones to the very fullest.

Happy New Year’s Eve countdown, my dear friends!