A thoroughly modern model!

Covid-19 really forced many of us to rethink how we do things. After all when you can’t get more than a handful of people into one room – and need 2 metres between them things get tricky!

It’s certainly encouraged people and companies to get creative so I was pleasantly surprised to be asked by one of my favourite brands, Collectif Clothing, if I would model from home for them.

I shop A LOT at Collectif Clothing and have done so for years – they cater very well to the 1950s look I live in and are one of the few reproduction companies to have a bricks and mortar store (in fact they have three!). And let’s face it there’s nothing quite like a day out shopping with your girlfriends and trying on pretties.

Collectif seems to like the way I model my outfits on my Instagram account where I quite shamelessly put photos of myself every other day or so in what I think are gorgeous creations – some even made by myself!

In the last year Instagram has been my shop and style window and enabled me to keep in touch with new designs and admire the creative input and style from others. Somehow I have amassed more than 3,500 followers who are all so lovely and have been extremely supportive throughout this difficult year of lockdown when it helped to take my mind off more serious things.

So I was more than willing to be a thoroughly modern model and style the four outfits they sent me to photograph for their social media accounts, with instructions to do my usual thing! 

My favourite of the outfits was the Arco Occasion swing dress. It has the most gorgeous deep V-backline compared to its more demure v-neck front line. The skirt has some pleats or tucks front and back which are extremely flattering to the waistline even if you’ve had dinner, and it falls to low-calf length.
As soon as I saw the white bow on the back I knew it called for complete black and white accessories. Further more it would be enhanced by white satin evening gloves and of course sparkly glittery white shoes too.

Can you imagine my surprise when I realised the bow actually came off! It opened up all sorts of new possibilities and meant the dress is what I consider to be exceptional value for money as it makes it so versatile. I couldn’t resist trying some red sparkly accessories too. As I suspected, this completely changed the look and feel and I’m already thinking of styling this with silver and also pink accessories.

AND as if that wasn’t enough – the dress has pockets! – woohoo it’s like finding gold at the end of the rainbow lol! I have to say I was truly delighted with the dress. I wore mine with a big petticoat to make the most of that full skirt. I wanted to flounce into a room and sip champagne as it made me feel so elegant.
It’s a very comfortable dress and with a low back design you could go bra-less but I need all the support I can get so I wore a strapped bra – just added a low back strap adjuster.

I’m looking forward to wearing this one on several occasions this year as we make up for all the evenings out we missed last year. This will be so easy to style as if it was a new dress every time.  A LBD should be in everyone’s wardrobe and if you like swing dresses then this is the one.

I’ll do a piece on the other three outfits in a few days once those pictures have been used, and you can see them on the Facebook and Instagram pages of Collectif Clothing.

Love 

Yana x

Outfit details:
Arco Occasion Swing Dress – Collectif Clothing
Petticoats – Banned 
Bangles – Pandora
Hair snoods – Gin Poodle
Hair flower – All things Kanzashi
Shoes – Irregular Choice