RED, PURPLE AND PLAID

It's almost disgusting I know, but yes – I got myself one of the new Trashy Diva dresses.

THE JAYNA DRESS IN BLUE HAWAII / ABOUT TRASHY DIVA SIZING AND MORE

As you may know, one of my absolute favourite brands is Trashy Diva. I have many many TD dresses and they all have a great cut and as I’ve come to notice, will flatter your curves weather you have a lot or a little of them. So when Trashy Diva asked me to try out and review one of their dresses from their new Blue Hawaii collection I was not late to reply with a big and happy Yes!

As I have ordered from Trashy Diva numerous times - I think it’s the brand I own the most dresses from - I am more than often asked about the sizing, and ordering form there. So I thought I’d also do a brief on that here at the same time.

I chose the Jayna dress, which is also a brand new model. The dress is made out of rayon.

Then I stated thinking that I’ve done it again - added one more fancy dress to the collection of “good-if-I -manage-to-wear-it-once-per -summer”-dresses. I just can’t help myself, I am a sucker for all things pretty! (Well, one day when I do no longer have small children I shall strut around in my fancy dresses again and all of the time.)

But, turns out, this is one of those floral dresses than can be just anything! That goes with anything, you know. Basic monday or wedding wear -everything goes depending on how it is styled.

See, nice and everyday normal if you so like.
The kind of floral dress that is not too fancy for day wear and would look good both with flats and heels - that would probably look good even when worn with Birkenstock sandals.

And -ta da! -with fancier hair it turns into a fancy piece - especially with and up-do that will show the beautiful cut-out in the back of the dress. I also like that is has a more narrow skirt than most of my other dresses, a little variation is always nice.

I find the dress quite timeless with a touch of the forties at the neckline with it’s sweetheart shape and fabric-coated buttons. Which also can, if you want to and style it so, give a very trendy 90’s vibe. (Would I be young and trendy I might shorten this dress and wear it nineties style with heavy boots or those thick soled canvas shoes and a jacket to go along. But I’m not, so I won’t.)

I’ve never had any issues with my orders from Trashy Diva always received the right items ind the right sizes. (Do keep in mind that when ordering from the US to the EU customs will most likely apply. The first years I always had my parcels coming straight home to me without having to pay vat and import tax but nowadays everything seems to go via the customs automatically.)

The sizing of the dresses is very accurate to the size chart but measurements run a little bit different for each dress and cut so always check the charts (it is very easy to find next to every dress on the site). For exampe, I have dresses in size 8 and 10 but even some in size 6!

In general I’d say to choose the dress according to your waist size. For those dresses with stretch you can take the smallest size possible, but the cotton and rayon dresses won’t really stretch so remember that, although getting one or half an inch smaller than my waist size when that has been the closets has not been a problem for me. If it gets any smaller than that it won’t feel comfy when you sit down for example, even though you might still fit in the dress. As I have noticed from some of my old dresses thank you very much pregnancy.

Now with the Janya dress I was not sure weather to go for the bigger or smaller size, to leave some slight comfy room in the waist or go for a snug fit with perhaps half an inch more to long for. The bust measurement on the bigger size would have been to big for me so I went for snug which was the right choice, and it does not feel too tight at all! Ta-da again!

The dresses that consist of a waist section, like the Forties dress for example, are often rather roomy in the bust and fit up to big cups. Still, they don’t get bulky on a smaller bust either, but actually gives a very good shape. I’ve noticed that the dresses that have the top cut in just one piece - like the Americana, Day dress or Anette for example - have less room in the bust. For me with a big rib cage they come out as perhaps a bit flattening and tight on the chest. Going for a bigger size does not really help as the dress then will be too big all over. But all in all it’s not a disastrous thing, I stil love those styles and wear my dresses happily!

An issue I know others also have had is that the dresses with a waist band are sometimes hard to close; the dress is lined in the waist to keep a good shape and the invisible zipper is very thin. That can make it hard to close over the seams. For one of my dresses I didn’t manage it without a helping hand; it usually gets a bit easier with wear though. The Jayna dress here is of the same kind of cut, with a waist section, but it actually closes up pretty easily.

The only tricky thing with trashy Diva in general is that most of the dresses are dry clean only. Which can be an issue over here, where dry cleaning is expensive (for example SOL charges 30-50eur to clean a dress, and silk dresses will be over 50eur). I hang out my dresses to air after wear and “steam” them by hanging them in the bathroom when I shower. But, I *confess* I have washed quite many of them by hand and they have turned out fine, expect for one on which the colours ran a bit (which luckily does not show at all due to the pattern). My jersey knit dresses have even been washed in the machine on a gentle program without problems. BUT do bear in mind that clothes should always be cleaned according to their instructions, so I’m not going to recommend washing the dresses yourself even though it has worked for me.

Well, there you have the answers to the most asked TD-questions in a nutshell. So enough with that for now and time to let this new dress out in the strong sunshine!

Blue is one of those colours that go with a lot, and this dress was well paired with red shoes. I also happen to have shoes in both the same blue and the same white shade as in the dress . But this time I went for orange ones instead!

SWOON AND THEN A LITTLE MORE

One of those I'm-dying-a-little-bit-just-by-lookin-at-it-from-the-corner-of-my-eye dresses.
If we'd just manage to throw that wedding party we've planned for the rest of our friends and family that were not with us in Vegas (which is, most of them) I would have the perfect reason...

(1950's vintage dress from Etsy/Dear Golden.)

3 x DRESSES FOR PRINCESSES

1961 Balenciaga gown, The Metropolian Museum of Art.

1950's gown via Pinterest.

1950's ball gown from Etsy / Simplicity is Bliss

When I was a very little girl I wanted to be a princess. That, or an x-ray nurse (one could see skeletons), or a cashier at the supermarket (probably because that was sort of the most actual job little me could think of; the only one I saw people do daily). Well, I didn't  become any of those. But then again I ended up doing burlesque which means I can be pretty much anything I want anyway. Princess and skeletons included.

THE GREEN ONE, IN PROGRESS

One can ask onseself what the fuck (yes F) is going on here.

Well, the answer could appear to be simple; obviously, I am making myself a new dress. Inspired by one from Trashy Diva that I've admired long but did not allow myself to buy. My sister is getting married and I decided not to get myself anything new as I have plenty of fine summer dresses that have not been worn enough. But then again, if my sister's wedding is not the right moment to get a new dress, then when is? Surely she deserves that, ehrm. (Yes she and ehr wedding, a new dress. I am totally not thinking of myself here now.) And, as we have realized earlier on here, I do not have any green dresses. So corrected that shall be from now on.

But then again as I only have a few hundred other things pushing (and pushing and rushing badly) for the moment it does not seem like the most rational thing to start putting a fancy dress together. (But dress-issues seldom are that rational now are they.) The wedding is Saturday.  So I am not always sure what the hell it is that I am thinking. But so far so good and right now I am elsewhere but thinking this dress will be done by midnight! (Or well it has to as I am elsewhere tomorrow too. Positive thinking!)

This one is stretchy (oh yes) and will of course come with -ta daa- pockets! And something for the bust section too, as I don't intend to goo all ancient Cretan at the wedding.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Apparently I just am the kind of person that when I really -I mean really-  begin the task of organizing at home, and also should get on with those 522 unread emails in my inbox, start color-coordinating my dresses (and, taking photos of it...) 

Mmmmmmmh, dresses-

But then I sort of started "home-shopping", remembering this and that item in my wardrobe. Very useful. However, the hard truth and it's conclusion is that there is no need to buy any dress ever again!  Ever. (Ha ha!) Well except for green dresses; turns out I don't have any green ones - how did this happen? Nothing wrong with green. Must be corrected! (Ah, what a great feeling; relief).

Now let's just hope for a long and warm and very sunny summer and children that magically stop being messy so that I can actually wear every single one. (Can I get another HAHA?)

VINTAGE; FLORAL; FLOWING

I got myself a new vintage dress kind of by accident, spotting it on the mannequin at Helsinki's smallets but most delicious vintage store. (That would be Hoochie Mama Jane.)  Long and soft with a bold pattern and with some dangerous cash in my pocket it had to be mine right there right .

I've been avoiding polyester since my teenage years in tight non-breathable seventies shirts but when it comes to certain garments - a flowing dress like this one- I have to admit it can acutally be rather comfy and soft against the skin.. So I let go of my old ban of 100% polyester. With a slight temptation to cut this one into knee-lenght, I am also letting go of my fear of long hems; the dress will remain ancle length. I see it with a big rolled up do, or 30's style waves, or my black turban; with heels, sandals or boots alike. Versatility rocks.

TIKI TIME!

Yesterday I did a show at Kokomo, the tiki restaurant.
I always love myself a good excuse to dress up and go all tiki! And to have LOTS of tiki drinks. Especially now in November.


The dress is from Bettie Page clothing, a set I bought just before Dag was born, although then  I of course couldn't use but the top (here). And after the delivery I had to add a safety pin to be able to close this in the waist, and didn't really look that good in it even. But now this one is  already on the bigger side for me. Haha! A great dress none the less, and I absolutetly totally and very much love the pattern. And clashing it with another pattern I love, leopard.

 (I love the fact that I am all back to normal by now but I kind of miss that big belly of mine. Have to do one more round then I guess :)

If somebody wonders the shoes ar a couple of years old or so, bought in Tallinn, and the leopard bow belt is from Carlings, many many years ago. Btw something like 2006 is so long ago already, if you think about it. Not to mention, well, 2003 for example. I didn't even read my email every day back then. Nor have internet of my own in my crib.Whoah.