Review - Bow Hoe Brighton

Handcrafted bows and accessories using vintage fabrics

I was really excited when this beautiful parcel arrived:

Bow Hoe Brighton sent me two of their gorgeous handmade bows to review. They were packaged beautifully with logos on the packaging and stickers and a cute pink badge too.

Bow Hoe Brighton make their bows and accessories from vintage and unusual fabrics. Each of their bows has a history which is something I love in my clothing and accessories and why I will always opt for vintage over new. Bow Hoe transform old unused dresses, curtains etc into something new and beautiful, whilst retaining the history of the garment. Each bow comes with a label telling you what it used to be.

They were much bigger than I expected! I thought they'd be around the size of the type of bows you see on hair clips but I got a pleasant surprise when I opened the package and saw that the bows were much bigger than that - definitely statement hair accessories!

The first one I wore was this lovely grey floral-patterned bow that was once a curtain! 

The pink and grey colour combination on this bow is beautiful and feminine. I'm wary with florals and don't often like flowery patterns, but I fell in love with this bow immediately and wore it right away. It's funny to think that years ago it was hanging up at a window!

The other bow in the package is this stunning nautical creation, made from a 1960's sundress and a vintage button. 

I love all things nautical so I had a little squeal when I found out that I was going to be reviewing this little number. 

I have lots of outfits that will be topped off beautifully by this amazingly eye-catching bow. And knowing that someone wore it as a dress in the 60's makes it even more special. This will look lovely with many of my Summer dresses, but for now it is creating a colour pop with my Hell Bunny Winter coat.

As you can see, it's a great big beauty so definitely a statement piece which will top off any hairdo nicely and make even really bad hair days (like the one I'm having here) pretty!

I am delighted with my beautiful bows from Bow Hoe Brighton (and I also LOVE that name!) 

Most of the bows range from only £4.00 to around £8.00 depending on the fabric, style and size (Bow Hoe do mini bows too).

I definitely recommend checking out their other stunning bows and accessories (they also make 90's scrunchies!) on their Facebook page and Etsy shop. Follow them on Instagram and Twitter too to get the first look at their new items.

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/BowHoeBrighton?ref=l2-shop-info-name

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bow-Hoe-Brighton/1529041574004804

Instagram: bowhoebrighton

Twitter: @bowhoebrighton

Lots of love and bows,

Laura Dolly Cupcake xxx

Review - Little Miss Savage

Gorgeous retro inspired handmade bandanas and accessories

I was a very lucky blogger on the day that this pink and perfect little package arrived for me to review...

Little Miss Savage is a haven for gorgeous one-of-a-kind retro inspired pieces, all handmade by the creative and very talented Emily Savage, who sells them on Ebay and Etsy.

Emily makes bandanas in all sorts of gorgeous fabrics and she's also a polymer clay artist, sculpting beautiful details on cardigan clips, earrings and necklaces. Her bandanas are made to order with a choice of fabrics on both sides. She also makes personalized tattoo heart jewellery, make-up rolls and beautiful pinup girl brooches.

The first thing I tried on were these fabulous pink glitter stud earrings from The Retro Collection.

The photos don't do these earrings justice - they are so sparkly and the colour is a stunning deep pink.

They are chunky but not heavy - they are so light and comfortable to wear. I didn't have any earrings like this in my collection. They are so unique and eye-catching. Little Miss Savage sells these beauties for £7.99 a pair on Ebay, along with a huge variety of other shapes and colours. I have my eye on the pink square studs with the glittery stars, but there are soooo many beauties to choose from! 

Next, I wore the beautiful flamingo print bandana. The bandanas are Little Miss Savage's signature pieces and what Emily is most known for. There are around 30 main fabric choices and 20 reverse-side fabrics. There are three types of bandana style too - original, bow and skinny. Emily makes bandanas to order, so you can have fun choosing two pretty fabrics!

Mine has flamingos on one side and pink polkadots on the other (I adore polkadots). 

The bandana is beautifully made and very soft (some bandanas I have are quite stiff and uncomforatble to wear - not this one!) The flamingo print is bright and fun, while the polkadot side is more subtle - I like wearing the flamingo side and turning over some of the polkadot side to create a cute trim. Flamingo bandanas made to order with custom choice of reverse fabrics are £6.49 from Ebay or Etsy. 

I teamed mine with this cute sweater by Miss Fortune (can you tell I love pink?)

I think my favourite thing from the little box of goodies are these amazing flamingo cardigan clips.

This is the first pair of cardigan clips I've owned and I'm addicted! They are so pretty and well-made and make a nice change to my usual statement necklaces. 

The detail is gorgeous - knowing that Emily made them herself makes them all the more beautiful and unique. The quality is so good and they just look beautiful. I teamed them with this flamingo cardigan by Banned because there's no such thing as too many flamingos!

The flamingo cardigan clips are available from Little Miss Savage's Ebay shop for £6.49.

All three of my Little Miss Savage treats are stunning - beautifully made, extremely high quality, quirky and unique.

I think I've found my new favourite shop.... and I think it may soon be yours, too. 

www.littlemisssavage.co.uk

Facebook - Little Miss Savage

Instagram @littlemisssavage

Lots of love,

Laura Dolly Cupcake xxx

Homage to Hell Bunny

A little dedication of love to one of my favourite clothing brands

Hell Bunny is a UK brand specialising in vintage inspired 50s style clothing with an alternative twist. They release two seasons a year offering beautiful cardigans, skirts, corsets, shirts and many more gorgeous garments as well as the classic dresses that they are most famous for, created by their amazingly talented in-house designers. 

I first fell in love with Hell Bunny 6 or 7 years ago when I lived in London and spent an obscene amount of time shopping in Camden Town. 

Among the myriad of weird/colourful/wonderful shops on the High Street, I spotted a stunning white mini dress on display - it was patterned with purple unicorns and rainbows and I had to have it. Had to.

It had a little black collar, two cute black buttons on the front and detachable straps - quite frankly, it was the dress of my glitter encrusted dreams.

The first Hell Bunny dress I fell in love with - purple unicorns & rainbows!

I was gutted when they didn't have my size in stock but consoled myself with this - my first ever Hell Bunny dress.

My first Hell Bunny dress - the dress that changed my style

This cute black and red dotty dress was very similar in style to the unicorn dress. It had the little black collar, buttons down the front and was the same length and style, except this was a halterneck and had a black satin ribbon belt. They didn't have this in my size either, so I sized up - I wasn't leaving Camden without a Hell Bunny dress that day!

This was not only my first Hell Bunny dress - it was the first rockabilly/vintage/50s/pinup/fabulous dress that I ever bought. This dress changed my style completely. 

I've worn it hundreds of times and although it's past it's best as it's been worn and washed so often, it's still in my wardrobe and it comes out for a play every so often.

I did eventually get my unicorn dress thanks to Ebay - in two different styles. The one I'd lusted after in Camden and also in a t-shirt style with short sleeves and ties at the waist and back of the neck. 

These are vintage Hell Bunny and I haven't seen the t-shirt style in YEARS!

Vintage Hell Bunny! T-shirt style dress

As I love this style so much, I went on to buy another halterneck mini with the collar and buttons. They are so comfortable, even when heavily pregnant! No boring old maternity wear for me - I styled my bump in Hell Bunny!

Styling my baby bump in Hell Bunny

Stylish Hell Bunny baby bump

The next dress I bought in this style was the pink skull-print 'Perky'. 

This is the most detailed pattern on any dress I own - check out the skulls, eyeballs and bones!

'Perky'

This is my favourite Summer dress, usually paired with black cropped leggings, a bolero if it's cool and an ice cream cone.

The next Hell Bunny dress I got was in a completely different style - the purple tartan 'Zipper' dress. 

This was a Christmas present from my husband a few years ago. It's still one of my absolute favourites and continues to look amazing despite it being well worn and washed. This dress is just beautiful. The tartan fabric is thick and soft, making it a perfect Winter dress. It falls just above the knee, with a full skirt which looks fabulous with or without a petticoat. This was a halterneck dress but since I already have a few Hell Bunny halters, I altered the straps to make it a shoulder-strap dress. The rich purple colour is stunning and I love to wear it teamed with a black bolero or little black shrug. The two faux-pocket zips and full zip down the front gives the 'Zipper' dress its name - and also a bit of edge and just the right amount of cheekiness. 

'Zipper'

Another eye-popping dress is the stunning 'Skippy'. This won me 'Best Dressed' at Missy Malone's Burlesque Review, and it's no surprise - the detail on the Skippy is amazing. Black with white dots, a fitted corset-style top with red ribbons criss-crossing the back. Red buttons down the front  and a full, flouncy skirt with ribbons that act as drawstrings and can be pulled up to show as much leg as you dare! This is one of the most beautiful dresses I've worn. Photos don't do this dress justice. It fits as though molded to me and the way the skirt flares out at the bottom...wow! It's a dress that won't go unnoticed! Oh...and I actually bought this dress to wear to a wedding!

'Skippy'

Winning 'Best Dressed' thanks to Skippy!

Next, I treated myself to two Hell Bunny dresses that I'd had my eye on for a while - the elegant 'Gery' and the vibrant 'Perry'.

'Perry'

The Perry is in the same style as my early Hell Bunny dresses - a halterneck mini. This one is patterned with eyeballs! Again, I altered the straps, making holes in them and adding buttons to the back of the dress so that I can wear it with either shoulder straps or a halterneck. It fits beautifully and as expected is so comfortable to wear. 

The Gery was bought for a friend's wedding and I've worn it many times since. I always feel special wearing the Gery as it's so pretty and elegant. The dress is black with tiny pink polkadots and pink satin buttons all down the front. The shoulder straps have bows on them, as do the pockets and there is a waist tie that can also be tied in a big bow. This dress is knee-length and looks great without a petticoat but better with one for added oomph. I bought a Hell Bunny petticoat in black to wear underneath and of course it works perfectly with the Gery. The Gery comes in other colours (purple polkadots, blue polkadots and I think there's an all black version too). This is probably my favourite Hell Bunny dress, it's simply stunning. 

'Gery'

When Autumn came to a close I had a tough decision to make - which Hell Bunny coat would see me through the bitter Scottish Winter? I decided on the Mika in red, as it was so thick and cosy with lots of fake fur for added snuggliness!

'Mika'

This coat is amazing. It keeps me soooo warm and looks fabulous. You could honestly go out dressed in a bin bag, and with this coat over the top you'd still look fabulous! The hood has detachable ears (I prefer to wear mine without) and big pompoms on the hood's drawstrings. It's the best coat I've ever owned and I plan to wear it until it falls apart (which won't be happening any time soon, as the quality is so good). 

It has loads of detail - the toggles are the traditional style you'd find on duffle coats (think Paddington Bear!) There are three sets of toggles down the front of the coat attached to patent shiny black hearts on either side.The hood is trimmed with black fake fur as are the cuffs and there are two black fake fur pockets. The coat flares out at the bottom trimmed with more black fake fur, so you really get that cinched waist/kick flared skirt look - really it's like wearing a beautiful dress - as well as keeping you warm. 

I was in town before Christmas and when I got to the traffic lights, there was a girl next to me wearing the black and white version of this coat! 

As well as the dresses and the coat, I have a Hell Bunny corset that I picked up for a bargain price in Camden market and plan on wearing to my next Burlesque event. I also found this cute little tie-front checked shirt with a heart-shaped pocket when out charity shopping one day - amazing find! 

Not just dresses and coats!

Next on my Hell Bunny Wish List is the Sugar Skull wiggle dress - I would LOVE this! If/when I get it, I promise to review it!

My next Hell Bunny dress???

Hell Bunny don't have their own website, but you can buy from lots of fantastic alternative clothing websites such as  http://www.bluebanana.com/section.php/65/1/hell-bunny?a=lauwi , www.popsoda.co.uk , www.tigermilly.com and Ebay.

For more Hell Bunny photos check out my Instagram!

Laura Dolly Cupcake xxx

Car Boot Sales, Flea Markets and Charity Shops - My Thrifty Wardrobe

A wee post about some of my favourite secondhand gems

I love clothes. And accessories. Handbags make me happy. Hair flowers make me smile. Summer dresses, winter woolies, sun hats or fluffy gloves - I love shopping and every season throws up endless possibilities to mix and match - tights, skirts, warm cardigans, cosy knits, little floral dresses and an ever-changing rainbow of hair flowers and head scarves.

At Vintage Nation - Sourpuss bag, Collectif shorts, T.U.K shoes and Gypsy top 50p from car boot sale

What I don't have, however is a huge budget. Not even a big budget. Nope, I don't even have a medium-sized budget for clothes shopping. 

Most of my money is spent on my fabulously fun toddler and family activities - which is exactly how I like it. But I still manage to refresh my wardrobe and dress in my rockabilly/pinup/vintage style, with something 'new' almost every month.

Because although I love shopping, I generally avoid the high street and instead, I find some cracking pieces by hitting Edinburgh's fantastic array of secondhand treasure troves.

Lovely vintage dress. £3 from the Edinburgh Flea Market. It was half-altered when I bought it & held together with pins!

I'm not going to lie - I have ALWAYS shopped at vintage fairs and charity shops. Even when I was earning a great wage, I mixed expensive brands with thrifted £2 tops and cute secondhand dresses. Nothing beats a good rummage at a vintage event or car boot sale for me and knowing that I've stumbled upon a little gem - a pretty belt or a sweet bracelet that's not available on the high street makes picking a pair of earrings off the shelf in Claire's seem boring in comparison.

Handbags - £1 each from a charity shop £1 Outlet

Now - my wardrobe isn't filled with only vintage items - I have a lovely collection of Hell Bunny dresses, Collectif skirts, Banned cardigans and gorgeous pieces from my other favourite brands, Miss Fortune and Lindy Bop. My favourie brand of shoes is T.U.K and I do like a bit of H&M and Primark for basics. 

But rifle through my wardrobe and you're guaranteed to pull out something adorable and I'll gleefully tell you "That cost me 50 pence at a car boot sale!"

Cherry print ribbon 10p, Faux pearl earrings 50p for 2 pairs & vintage faux pearl bracelet 10p. 10p!!!!

Cute gypsy top £1 from a car boot sale

Edinburgh has hundreds of fabulous vintage, preloved, thrifty places to shop - I've been visiting Armstrong's in the Grassmarket for many years and there are three branches in Edinburgh. Greenside Omni Centre's Sunday car boot sale is a hustling bustling car park with hundreds of stalls, so busy with people that at some points you're shoulder-to-shoulder with bargain hunters. 

Certain areas in Edinburgh are known for their streets filled with charity shops - Stockbridge has some excellent ones, all a couple of doors apart.

The leopard print top and vintage waist cincher belt were £1 each from a charity shop

There are also regular vintage events throughout the year in Edinburgh and I can usually be found there - Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair, Lou Lou's Vintage Fair and The Vintage Clothing Kilo Sale as well as the fantastic monthly Flea Market at Out of the Blue Drill hall (which I wrote about in a previous blog).

My favourite bargain outfit - pink sweater £1 from a charity shop and the skirt was 50p at a car boot sale!

So... if I was magically given £1000 to spend on clothes right now would I hit the high street where I could browse at my leasure and come home with a few carefully selected seasonal items OR would I rather pull my sleeves up and get down to a good rummage, up to my elbows in belts and bags, summer dresses mingling with novelty Christmas cardis, tatty old boots hiding pretty heels and - wow! - a vintage dress perfect for that special night out. 

I'll see you at the charity shop.

Laura Dolly Cupcake xxxx