Pinup Pretties and Nautical Niceties

Pinup Pretties and Nautical Niceties

 

Summer is officially here (apparently?) and what better way to start it off than with a picnic. But not just any old picnic, oh no! The British Belles are hosting their 2 Annual Pinup Picnic in the Park on the 2 July.

The British Belles (founded in 2014) are a group of 10 vintage lifestyle enthusiasts from around the UK. Referring to themselves as “the embodiment of girl power”these ten beautiful ladies promote positivity and individuality, whilst sharing their unique talents for vintage style fashion, hair & makeup, crafts and much more.


Last year, the fabulous Belles hosted the first Pinup Picnic in the Park ; an organised gathering for lovers of pinup and vintage, held in Hyde Park in London in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. The event raffle helped raise over £1,000 for charity and was a huge success. A year on and the Belles are hosting the picnic again. They hope to smash their £1,000 target this year, so if you are planning to attend, get your raffle tickets here.

And if you are planning to attend, what the devil are you going to wear? Luckily, Weekend Doll has you covered! The English Rose dress is  just perfect for a summer picnic. The halter neck dress comes in 2 colour ways (red and blue) along with a detachable black sash.



Dress: The English Rose dress


What is impressive about this dress is that it is convertible. The dress has a ‘Hitch Hem’ meaning that you can either wear the skirt gathered for a full effect (above), or (by loosening the ties underneath the dress) take the skirt down for a longer length (below).

The sweetheart neckline is really flattering and combined with the black sash nipping you in at the waist; it gives you the perfect pinup silhouette. Ps. If you are wondering what the strange mound of concrete is behind me in the above image, it is the WW2 Air Raid Shelter that is in our back garden!


In terms of fit, this dress is pretty spot on. It has an elasticated panel at the back, which gives added room in the bust region if required. My measurements are B=35in, W=26.5in and H=34in and I wore a Size 8 which is an XS. If you are on the shorter side like me (5ft 2in) then this dress is probably best worn with the hem up, as it is quite long when released.  The dress is fully lined and really lightweight – perfect for when that British Summer finally decides to show its face!  
If you are looking for something a bit more casual, Friday on My Mind is the way to go. They do a range of very cute nautical style Sailor Tops in 5 different colour ways, enabling you to throw one on with a number of different coloured outfits. I wore mine with their perfect little Polka Dot Shorts
Sailor Top & Polka Dot Shorts | Shoes: Babycham | Necklace: Kreepsville666 | Debra Hibiscus hair flower: Lady Lucks Boutique | Parasol: Bought at VivaLas Vegas 2016

The Sailor top, which I got in a Size Small (8-10) fit perfectly and had a decent amount of stretch. I often struggle with tops as I am quite broad, so I was pleased with the fit from this.




The high waisted polka dot shorts are extremely cute.  I'm a sucker for polka dots! , so I was a huge fan of these shorts. They come with cute red buttons and red piped pockets. Again, anything with pockets is instantly more desirable!
The fit however, was not true to size in my opinion. I got the shorts in a Size 8 (XS) and I should have gone for a Size 6 (XXS), as they were far too big around the waist for me. I would suggest sizing down for these shorts if you would like a snug fit. I wore the shorts with my Babycham shoes which added a lovely nautical twist. So pop on your pinup pretties and make sure you head down to the 2 Annual Pinup Picnic in the Park!
Little Miss Doo Wop is a vintage fashion and lifestyle enthusiast from Gorleston, Norfolk. Her blog. www.littlemissdowwop.com features reviews. tutorials and tales from her vintage, pin-up and rockabilly lifestyle. Little Miss Doo Wop lives with her husband Spencer in their  period home ( complete with WWII Air Raid Shelter!) and is a Dog Mum to two Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Frank & Perrie.