Gingham has always been a favourite print of mine so you can imagine my excitement when Collectif brought out the Dolores Sweetheart Gingham Doll Dress (£65, UK sizes 6-24):
Image courtesy of Collectif
Red gingham is just so cute and makes me think of cowgirls and lazy summers.
I initially got the dress in a size 12 (Medium), which is my usual size in Dolores Dolls, but in accordance with the item description on the Collectif website I found it to be on the tight side so I eventually exchanged it for a size 14 (Large).
The 14 worked really well for me, although it was a little baggy on the waist. I don't think it's too bad at all and of course that can always be solved by adding a belt - pics with belts come later in this post.
The red gingham fabric is lovely and light to wear. It made up of 62% polyester, 35% cotton and 3% elastane, but despite the fact it has 1% more elastane that the usual cotton/elastane Dolores Doll fabric it definitely has far less stretch. In fact, it almost feels as though there is no stretch at all - not in a bad way, but certainly it feels different to my other dresses of the same design.
As with all Dolores Dolls, the sweetheart neckline is lovely and suits busty ladies very well. There are two cute heart-shaped white buttons on the bust and there is pretty white edging along the neckline. Being a size larger than I'd usually wear the size 14 gives me a bit more boob coverage, which is not necessarily a bad thing! It's good to have this slightly more modest option in my wardrobe for occasions when I want my boobs to be covered up a bit more. For reference, I am wearing my Ewa Michalak S Szykuś Bra 32KK/70KK in these photos.
The cap sleeves are elasticated and can be worn either on or off the shoulder. Personally I always wear them on but it's good to have the option to wear them in a different way if I so choose.
The flared circle skirt is so fun to wear and I want to twirl and swish it at all times. It's definitely longer than my other Dolores Dolls - this one is lower calf length on me - and the bottom hem is edged with the same white edging that is used on the neckline.
The dress fastens with a zip at the back but being a single lady I find it's best to get the dress on to my waist, fasten the zip and then pull up the top half over my boobs. It's a bit of an awkward procedure but the end results are worth the time and trouble.
If you're a regular reader of my blog you'll know how I often pair my Dolores Doll dresses with a shrug. I love shrugs because they give you the warmth of having your arms covered but they don't hide your waist or smother you in fabric, which can sometimes ruin the appearance of an outfit.
I tried my gingham Dolores Doll with my red shrug:
And also with a red belt:
And then with a black shrug and a black belt (and with the lights switched on as it was becoming too dark to see!):
I think both looks work really well and it would be possible to mix and match the shrugs, belts, shoes and accessories to get a variety of looks. The shrugs and patent leather belts all come from eBay.
So, this is yet another Dolores Doll I've added to my ever-growing collection. Do you own any Dolores Dolls? What prints and patterns do you yearn for?
