lindy bop Archives » MelodyMae.co.uk

29th January 2019

Sparks Joy – Falling Back in Love with Old Clothes

Happy… Wednesday? Oops, I’ve been busy!

Sorry for the lateness on this post, guys! I’ve been lucky enough to be busy with a lot of different things with work and socialising that it’s been a little bit harder to get posts done as quickly as before! But that aside, how are you guys? How’s things going? Anyone else going for a ‘Sparks Joy’ sort of life?

So unless you’ve been living under a rock for a while now, you’ve probably heard of Marie Kondo and the “sparks joy” art of tidying she does. A few years back she wrote a book about tidying, and more recently has invaded Netflix with her show. Now, I’m not against stuff at all – I’m the messiest near-hoarder you’ll meet! But I’m completely into having my stuff organised and not on the floor where I can’t find it…

In my KonMari cleaning phase I’m going through, I’m really trying to fall back in love with some old clothes I have. I’m going through my wardrobe slowly at the moment, since I’ve got less than 6 months until I’ll be moving into a new place. And when moving into a new home, I think it’s important to only take what you love. Now back in the day, I did a spring cleaning your wardrobe post, which incidentally has some overlap with the KonMari method.

I’m very lucky that brands sponsor a lot of my clothing and accessories, I’m very aware. But it has given me a bit of a chip on my shoulder about only posting outfits with new items other people can buy. Which then means there’s things in my wardrobe that don’t get the love they deserve from me.

The ‘Sparks Joy’ test

So I’m making a pledge to myself to wear every item of clothing in my wardrobe. No matter how old or new it may be, I’ll be wearing it. And if it doesn’t “spark joy” or give me a good feeling, it will be donated, given away or sold. I’ve already sorted out bags of stuff ready to go since they don’t fit, and I’m sure more will follow. At the very least, I’ll be able to curate a great wardrobe full of things I love wearing.

And so I took one of my favourite dresses out for a walk in Gunnersbury Park the other week! This is actually a Lindy Bop dress from late 2015, and one that up until this year was in heavy rotation. The print is amazing, of course, but I honestly think it’s the only Audrey style that has ever truly suited me. There’s actually a few sizes left in this style! And I can’t recommend it more!

Keeping the boozy theme I have my well-loved The Crown Box Bag from Vendula London. And of course — the greatest cardigan Collectif ever brought out! I can’t believe this cardigan is already five years old, honestly. The quality of these cardigans in particular was above and beyond anything else Collectif has done!

I fancied being a bit more colourful, too! I think I’ve been in a bit of a colour rut and only ever want to wear black, so adding these We Love Color tights were a must!

Are you trying the KonMari method? Having a clear out at all? Let me know in the comments!

Cardigan; Old Collectif
Dress; Lindy Bop
Bangles; Splendette
Tights; We Love Colors
Shoes; Melissa

15th December 2018

Glamorous Gold with Lindy Bop Gina Dress

How are we feeling? Getting Christmassy at all?

I’m not feeling Christmas this year if I’m honest, and although I want to be Cindy Lou Who, I’m most certainly a Grinch at the moment. Bring on the mince pies and mulled wine, I say! I need a Christmas injection soon. But for now I’m serving some New Years Eve Glamour with the Lindy Bop Gina dress!

Remember when I showed you my favourite plus-size friendly party dresses? Well, you might remember the Lindy Bop Gina dress! I’ve now started a good collection of Lindy Bop dresses, which you’ve now seen most of. But one thing I didn’t have of theirs? Something really classical!

Now, I’m a total gold girl. I love gold everything – jewellery, gold phone, gold accessories, gold shoes. Before this dress I had no clothes that were gold though! Well, half gold. (The word gold has lost all meaning to me now) And isn’t it just so pretty?

How does it fit?

I took my usual 22 in this dress, and would say it’s roughly true to size. However, if you have a bigger bust or bigger arms, I’d definitely size up. My upper arms are quite big, and the sleeves were just that bit too tight. It doesn’t make the dress uncomfortable, luckily, but any tighter and there would’ve been an issue.

The waist was, if anything, a little larger than the bust would lead you to believe, actually! It fit well without a belt, which is the main thing.

As you can see in the photo below, the arms could do with an extra inch. There is some stretch, and it helps with the bust, but the sleeves don’t have too much give.

The bodice is made from buttery soft cotton sateen, and the skirt is a cotton twill. I love cotton twill because it’s the sort of fabric that could withstand a hurricane, which is offset nicely by the sateen. For those of you that don’t know fabric, the top has a sheen and some stretch, and the skirt keeps its shape amazingly well.

The surplice bodice is quite moveable, and the stretch means it would be a great breastfeeding dress! I had to move it to sit under my breast, though – remember that larger busts should size up! Or else fear the split-boob-look. Do you want that? No. No you do not.

There’s a bow at the side, too. It’s cute enough, but I really wished the ties were more structured, personally. I’ve loved massive bows ever since my lolita days, but I admit it’s my least favourite part of this dress. I may just take off the ties to rectify it, though!

I went for a slightly classic 50s look with this dress, wearing a gorgeous new-to-me halo pillbox hat. Although I suspect the hat is 80’s, it’s absolutely gorgeous and only cost me £3.50, too! I didn’t get great photos of it, but believe me on this one.

What do you think, guys?

I mean really, you cannot go wrong when this dress costs £38. Yes, it really is that cheap! And you’ll be stunned by the quality of it, I promise you. Now, who’s wearing it for New Years Eve?

Hat; Vintage
Cardigan; Collectif (Old)
Dress; C/O Lindy Bop (Disclaimer)
Bag; Vendula London (Old)
Shoes; ASOS

28th November 2018

Wednesday Wishlist – Plus Size Party Dresses

I’m really bad at getting ahead of the game on seasonal wants. Whereas other people were in full Christmas swing as soon as November 1st came about, I avoid it like the plague until mid-late November. Why? Because otherwise it’s not special! That said, I realise Christmas Party season is basically all December long, so I wanted to show you my favourite plus size party dresses in good time!

Please note that some of these links are affiliate links. All that means is that if you buy something, I might get a couple of quid commission. And maybe I could afford all that coffee I drink…

Boohoo Plus

I wasn’t too impressed with the everyday clothes Boohoo had in their Plus range. But they’re pretty good and bringing it to the table when it comes to party wear! They even have a whole page of occasionwear!

Joanie Clothing

I’m absolutely in love with Joanie Clothing at the moment, which you might know since I posted dresses by them two weeks in a row! I’m kinda dying for the green dress!

ASOS Curve

ASOS always pull it out of the bag when it comes to partywear! Although, I don’t know where this knot-front style dress has come from, and why every plus and curve collection has them. I also don’t know why I love every single version either.

Lindy Bop

Lindy Bop have just rolled out a new Silver Screen range, which has more elegant 20s and 30s styling. I love these maxi dresses for more formal outings, and the Gina dress for some subtle glamour!

Yours Clothing

Yours Clothing have some lovely and affordable choices this season. Because I love a sparkly dress, the wrap dress really tickles my fancy. And it comes in red, too!

Vivien Of Holloway

Vivien of Holloway is generally at the smaller end of the scale, but they’ve changed their sizing somewhat over the last few years. The size guide only goes up to a 38inch waist, which means around a UK20-22 is the highest it goes. However, these dresses are just too gorgeous to not add to the list! How perfect is that red wiggle for Christmas?

Simply Be

Okay, I’m kinda cheating now since two of these are skirts, but at the same time – LOOK AT THEM. The teal sequin skirt has me all aflutter if I’m honest. The colour is gorgeous. I also love the deco-styled dress for its simplicity.

What are you wearing for your Christmas party this year?

You can see all my favourites on Pinterest too!

7th November 2018

Wednesday Wishlist – Plus Size Autumn Style

There’s no hiding, the Big ‘C’ is on it’s way, it’s freezing and the nights are getting longer and darker. It’s the tail end of autumn and the beginning of winter.

I’ve mentioned before I’m a fair-weather sort of gal. I like sunshine and comfortable heat. I can handle autumn just fine, but winter is really not my favourite. As someone with depression thats affected by seasons, winter fills me with dread. But the good thing about it? Autumn style is pretty great! So today I’m going to show you my favourite plus size autumn style picks!

Please note that some of these links are affiliate links. All that means is that if you buy something, I might get a couple of quid commission. And maybe I could afford all that coffee I drink…

Joanie Clothing

Joanie are killing it this season! I wasn’t particularly inspired by their summer stuff this year, but the A/W collection is pretty amazing. I had such a hard time picking my favourites that I chose to show six items instead of three!

Retro Peaches

Retro Peaches is a new discovery for me, and I’m really excited by them. The brand is run by a plus size model, so you know that you’re in good hands here! I love that the majority of their designs are zipper-less, too, which means they are more accessible to those who are possible less-abled. Or just myself when I’m drunk…

Boohoo Plus

Sadly Boohoo Plus isn’t doing it for me this season. I’m sure, come that party season it’ll pull it out of the bag, but come on Boohoo! I did like these pieces, though, especially that jewel-toned swing dress! I’m all about green at the moment, so it’s really up my alley.

Lindy Bop

Lindy Bop are on fire this season, in that there’s hardly anything left on the site to show! Haha! My favourite new style is the Perrie, but there’s only a few small sizes left now. I’d put that down to the photoshoots they’ve been doing recently, they’re seriously upping their game!

ASOS Curve

Sadly ASOS Curve isn’t hitting me much at the moment. This is possibly because I’m less into the current trends than most ASOS customers, though! They have some little gems hidden in there, though — just LOOK at that velvet dress!

Hell Bunny

Hell Bunny is possibly one of my favourite reproduction brands, because they just get stronger and stronger each season! I also love that their pretty much making their plus sizing across the whole brand. Can we take a moment to ogle the dungarees? They’re just WAY too cute.

Do you have any favourite items for autumn? Let me know in the comments!

And don’t forget you can see all my inspiration on Pinterest!

22nd September 2018

A Day At The Races – Goodwood Style

Happy Saturday! I hope you’re not quite as freezing as I am today?

How are we all feeling? I had a week at my mums, which was more about decorating her house instead of relaxing – but I came home with a fresher mind than before. If I get over this head cold I’ve accumulated, of course! On Thursday we looked at what was going on around the Goodwood Revival site. But we didn’t see much style, did we? So for Style Saturday we’re going to look at some Goodwood style!

If you read the last post, or happened to be on Instagram on the 8th September, you might of known I got invited to Goodwood Revival. I was invited to be an influencer with Mastercard’s Revival Fashion, which meant I got to sit front-row to their fashion show.

The production values for this show were out of this world. It followed a “High Flyer” through the Riviera life in the heyday of Goodwood’s racing. To remind you, that’s 1948-1966.

This show was made up of higher-priced items, mainly. Goodwood’s target market isn’t exactly working class, and this show really reflected that. After the show there was a dress mentioned to be from a shop “Just across from Harrods” and I knew I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. But hey, fashion shows are for inspiration, right? At least there was some beautiful items from Revival Retro and Seamstress of Bloomsbury to see!

Revival Fashion by MasterCard

Out of the whole show, they did the 60’s best out of all the decades. I didn’t get a picture of her, but there was a singer that was amazing, wearing the most gorgeous pink lamé dress. Complete with beehive and big ol’ hoops, of course.

It was a great show of immaculately timed dancing and smug faces on the male lead, but it did come up a bit short on a few things. Mainly the men’s trousers – why does everyone think men work ankle grazers in the 50’s?!

But now let’s get on to my style!

I’ve had this Lindy Bop Marianne suit for a while, but for some reason never wore it before. I’ll never know why, because I love it! It was a sample I received a while back, which is possibly why I’d not reviewed it for fit before. I wouldn’t say the jacket is the best fit for me, but the fabric is forgiving in that respect, and the colour is great.

The Marianne suit doesn’t come in the flared version in royal blue anymore, although you can get a pencil version. The teal version is more gorgeous though, so I want to see someone with that!

I’ve come to realise that royal blue is my colour. I stick out like a sore thumb amongst people who were dressed more authentically. But it just looks so right on me, don’t you agree? Even these pedal cars made an effort to match!

Hair Flower; Lady Lucks Boutique
Dress and Jacket; Lindy Bop (Similar)
Necklace; Vintage (Similar)
Bangles; Vintage and Splendette
Shoes; Miss L Fire

15th September 2018

Clinging onto Summer – Plus Size Pin Up Style!

Happy Saturday friends! It’s so chilly at the moment, but I’m fully not ready to give up on Summer, yet.

Summer is my favourite season. Sure, I love autumn and being snuggly and crunching leaves, but I also love not wearing tights. And I love summery hair flowers. And also not wearing cardigans. So although autumn is clearly in the air, I’m clinging onto summer with some plus size pin up style!

I overdressed last week to walk the dog with this outfit last week. I had planned to go on a little adventure with my boyfriend, but neither of us could really be bothered once I’d gotten ready. So overly-glam dog walking it was!

You might remember this Lindy Bop skirt from one of my Japan trips before. It still stands as the only pink item in my wardrobe, yet is worn regularly through the year. I always think that pink and red never work, but adding black breaks it up just enough, don’t you think?

Part of the reason I’m not so ready to leave summer behind is that I just have too many hair flowers to still show off! I love wearing hair flowers, and the bigger the better! I find I wear less over the winter due to a more subdued colour palate, so I want to make sure

Here I’m wearing the Billie Orchid and Pink Lily hair flower from Lady Lucks Boutique. I’m also wearing an old single pink Paloma lily, which is now out of stock, although you can still get a double Paloma! The Billie hair flower is plenty big on its own, but I really feel like the extra bit of pink sets of the skirt well.

There’s a reason there’s so many entries in my Lady Lucks Boutique tag – her flowers are the best around! I’ve had some of my flowers for nearing on five years, and they’ve never broken or looked dull and old. And I say this from real experience, I have so many of their flowers!

Are you ready for summer to end? Or are you clinging on the last of summer too?

Let me know in the comments – and if you wear ‘summer’ hair accessories year round, I want to see them!

Hair Flowers; C/O Lady Lucks Boutique (Disclaimer)
Top; Primark
Brooch; Luxulite
Skirt; Lindy Bop (Similar)
Shoes; Yours Clothing (Similar)

18th July 2018

Wednesday Wishlist – Plus Size Pin Up Style on a Budget!

The UK has been a scorcher the last few weeks! And just in time, since the summer sales have begun. So I thought I’d use the Wednesday Wishlist as an excuse to give you my guide to plus size pin up style on a budget! I’m going to show you a few pieces from different shops this week – both high street and specialised. These will be items you can use in your current pin up wardrobe, or use it to start!

ASOS Curve

I’ll admit that I don’t care for ASOS that much. I’m happy they lead the way on high street plus sizes happening, but there’s never been too much I love on there. Until now, of course! I’m dying over that teal skirt – and the tea dress, for that matter! ASOS Curve also cater up to a 30, which is an impressive size range!

Boohoo Plus

I’ve mentioned so many times how much I love Boohoo. It’s not vintage in the slightest, but with good hair and styling you could easily see this selection on a plus size pinup! I loved the Cape Sleeve dress so much that I bought it. Their plus range goes up to a UK 26, too!

Lindy Bop

Lindy Bop, a favourite amongst the vintage-styled and budget-conscious! I’ve mentioned on a few of my Lindy Bop Posts that I’m constantly surprised by the quality versus the price. This is THE place to get pin-up perfect clothing at a good price all through the year. From sizes 8-26, it caters for most sizes.

Hell Bunny

Hell Bunny have some lovely pieces at the moment in their full price section. But even though they’re great quality at a decent price, their outlet part of the site means you can get some good deals in sizes 1XL-4XL!

What have you got your eye on in the sales?

21st April 2018

Sweet and Sour With A Lindy Bop Lemon Dress

Hey dolls! How are we all doing at the moment? I had a little mental health dip the end of last week which wasn’t easy to deal with. Luckily for me, my new medication is helping my through the rough patch. And then the sun came out! It’s been miserable in England recently, but the weather is looking more summery. And so this week I’m bringing some 50s summer style early with this Lindy Bop Lemon Dress!

I’ve mentioned my love for red and yellow colour combinations before. It’s one of those ones that people don’t believe work together (my mother, for instance) but is one of my favourites. It’s so bright and cheerful, why would you not love it? It means I can be seen from space, sure, but it just screams summer to me!

I’ve now got a few Audrey dresses from Lindy Bop, and I ordered my usual 22 size. It’s one of those things with Lindy Bop that you know sizing is a bit off, and although this 22 was better than the Drive In dress from last year, it’s not fitting so perfectly.

I think it’s safe to say that actually, the Audrey style might actually not be my ideal style from Lindy Bop. Because my breasts are bottom-heavy, the top of the bodice gapes, but flattens my bust a little. It’s such a shame it’s not the right shape for me, since I love the style! Don’t get me wrong, it suits some people beautifully – just not me. Boo.

However! I needed this dress in my life. I’ve become a fan of lemon prints over the years, and I really love the size of them lemons on this print compared to others. It’s made from 97% cotton which means it breathes wonderfully in the heat, with a little 3% elastane which would mean you possibly could size down in this if you’re not large-busted.

This is also one of the first dresses I’ve loved with the belt that comes with it! I do like Lindy Bop belts as they’re always big enough to fit me and then some, but usually I swap them out for a contrast. This one just looks too adorable to not wear.

Of course, I had to accessorise with one of the new Vendula London bags! I mentioned the Greengrocer Grace bag in my top picks post as being one of my favourites, and it just worked so perfectly with this dress! After using it just once, I can see this bag being used more often than my grab bags because of the amount of space inside. I’m not joking, I fit heels, a camera, a makeup bag and a purse inside the Grace before it got a bit crowded. I’m recommending it for those all-and-the-kitchen-sink sort of handbag users who find the grab just a touch too small!

So I hope you’ve been enjoying the UK sunshine, loves! Maybe my yellow maxi finally did coax the sun out!

Bolero; Collectif
Necklace&Bangles; Vintage
Brooch; Luxulite
Dress; C/O Lindy Bop (Disclaimer)
Shoes; Swedish Hasbeens
Bag; Vendula London (Disclaimer)

23rd December 2017

{ Style } A Christmas Elf With We Love Colors!

Merry Christmas Eve-Eve beautiful people! I hope your present-buying is over and you’re all settling in for the big day with some mince pies. I’m working (boo), but I’ll be heading to my mum’s this evening for festive joy and enough alcohol to paralyse. For today, though, I’m going all out with a 50s Christmas style post!

Christmas is a funny one for me, since I spent the majority of my teens and early adulthood hating it. I’d not felt the magic of Christmas since I was a kid, and my family were poor and my mum worked a lot. Therefore I just resented it. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten more and more into the festivities the more I enjoy time with family. Maybe just a touch too into it, since I’m dressed up as an elf.

The main influence of this entire outfit is clearly the tights! We Love Colors sent me a little assortment of their statement tights, including these adorable candy cane striped pair just in time for the holidays!

I never would’ve thought I’d be in love with a pair of tights, but you guys need to hear about these! Forget the stripes, these are tights that actually FIT, most importantly. Tights that fit my height, my large thighs and tummy and don’t bunch up on my small waist and ankles. I didn’t have to pull these up even once. It’s a Christmas Miracle!

I’ll be back in the New Year to tell you more about We Love Colors and their products, but for now I want you to revel in the kitsch. I had so many comments on them when out at Winter Wonderland, maybe I should be a candy cane more?

But of course, no Melody Outfit is complete without a Vendula London bag, and this Toy Shop Box Bag was perfect! A little kitsch, a little Christmassy, no other bag would of worked with this outfit, would it?

It completes my little worker elf chic with a shop full of all the toys I’ve helped make! I’ve also been looping the shoulder strap around the roof of the box bags – it’s a great way to create a handbag style out of it.

My talented friend Chris was kind enough to come and take these photos for me at Winter Wonderland at short notice, and aren’t they great? Even if we did see the worst Santa statue known to man – I’m calling him Liver-Failure-Santa. This is the face of alcoholism, kids. Drink responsibly this Christmas.

Actually, don’t. Have the merriest Christmas of all, my darlings!

Photography; @GreasyChris on IG
Hairbow; Primark | Necklace; Handmade
Bangles; Vintage and Splendette | Brooch; Luxulite
Dress; Lindy Bop | Bolero; Collectif
Tights; C/O We Love Colors | Bag; Vendula London (Disclaimer)

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28th October 2017

{ Style } Life Is A Box Of Chocolates with Lindy Bop and Mars Chocolate

Dreams do come true – I got free chocolate! I have such a sweet tooth, so I was excited to be included in a new campaign between Lindy Bop and Mars. It includes chocolate and a limited Lindy Bop Lily Dress!

This is my best Forrest Gump impression. I’m going to go out on a whim and say I’m just a tad more glamorous, however! I certainly have more Resting Bitch Face than Forrest, but also more glamour. Right?

So in collaboration with Mars Chocolates, Lindy Bop have given one of their popular styles a special makeover. In a red and off-white polkadot, the Lily dress matches the iconic look of Maltesers chocolate packaging. And when you order this dress, you can receive a box of Maltesers Luxury chocolates – and the dress’ belt matches the shimmery box!

As with most of my Lindy Bop dresses I’ve reviewed, I took the Lily in my usual size, 22. And I’ll say this has been the best fit I’ve gotten from a LB dress so far!

Unlike other styles I have, this isn’t a cotton blend – it’s actually 97% Polyester. Now I know what you think, and I thought it too – it’s pretty high in polyester. But I’d go out on a whim and say that actually it works! The finish is a matte sheen, that adds a touch of luxury, and because of the 3% elastane you’ve got a good amount of stretch in there.

It’s pretty true to size for once, and unless you have a much larger bust I’d go for your usual in this version of the Lily. It’s also better for more average torso lengths than mine!

Honestly, the only thing that lets this dress down is that there’s no pockets. Other than that one specific thing I love in my dresses, it’s really great! So comfortable and classy – the perfect combination!

As I mentioned before, I have a real sweet tooth, so I couldn’t help but eat a few whilst shooting, although I will say I got some strange looks photographing myself eating!

It’s such a lovely little dress to add to your wardrobe, and £35 for a dress and free chocolate is a great deal! Head over to Lindy Bop’s site to grab this little polkadot wonder in sizes 8-26 today!

Hair Flower; Handmade
Bolero; Collectif (old)
Dress; C/O Lindy Bop (Disclaimer)
Stockings; What Katie Did | Shoes; Primark

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Happy… Wednesday? Oops, I’ve been busy!

The ‘Sparks Joy’ test

Are you trying the KonMari method? Having a clear out at all? Let me know in the comments!

How are we feeling? Getting Christmassy at all?

How does it fit?

What do you think, guys?

What are you wearing for your Christmas party this year?

There’s no hiding, the Big ‘C’ is on it’s way, it’s freezing and the nights are getting longer and darker. It’s the tail end of autumn and the beginning of winter.

Do you have any favourite items for autumn? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Saturday! I hope you’re not quite as freezing as I am today?

Revival Fashion by MasterCard

But now let’s get on to my style!

Happy Saturday friends! It’s so chilly at the moment, but I’m fully not ready to give up on Summer, yet.

Are you ready for summer to end? Or are you clinging on the last of summer too?

What have you got your eye on in the sales?

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