It's too early for that dress -Post Pregnancy Fashion Dilemmas - Part 5

It's been over a week since my last post, I've been busy with all my children over the Easter hols, on days out and visiting family and friends. I'm writing this with my little Sylvie Belle on my lap, she must be used to me using the laptop now as she often nods off to the sound of the tapping keys! Poor thing!

A breakthrough has happened to me over the past month, I am excited to announce that I am back in my old jeans....yey! The post pregnancy weight is really starting to shift now and I am grateful for this. For this post I am mainly wearing all my old high waister jeans and have mixed this up with my latest buys from cheap as chips Primark and my new 1950s style favourites from Vivien of Holloway. I am working the Vintage Americana trend to the max!

Vintage Cute - White gypsy top from Vivien of Holloway, yellow cardigan from H&M, highwaister tapered jeans from Tokyo, Japan ( bought on my honeymoon, 3 years ago), cherry print socks from Topshop, red Converse low tops, swallow necklace from Accessorise.

The Primark Prada copy top as featured in my Vintage Americana post at the beginning of April. I'm not looking quite as good as Dakota Fanning on that Elle cover but hey ho, she's 17 and I'm old enough to be her mother....which shocks me slightly! 

Pastel Pales Geek - More Primark, the leopard print cardigan is the new item. You know, I do love a cardigan...and those Deirdre Barlow oversized glasses, how I love them!

Here's an example of how to create a peplum effect out of a top. I have used my oversized Xray Spex tee which somehow got ruined by a paint stain (children do these things to your clothes) so to hide it I have added a belt and taa daa...we have peplum.

Jeans from Topshop, Xray Spex tee from 8ball, black catseye sunglasses from asos.com, Neon pink belt a gift.

A close up of my new Primark sandels, which I haven't worn since as the weather here has been too cold. I do look a lot paler than usual too!

The 4 photos above are of me Djing last Friday at my club night Bang (based at The Big Chill Bar) here in Bristol. I was much more awake this month and there was a great atmosphere in the club. I was happy that I fitted into the tightest of my high waister 'old' jeans and teamed them with my new Vivien of Holloway Gypsy top, red elastic belt from ebay and red Converse low tops. The top pic features my brother Mike who (coincidently) is also rocking the Vintage Americana look. We didn't do it on purpose...we didn't!

The Primark Prada rip off  Americana top again worn with my high waister tapered jeans from Tokyo.

A quick snap shot taken at the in-laws about 10 seconds before we had to leave to visit my good friends in Leicester (I went to Uni there and then stayed on for 6 years, I made a lot of good friends, including my good friend and fellow blogger Dilly Foxtrot - and her sister Di, who was pregnant when I left that day but had her lovely baby -a few hours later!! Congrats Di and well done!!! I miss them).

Gingham bustier top (also featured in my Americana post) from Vivien of Holloway, high waister skinnies (as before), red belt (as before) and red Converse.

I have finally managed to get through the back log of my Post Pregnancy style pics, I think we've seen enough of me for a bit so a current obsession or Style Icon post is on the cards...Thanks for stopping by! ND xx

Peplums - Work That Skirt!

Peplums.... Worn the wrong way can borderline middle aged mother of the bride Circa 1984 but get it right and you shall achieve retro cool. Getting it right? That's the problem.

Peplums were originally pretty big in the demure 1940s and then had a bad taste polyester suit return during the 1980s. Despite the amount of fashion crimes involving Peplums that I witnessed as a child during the 1980s there are some styles that are super cool.

Oh God, I'm having more Peplum flashbacks, I'm also visualising them on the older female characters on The Cosby Show and early Fresh Prince of Bel air...or were they old? Hilary Banks for example....now she worked her Peplum but still, for me, managed to look at least 10 years older than she was.....wanting to look more grown-up, power suits and that, can age a person......you get the idea.

So whether you are going for the 1940s style Peplum or revisiting the 1980s the idea is to let the Peplum flatter your shape - giving the illusion of a smaller waist or making boy hips (hello Me) look more curvy, the hourglass figure is what we are trying to achieve here, all nipped in and pushed out in the right places. You don't want to highlight areas on your body that you are not happy with, get it right and there is a peplum for everyone....probably....I'm not gonna take my research any further than this...What I am trying to say is don't age yourself by making the wrong peplum choice and end up mother of the bride rather than retro cool.

Here's some Peplums that I quite like, believe me this was hard, I didn't realise there were any peplums that I quite liked!

These Peplums above are two contrasting versions from the A/W 2011 shows, the (top) bright and exaggerated version from Giambattista Valli, I'm loving the colours on this one and the sheer size of the peplum! Above the skinny black and sheer polka dot style from Stella McCartney would definitely be more flattering in black but I think I'll go for the colour option, despite Stella's polka-dots beckoning me in. 

                  

 

Now I am not inlove with all of these versions but I thought I'd put them all up to explain why.....I am loving the first black peplum in silk worn with the stripey top, it looks very chic and cool. The second is quite cute in pink, the third in blue, I am not really feeling the feathers - is that what they are? -  although I like the idea of using other materials for peplums or just wearing them in a different way. The Forth white dress is killing me...Hello Krystle Carrington, it couldn't be anymore Dynasty could it? I am usually a lover of 80s fashion but I don't want to look like a Middle-aged woman from the 1980s, I don't care how fabulous Alexis was!!

Above are two demure 1940s inspired versions from my fave Vivien of Holloway, they have more of a peplum detail rather than an actual peplum but it shows you other options if you're not going for the full on peplum.

This skirt ( I originally thought it was a dress) has been inspired by the 1980s with its bodycon mini style and satin look peplum, it's from Quontum at Asos and there are various versions including dresses available and currently all in the sale, which is a bonus. I have a bodycon dress from Quontum they use great quality fabrics for bodycon! I might have to buy myself this, it's growing on me and lycra is still my friend until my normal waist comes back.

How about this for a modern take on the peplum dress? It's a Louise Amstrup Printed Dress available at Asos, it isn't cheap but it's cool. It incorporates a peplum with digital prints, that's two trends in one. Yey! It also inspires me to perhaps try out a bit of layering with oversized t-shirts and floaty mini skirts currently in my wardrobe to create this silhouette for myself. You try it too! I'm full of confidence about this aren't I? If I don't ever blog an image of  my home styled peplum, you know it went wrong!

Here's another idea to create your own peplum, I have chosen this cute gypsy top from Vivien of Holloway but I reckon any top or t-shirt will do as long as it is long enough. Just whack a belt around your waist and ta-da! Instant Peplum!

All images are sourced from Vivienofholloway.com, Victoriawolf.com, thefashionspot.com, asos.com and are available with links on my Pinterest Boards http://pinterest.com/nodebutante/ 

Happy Peplums!