Summery Stripes with Lilly & Lime

Sadly I've not been fortunate enough to have had a lovely beach holiday for a number of years now, so when Lilly & Lime asked me to review a bikini of theirs I agreed with a heavy heart. Poor me, I know!

Lilly & Lime are an Australian specialist D cup and up swimwear brand, launched in January 2016 and based upon an idea the two busty founders Emma and Ashleigh had during a champagne fuelled night out!

I'm a huge fan of nautical stripes so naturally I opted for the Blue & White striped full cup bikini top in my current size of 28H and Blue & White striped hipster tie bottoms in a size 14. I really wanted to try the balconette shape as I feel it would work better on me, but the striped bikini wasn't available in my size. Emma from Lilly & Lime was most helpful when it came to fit advice and suggested their sizes are similar to those of Curvy Kate and Panache, which I found particularly useful to know when shopping newly discovered brands.

The full cup bikini top has fully adjustable straps (a godsend!) and the band size is fixed, fastening with a white plastic clip at the back. The cups have non-removable pads and it is made from a double layered stretch swimwear fabric. I must admit I was slightly underwhelmed with this bikini top. Although it offers support and a good size range, I'd ideally like something a bit more...wow! Admittedly this is probably due to my choice of the full cup and my 34 year old boobs (that have seen better days!), so I am just speaking for myself here. One thing I would LOVE to have seen is a narrower gore. I just think it's a touch too wide for my liking and tends to flatten my boobs a little. If these are things that bother you, the balconette shape does seem to have a bit more of a wow factor and I kind of wish I'd made my decision based on shape rather than pattern so you might want to bear this in mind when shopping with Lilly & Lime. 

As for fit, it seems pretty darn good on first impressions, maybe a tiny bit small in the cup but not enough to warrant going up a cup. The band is nice and snug and I'd suggest going up a band size if you're on the upper end of your usual band measurement. My underbust measures 27" so the 28" is perfect on me.

Yes, I have cellulite, I'm a human.

The tie side bottoms are lovely! I LOVE tie sides, mainly because they give you the option of loosening them off if you're feeling a bit bloated and you don't need to worry about the sizing too much either. Again they're made from a double layer stretch swimwear fabric and the fit is spot on!

The Lilly & Lime bikini top range comes in band sizes 28-38 and cup sizes F-HH. Bottoms come in sizes 8-18 and run in UK sizes. Currently Lilly & Lime are producing bikinis in two colours (nectarine and black) and three prints (floral, chevron and stripe). Go forth and shop!

Thanks for reading ,

Le Curvy Kitten 

x

Emerald City; Sparkling With Amy Childs Collection Jasmine Dress

Firstly, I must apologise for my lack of blogging. Admittedly I am a hoarder of notable proportions, so continuing to blog regularly isn't helping my hoarding as this type of blogging relies on me buying clothes and lingerie, and well, I now have a HUGE excess of clothes!

Okay, now that's out of the way, I'll begin! Back in December I had the honour of attending my the Christmas party of my boyfriend's workplace, and of course I needed (and I use the word loosely) a new dress for the occasion. I narrowed my shortlist down to three and purchased, rather typically, the cheapest, a different dress to the one I'm reviewing today which I may review at a later date. After the Christmas Party, I couldn't stop thinking about the 'reject' dresses on my shortlist, notably the gorgeous Jasmine by Amy Childs. Then, tah-dahhh, it appeared for half price in the sale for £37.50 on the Amy Childs Official site! I used the poor excuse that "I need a dress for Valentine's night" to justify my purchase! Unfortunately the green has since sold out, but it's available in red here.

Now I'm not some kind of TOWIE fangirl, not by a long shot. In fact, I've never even seen the show and only vaguely know what it is, but I do admire Amy Childs' curves and her confidence to rock them. Here's Amy totally rocking the Jasmine dress.

*When purchasing from a brand new to yourself it's always worth checking online first for reviews on sizing and fit. That way you're less likely to have to deal with returns and disappointment. Just a little tip for you there ;o)

Onto the dress!
As I mentioned above, I checked reviews of this dress and many, if not all of them said to size up, so I ordered a size 10. When I tried the dress on it was still quite a squeeze, so when I say size up, REALLY do. Either go one size up for a snug fit or two up for a more comfortable fit. I can't comment on the fitting of this dress two sizes up (which would have been a size 12 for me) but I imagine it would have been a good fit on me.

I would recommend wearing a WYOB (Wear Your Own Bra) shapewear slip under this to make it easier to zip up, and because it's a fitted dress. If you don't have one, there are hundreds on eBay. I chose a M&S one in my usual dress size and it works perfectly. The bra I chose was an old faithful Freya Deco as it has a seamless appearance and gives a good shape.

Jasmine is a real head turner of a dress, covered in green matte sequins for a more sophisticated sparkle. It has the added detail of a spot of ruching to nip you in at the waist a bit more and create more of a curvy outline and sits at a nice length on me, just below my knee. I'm 5'2" for reference. I love the asymmetrical neckline, but be warned, you risk flashing a bra strap, so choose your lingerie wisely. Although the dress is fully lined, you still risk getting a few scratches from the sequins, so bear that in mind before you buy.

I don't have scoliosis by the way, I'm just standing wonkily!

As much as I love this dress, it doesn't come without a couple of issues. Firstly, the sizing as I've discussed already. It's a real annoyance to have to buy different sizes. Secondly, it doesn't offer a lot of stretch in the boob department and I was on the borderline of looking like I'd really squashed my boobs into the dress. And thirdly, the armholes are a bit bigger than I'd hoped for, thus flashing a bit of bra. It's nothing you busty ladies won't be familiar with.

If you've fallen in love with this dress in green, I apologise for not posting this review sooner and advise you to regularly check eBay as Amy's dresses are popping up on there all the time. I must admit I was slightly disappointed with the lack of boob room since Amy is very busty herself, but if you look through the Amy Childs Official store I'm sure you'll find something you'll love!

The Super Sweet Sophia by Tutti Rouge

,A while back you may remember me trying out new big cup lingerie brand Tutti Rouge's Liliana and Betty bras, but sadly neither worked on me. I was contacted by the lovely Jessica from Tutti Rouge who then offered me the chance to try the beautiful Sophia, as she seemed adamant on me becoming a 'Tutti Rougette'!

After some too-ing and fro-ing (are they even words? No..) we finally hit the nail on the head with this set! First I tried the Sophia in a 28H as this seemed to be the correct cup size for me in the Liliana and Betty, but it was far too big in this style as you can see in the photo below.

I was then sent my recommended Sophia size of a 28G and it's near perfect! My only quibbles are that the half adjustable straps are a bit too long, but I can easily shorten them, and like all the Tutti Rouge bras I've tried so far, the cups appear to have a shallow part right at the bottom of them, creating an unusual 'dent' in the underside of the bust. It's not really visible in my photos as I couldn't quite manage to photograph it accurately. If you look at the bottom on the cups in the shots of the pink Sophia above and the green below you should be able to see what I mean.

The band is nice and snug and the bra is oozing with all of Tutti Rouge's usual sweet little details such as the embossed branding at the hooks, heart shaped adjusters and a little bow and button to the central gore. The bra is lightly padded and has a contrast in textures between the satin cup and double mesh layer of the upper cup, helping keep everything in place.

I won't go into great detail but a mix up over brief colours resulted in me getting the set in this gorgeous shade of mint, the likes of which my lingerie drawer has never seen before! Here I'm wearing a medium in the retro brief. I was also sent a thong in the same size and they're both spot on. For reference I usually wear Primark pants in a size 16-18, Freya Deco shorts in a Medium and Deco thongs in a Large. There's very little difference in the look of the brief and the thong at the front, but the back of the brief has a bit of ruching, a keyhole and a couple of little bows. Very cute!

Sophia is currently retailing at around £16 in various sales such as LargeCupLingerie and is also available here on the Tutti Rouge website.

I've not worn Sophia for any long periods of time as yet since I've not managed to find the time to alter the straps but as first impressions go, Sophia seems to be pretty good for me and I've decided not give up on Tutti Rouge just yet!

Have you ever been put off a brand you were really looking forward to trying?

Lady V's Latest Offfering: The Wiggle Dress

As you may have realised by my previous posts, I LOVE Lady V London's dresses. Recently on their Facebook page they announced the arrival of the new Wiggle dresses, a prospect that filled me with sheer joy!

The Lady V Wiggle dress comes in 7 colours and 3 different prints in sizes 8-20/22. It costs £40, or £30-£40 at the time of writing this since it's on offer. I opted for the Red/White Polka Dot and the White/Black Polka Dot as they popped out to me most. As for the sizes, my measurements are; bust 36", waist 26.5, hips 38" so I ordered sizes 8 and 10 in both colours to ensure I didn't miss out on the introductory offer. Here's the size chart for this particular dress:

Two days later a pink package arrived containing the lovely dresses! My first observation was that the red isn't a bright poppy red but more of a wine red, which isn't what I was expecting, but is really nice nonetheless. The dresses are of a nice quality and don't feel like they'd fall apart or lose their shape easily. 

The fabric of the skirt part is quite a thick, quality stretch cotton/elastane mix and designed to cling to your curves, but does seem to be prone to creasing. The top part (the patterned bit) is made from a non-stretch viscose so I wasn't sure how the fit would work out on a fuller bust. The other design feature I was worried about was the 'apex' between the bust, which creates a kind of cupped dress. I've always steered clear of this sort of feature as all women have differently sized boobs, so I think a lot of women might not look quite right in these dresses as a result. A more preferable design in my opinion would be to have a high waisted design without the bit between the boobs. Something like this. I've added the collar and bow using my amazing MS Paint skills, but you get the idea! The original dress is from Ebay, apologies but I can't find the listing now!

The 'apex'

As I said before, I ordered both size 8s and 10s to try and find the perfect fit. The 8 fitted better in the body, if not a little more snug than I feel comfortable in but the top part of the dress was too small, hence the mega cleavage. The 10 was perfect at the top but too big at the bottom, which you can clearly see in the photos below. This problem could easily have be solved by a minor and relatively simple alteration.  

The one thing I noticed when I laid them flat was how 'hippy' these dresses are, making them ideal for those curvier ladies who don't go straight up and down. If I were to have kept one, it definitely would have been the white/black polka dot dress in a 10 and have it tailored to fit.

White/Black Polka Dot:

Red/White Polka Dot:

Be warned, the plunging neckline is not for the faint of heart and exposes lots of skin (and cleavage if you're busty). You'll need to wear a balcony bra, such as Curvy Kate's Tease Me or Masquerade's Rhea for the bra not to be seen. In my photos I'm wearing a Freya Deco plunge bra that I had to fold to make the cups less visible (you can see them in the red dress) and a shapewear 'Wear Your Own Bra' (WYOB) slip from Primark's Secret Possessions range to smooth out my silhouette.

I love the pin up style of the wiggle dress and the fact that it has a wide collared neckline, polka dot pattern, high waist and a bow really pushes my buttons. The 'apex' I discussed is something I would normally have overlooked for such a nice dress but I can't really afford another at the moment, so I've had to send them all back, sorry Lady V...I'll always accept gifts y'know ;)

So ladies, what do you think? 

Get Fleurty with me!

When I first laid eyes on Curvy Kate's Fleurty from their 2012 Spring/Summer collection, I knew I had to have it. Its pretty but unusual combination of a coral base with blue overlay and circular cut-out pattern really hit a chord with me but with me being a bargain hunter, I knew that this set would eventually surface in a sale or on Brastop, stockists of big bras from past seasons for low prices. So I waited, and eventually there it was! It's currently on offer for £18.95 for the bra and £9,95 for the shorts.

The strikingly pretty colours of Fleurty

As always, I consulted my trusty team of busty friends to find out how the Fleurty fitted in size compared to Curvy Kate's Tempt Me, which I wear in a 28H, and it was agreed that I try a 28HH. wo cup sizes larger than my 'usual' size of 28GG. 

The Fleurty is a balcony bra and unusually for the Showgirl range the band seems true to size! Since there is quite a lot of detail on the cups, the lumpiness of the pattern and pleating at the bottom of the cups can be seen quite easily under tight fitting clothes. This can be remedied by wearing a seamless cami over the top. The back of the bra is plain.

A close-up of the detailing on the bra

As for the shorts, after a spot of trial and error, I ended up with a size 18. To be honest I was somewhere between the 16 and 18, but the 18 offered less muffin top, so I went for those. I don't mind what the label says as long as it fits, but I am concerned that this kind of sizing may rule out a genuine size 18 lady from getting comfortable pants to match the bra. The front of the shorts echoes the design of the front of the bra and the back is a double layer of blue mesh.

The amazing detail on the shorts

So, here's the set, aint it gorgeous?! I couldn't be happier with the fit, it's spot on!

Tah-dahhhh!!

In my opinion, this is the best fitting Curvy Kate bra I've tried yet, and sadly, it's the first and last of the Fleurtys! Apparently it didn't sell too well. Perhaps it was the unusual colour combination or the bulk of the detailing. Either way, I'm gutted. Please, Curvy Kate, consider reintroducing Fleurty, even if it meant a few tweaks in the details. It's a stunning bra!

Do you like the colour combination?

The Ahh Bra...The Marmite of bras?

*Firstly, I'd like to say that I was sent the following items to review by the company in question. I blog honestly and will not lie about a product just because it was sent free of charge.*

We've all seen those late night shopping channels advertising miracle products that you simply can't live without, right? Sometimes they can grab your attention...

"Tired of hooks, wires straps and underwires?" Sounds interesting, go on..."Say goodbye to the barbaric torture of traditional bras and hello to technology made perfect!" Riiiiight...."The Ahh Bra...." Oh, that thing...

Like I said in the title, to me the Ahh Bra (affectionately know as the Argh Bra by some bloggers!) is like Marmite; you either love it or hate it. I'm a firm believer in the need for wires, hooks, straps and a solid band to support the breasts, so I'm in the 'hate it' camp. So when a representative of Rhonda Shear contacted me to see if if I'd like to review the Ahh Bra, I was reluctant but in the interests of my blog, thought it would be an ideal product to try.

Rhonda Shear, the designer of the Ahh Bra is undoubtedly a passionate and inspirational businesswoman, having won numerous entrepreneurial awards since the launch of the Ahh Bra 2002. Rhonda was an all-American beauty pageant kind of girl, later posing for Playboy, then moving onto TV, movies and stand-up comedy. Wanting a new project, Rhonda decided to embark upon designing a revolutionary new bra; and the Ahh Bra was born! Rhonda's range has since expanded to include nightwear, outerwear such as leggings and secret support vests, dresses and shapewear, which I was hoping I'd get to try out.

The ever glamorous Rhonda Shear (photo courtesy of Up All Night)

The Ahh Bra has no hooks, wires or adjustable straps and comes in sizes XS-2XL without the 'need' for cup sizes. It's supposedly guaranteed to fit perfectly. We'll see about that...!

Beautifully presented. But never judge a book by it's cover...

I was sent four items from Rhonda's 2012 collection; the original Ahh Bra, an Ahh Bra with removable pads, the 'Sweet Tart' butterknit gown and the 'Pin Up' bra.

The Original Ahh Bra: 

I received this in the Raspberry colour, in a size medium, based on my overbust measurement of 36" (I think). The underbust measurement isn't taken into account therefore I found it a little loose in the band.. The other major problem is that the straps aren't adjustable, and needed to be about 4 inches shorter. You can see in the picture below how the fit of the Ahh Bra is improved simply by shortening the straps, which also encased the 'armpit boobs' I was experiencing, an issue the Ahh Bra boasts to eliminate. Even then it's not something I'd be comfortable wearing outside the house.

I can't argue that the construction of the Ahh Bra isn't well designed, with it's tight knit in place of traditional wires, and looser knit to accommodate the bust. This is not an exclusive design though, as there are other bras on the market that sport a similar construction. 

The Original Ahh Bra is unsuitable or use as a functional  bra in my opinion, as it does not support the bust in a way that a wired and adjustable bra can. I'd only suggest the Ahh Bra to be worn as a sleep bra or for slobbing out on the sofa.

The Ahh Generation Bra (with removable pads):

This one is virtually the same (looks and fit) as the Original Ahh Bra, except it has removable pads and is in the Blush colour. The fit in this one was...interesting, the pads far too small for my GG cups. However much I tried, I couldn't get my boobs NOT to look wonky, so I don't really have much to say on this one that I haven't said already. Er....enjoy? 

The Pin-Up lace metallic leisure bra:

I so badly wanted this to work as I hadn't had much luck with the first two. But the only positive thing I can find to say about this non-wired, soft cup bra is that it has LOADS of hooks and eyes, see? I wish other bra makers would follow suit, although they were quite fiddly to fasten, so maybe not.

This bra was a Small yet the band stretched right up to 40". Yes, the fabric is that stretchy. Bearing in mind my underbust measurement is 28", you can see why this particular style doesn't work for me. Again, the straps were far too long and coupled with the very loose band, the bra offered no support whatsoever. Yes, that's my natural shape in the first picture. Also, check out the HUGE arm holes! 

The Sweet Tart butterknit shelf gown:

Possibly the most disappointing of them all. I was hoping to at least salvage this to sleep in, and on unwrapping it, it was instantly my favourite of the package. The nylon/spandex mix is beautifully soft and stretchy, and the black lace over nude is a nice touch. Although the straps are adjustable, I didn't find this helped at all, since they are very thin and flimsy, completely unsuitable for supporting GG cup boobs!

Again, this is a small and again the band was extremely stretchy, offering no support, so my boobs sit as though I'm not wearing a bra at all. I think the pictures speak for themselves:

All in all, I wouldn't recommend any of the products I've reviewed if you have a fuller bust. They might work okay for a woman with a smaller bust than myself I guess, but since you're reading fuller bust blog, then I can't say I'd be able to guess. Apparently, the Ahh Bra is hugely popular and has sold millions of units, so I guess a lot of women have had success with them. What works for one might not work for another, so who am I to argue?!

Have you tried an Ahh Bra? What did you think?

By the way...I WON!

Totally forgot to thank you all for voting for me in Brastop's Cover Girl competition. I won! 

If you're a Brastop customer, you have probably already received your copy of their magazine with me on the front and an exclusive interview inside! Eek! Exciting stuff! If you're not a customer, you can read the magazine online here, but (at the time of writing this), 'my' issue is not online to view yet.

So here's what the finished product looks like, along with the postcard that was sent out to customers for my Model Of The Month win back in January.

Thanks again, I wouldn't have won without your support :)

My shiny new Panache collection!

As mentioned in my previous post, I won some fabulous prizes from the gorgeous Georgina Horne of FullerFigureFullerBust. This post is about the massive 5 Panache sets I won! Yes, 5 sets, how generous!! I was astounded by the generosity of both Georgina and Heather Kipling of Panache. As you know, big bras aren't cheap, and I think myself very lucky! After a number of weeks of too-ing and fro-ing to get the right sizes, I finally have 5 lovely new sets in my drawer! Heather chose my sets from their current range, and although they're not all styles I'd normally choose, I'm very happy with the selection.

Firstly I'll mention that I was originally sent a lovely red 'Veronica' swimsuit that reminded me of the Kellogg's Special K adverts. Sadly, my rather large derriere didn't agree with the swimsuit idea. I always struggle with swimsuits because, as you will all know if you've been reading my posts and not just looking at the pictures (I know it happens-shame on you!), my bottom half is somewhat bigger than my top half, so the swimsuit sent to me in a 30G (Panache don't make 28 bands as yet in their swimwear) fitted better at the top than at the bottom, and rather than the usual '4-boob' effect us women often rock (get fitted girls!), I was getting a '4-buttock' effect instead! The lovely Heather replaced the swimsuit for a gorgeous bikini. More on that later.

First up for the bras, the much coveted Masquerade Rhea in black. I was sent a 28GG and it's perfect. The band is snug and has very little stretch, an issue I was already aware of, so if you're looking for comfort, the Rhea may not be right for you. However, if you're looking for luxury and gravity-defying boobs, then go out and get a Rhea! It's quite expensive to buy, at around £35, but the silky fabric and materials used lend themselves perfectly to the price tag. The Rhea is a padded balcony bra, so if you struggle to stay in plunges, this is a style that could work for you. I was sent matching shorts in a size 14, which fit beautifully. There's just something about Masquerade lingerie that makes you feel a million dollars! Definitely worth buying for that special night in ;)

Next we have the Panache Sports Bra. When I first saw this, I loved it but not being a sports fan, watching or taking part, I had no need to buy it. It's a very different style to the other sports bras out there, and very much lends itself to be worn as a work out top. It has a built in racer back clip, which can be useful if you want to hide your straps under racer back tops. If you're feeling (very) brave, the shorts (here in a size 14) are also suitable to be worn as outerwear too! I had a little bounce around my room in this and my boobs stay firmly in place, doing exactly what it says on the tin. It seems pretty high impact, and is more 'solid' than my Shock Absorber sports bra, which is unpadded and lacks the engineering that the Panache has. Don't get me wrong, it's a damn good sports bra, but the Panache one just pips it to the post. The Panache Sports Bra has the style that other sports bras lack, and would certainly be my go-to should I ever decide to get off my lazy arse and do some exercise!

Boasting on the tag 10 years of being Panache's best selling bra, the Tango has clearly been a favourite in a lot of women's lingerie drawers for a long time. I was sent the special edition 'Ocean' colour unpadded balconnet bra, which has a touch of diamante at the gore, offset perfectly by the turquoise of the bra.At first I tried this bra in a 28GG, which was too large in the cups, so it was replaced with a 28G, which could fit better if I'm being honest. The cup is fine at the front, but I have a bit of 'side-boob' where breast tissue is being pushed under my arms.  think the underwires need to be a little less u-shaped to combat this. Sadly I don't think I'll get much wear from this bra as I don't tend to wear unpadded bras, and with the fit being slightly out I fear it may be uncomfortable. Tango also comes in a plunge bra, so if you like the Tango balcony but don't get on with it, there's another option for you to try. Again, the briefs were perfect in a size 14, no complaints there!

The most troublesome of my 5 sets is the Alexa by Cleo, a colourful unpadded balconett. I tried 3 sizes; 28H, 28GG and 28G. The 28G fits best, but still not quite right. Like the Tango above, the wires are very u-shaped giving a touch of side boob, and the fabric above the seam on the front of the cup is slightly large, similar to the Cleo Juna I previously reviewed. The fit isn't perfect, but it's definitely wearable and not uncomfortable and boasts incredible uplift! The shorts are a size 14 and fit perfectly. My favourite thing about this set is the colours and pattern. Panache have really pushed the boat out with their Cleo range, aimed at the younger market of busty girls. I adore their choice of bright colours and styles. Take a look for yourself!

Last but not least, the Page halterneck bikini! I was delighted when I opened this parcel, I can tell you! I'm a little disappointed that Panache haven't extended their size range in their swimwear, but to be honest, I'm less picky about wearing the correct size when it comes to bikinis. I was sent a 30FF and it fits really well. The back is a tad loose, as expected, but it's not really an issue. The fold-down briefs are a 14, and again perfect. The reason I love this bikini so much is because it's nautical-looking and has a retro feel about it. It's so cute!

So there we have it, 5 gorgeous sets by Panache! Again, many thanks for Georgina from FullerFigureFullerBust and Heather from Panache for their generosity and help :)

Lady Vintage London; ALMOST perfect!

Whilst browsing my favourite curvy girls group, someone posted this little gem of a link: Lady Vintage London. Being a fan of vintage style dresses I immediately jumped on it and fell in love with the White Floral/Blue Tit Print Swing Dress, £30. I adore anything with a bird print, and the Blue Tit is a favourite of mine. Combined with red flowers on a white background, it's perfect for all those garden parties I don't go to!

Looking at their size chart, my bust comes up at a size 12, waist 8-10 and hips 8-10. I usually wear a size 8, and was very disappointed that the dress isn't made in my size. Not wanting to miss out, temptation got the better of me and I ordered it anyway, in a size 10. Shipping costs just £2.95, which isn't bad in my opinion, and I found a discount code on their Facebook page for an extra 10% off.

A day and a half later, the little beauty arrived! The first thing I noticed was the quality of the fabric. It's 100% cotton, is soft and hangs well. If I wasn't suffering from mild vertigo, I would have spun around my kitchen in it like a little girl! The dress has a lightweight lining, making it great for summer, and the bottom half of the lining isn't sewn to the hem, so it's like a built-in petticoat, if that makes sense? If you wanted extra volume, a frilly petticoat in red would be perfect with this dress. The dress has a zip right up the back, which is again, good quality. My only issue regarding the fabric is that it doesn't stretch, which could be a problem for a fellow busty gal.

Onto the fit. Because I'd ordered a size bigger than my usual size, I expected this dress to be too big, and it is, I won't lie. A size 8 would have been perfect, but since I love it so much, I plan on getting it altered to fit me. It also comes with a tie belt made from the same fabric, which I might use as a hairband instead as I like to wear thick belts with dresses like this. Once I tried the dress with my own belt, the fit became much better, but still had a bit of extra fabric here and there, which is nothing a little tweaking on the exsisting darts won't fix. I'd suggest ordering in your usual size with this, as the size chart seems to be an across the board thing as opposed to being style specific.

As you can see on the left picture, there's quite a bit of extra room in the top section. The bottom doesn't matter so much as it's a swing dress. In the picture on the right, I'm wearing my own belt, which came from a Chinese seller on Ebay and was dirt cheap. Yes, I realise I should be wearing a different bra too!

Although I'm disappointed at the lack of a size 8, I would still highly recommend Lady Vintage for their quality and range of beautiful fabrics. It is also worth mentioning that a lot of the dresses are limited, the one I chose is one of just 50, meaning you're less likely to see someone else wearing the same thing, and for the low cost and high quality, Lady Vintage dresses are well worth the risk.

Bye for now beauts x