Wednesday 30 November 2011

Vintage Inspired Review: Tara Starlet 'Victory' Skirt

The 'Victory' skirt from Tara Starlet is available in plain green, black and white gingham, and red and white houndstooth. I purchased the green. I also bought the pedal pusher trousers in black, but that's a tale for another post!

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Price and Delivery - 3/5£65 is pricey. Delivery was next day, costing £5.

Sizing - 2/5
I am normally a Tara Starlet size 12 (in both their 'Peggy' dress and their 'Dancing' skirt). But with this skirt the sizing was off - I could do up the back zipper, but couldn't button the 2 little buttons above it. There is room to move the buttons across a bit.

Fit - 2/5
The main issue with this skirt on me is that there is too much fabric between hip and thigh, resulting in the skirt bunching up unattractively. Rather than a smooth silhouette I have ripples!



Fabric and Quality - 4/5
I think the colour is wonderful, and the fabric is nice, but I'm taking off a point because it's non-stretch, which is pretty essential in a fitted skirt if you want to be able to manoeuvre with any degree of grace. The quality looks perfectly good, no issues there at all.

Online Description - 2/5
It doesn't mention on the website what the fabric is, and whether it stretches or not. It only shows pictures from the front, but I would have liked to have seen a back view. It also doesn't mention that the 2 buttons at the back on the bottle green skirt are a bright, primary red (much brighter than the picture below shows). I got a bit of a shock when I opened the parcel.



Customer Service - 4/5
To return an item you have to send the parcel back by recorded delivery. I sent it back by Special Delivery, which cost me £7, but I wanted the insurance, as the parcel with the skirt and trousers was worth over £120, and recorded delivery only covers you up to £40 ish. The returns arrived with them on Monday, I had an email yesterday confirming my refund, and am just waiting for it to show up on my card.

I lose the original postage of £7, so I'm £14 down in total from returning the skirt and trousers.

Overall Score = 3/5
Would be a lovely skirt - on someone else!

Saturday 26 November 2011

Who's Going to the Anarcho-Dandyist Ball?


And more importantly, what will you be wearing?

I am going for a 1930s look with a long gown and a little cape, but my hair won't remotely look like it's from that era, as all my practice attempts recently have failed miserably!

x

Friday 25 November 2011

Tara Starlet Launch Lingerie Range!

Has anyone else seen Tara Starlet's new lingerie range?

From top to bottom:
Full slip, £59
Camisole, £45
Half slip, £35
French knickers, £32

All are available in black and nude, though they don't specify what kind of fabric is used.

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Thursday 24 November 2011

Erratic Clothing Purchasing

I spend a great deal of time, energy and effort trawling ebay, charity shops and car boot sales so I can save money on clothes.  I avoid high-end vintage boutiques, I refuse to pay over £100 for a Stop Staring dress and wait patiently for a year until it comes up on Ebay at less than half the price.  I've learnt to sew, so that I don't have to waste money having clothes altered.

So why, oh why, have I just clicked and spent an obscene sum at Tara Starlet?!!

I have ordered the Pedal Pushers in black, and the Victory Skirt in green...

http://www.tarastarlet.com/Bottoms/c4/p205/Pedal+Pushers/product_info.html

http://www.tarastarlet.com/Skirts/c2/p225/Victory+Skirt/product_info.html

I can't even blame PMT this time.

Will put up pics and reviews as soon as they arrive!

Friday 18 November 2011

Stop Staring!



Terrible photos, I know, my camera is awful in low-light, but I wanted to share the fabulousness of the Stop Staring dress I wore to a recent London wedding reception.  Bought off Ebay for £40!

Wednesday 16 November 2011

Where's Porcelina?


I have been a tad quiet over the last few months, which I am sorry about because I've missed the regular blogging, but I've been busier than ever, it's a bit of a whirlwhind!!  Here are my reasons:
1) Job hunting! My main, bread-winning role finishes by the end of the year, so I am steadily working on lengthy applications to stave off unemployment.  This month, 5 submitted applications, 2 rejections so far and still waiting on the other 3...  I am glad that applications are electronic - much easier to correct these days than having them typewritten, like Gypsy Rose Lee in the photo above.  Although she's probably not applying for a job and is just instructing a dressmaker or something.

2) Baking! I've made my Christmas cakes, apple chutney, and even attempted Mary Berry's chocolate roulade and Delia Smith's bechamel sauce. Great success all round.

3) Getting fit! So many people have taken up this running malarky that I thought it was high time to join this club, so I have embarked on a 'learn to run' training programme. I'm only up to running for 3 minutes at a time in between walks, but I'm optimistic to be running for a good 20 minutes at a time by the end of the year.


4) Catching up with friends!  If you don't start catching up now, you'll never fit everyone in before Christmas.  There are more social events at this time of year too.

A lot of my excuses have the word 'Christmas' in.  Anyway, I do have some posts to catch up with, including a few pics of my fabulous Stop Staring dress, and a bit of a rant about orangey eyebrow pencils.

I do hope you're all having a good week, and I for those of you also job-hunting, that you get something good soon!

Miss P xx

Sunday 6 November 2011

Shoe Lust vs Ceiling Price Guilt

Is £150 too much for a pair of shoes? 

"They're not leather", my other half complains.

"But they're Vivienne Westwood, for Melissa."

"Mm."  (then changes subject)


Thursday 3 November 2011

Paloma Faith for La Senza

I read in a magazine some time ago that Paloma Faith was putting her name to some retro style underwear in British chain La Senza, and it seems to have hit the stores.  There are only 3 pieces, so I'm disappointed there's not more choice, but I do like the look of the bra and the teddy.  Not so sure about the French Knickers as they are cut quite high on the leg when a classic knicker should have a bit more swish to it.

Bras are £30 (black/green), knickers are £16 (black/green) and the teddy is £30 (green only).

What do you think?  Gorgeous colour, the Emerald Green.  But the models are so bland, really would have loved to have seen Paloma herself modelling these items!




Tuesday 1 November 2011

In For a Penny...

I've just entered the Fleur dress competition over at Shona from Heyday's blog, and I thought I might as well repost about the comp to bag myself an extra entry!

I'm still bitter about the custom made wrap dress I won but never received because it got lost in the post (not sure if the US or Royal Mail was to blame), so I am hoping the fates realise that I'm worthy of a replacement...

Photo from Shona's blog, of course.

The sweetest simple dress you could imagine, you will live in it

I've got the builders in today trying to repair our leaky roof, they're like the Chuckle Brothers getting the ladders through the house!
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