Happy New Years Eve my loyal blog family! I hope you all have a wonderful day ringing in 2017.
2016 has been an interesting year I must admit. I have experienced some truly amazing highs and some unfortunate lows. But through it all I have always had the blog to count on and writing here has indeed become my happy place. I am beyond grateful to every single person that choses to read my posts or scroll through my pictures because I have learned that I do make an impact on how women think about their bodies and have inspired some to learn to love themselves just as they are. In the end I think that self love is the greatest gift we can give to ourselves.
I wanted to do a really special look for this post so I reached out to Rojda Hoda, the designer and owner of GatsbyLady London to see if we could collaborate on this post. I had the opportunity to meet Roj at Full Figured Fashion Week in New York and from the very minute we started talking I realized what a lovely person she was inside and out.
Then when I saw her designs walk down the runway at the finale show I was truly in awe. I have always loved fashion with a vintage flare and the 1920s are certainly no exception. The glitz, the glam, the sophistication and the lady like qualities of the pieces worn and the way woman carried themselves speak to me on so many levels.
I think the thing that made the biggest impression on me was seeing Roj use Jewelz Mazzei, a local Toronto model and body positive activist for her Vancouver Fashion Week runway show. It was a powerful moment to see a visibly plus size model and a traditional runway model walk side by side. And Jewelz killed it, I am so proud of you girl!
I have great respect for designers that choose to make their clothes for woman of all sizes. GatsbyLady London designs are available in sizes 0 to 30. They are true to size and they are actually made with a little stretch. This is definitely not something you see in traditional high fashion design.
I am wearing the Beatrice Vintage Inspired Fringe Flapper Dress in Purple Plum. I fell in love with this dress when I was watching a video clip from Vancouver Fashion Week. Of course I was immediately drawn to the rich purple plum colour which is my favourite. And then on top of that there is the gorgeous iridescent beading. And the intricate design of the beading on the dress is perfectly placed to accentuate your curves in all the right places.
This dress comes with a matching soft stretch slip to wear underneath. It has adjustable straps to allow for the perfect fit. The beaded overlay is made of stretch tulle and has a v neckline in both the front and back as well as beautifully embellished cap sleeves for those of us who like a little arm coverage.
Did you know that GatsbyLady London dresses are hand beaded? I almost couldn’t believe it when I found this out but Roj has carried on the tradition of this impeccable skill handed down through her family over the generations.
The craftsmanship and quality that goes into her designs was clearly evident when I opened the package and pulled the dress out. The attention to detail is superb and the quality cannot be beat in my opinion.
I was fortunate enough to have this dress made to my measurements and the fit is perfect. I slipped it on and I was in heaven, I didn’t want to take it off! If you have any concerns about fit or what size to order I would definitely suggest you reach out to the brand first, they are very helpful and want to ensure you get the right fit.
To style this dress I kept with a traditional look for the era by adding the coordinating headpiece also made by them. I chose to wear my hair down and curled but you could also easily wear it up with this piece.
I then added this necklace and coordinating bracelet from Lane Bryant. It was a bit ironic because I had ordered these before I got the dress and when they came in I realized that they matched the beading perfectly. I liked that they were simple and understated and didn’t take away from the dress.
Finally I added these patent sling backs from JD Williams USA that I have been wearing non stop since I got them because they have a bit of a retro feel and a modest heel. Sadly they have sold out but I gave you a link to another low heel alternative. I had this cute clutch that I got a few years back that was the finishing touch. I gave you a link to a clutch that I just found that is even more perfect than this one!
So there you have it, I am ready to ring in the New Year in style! I would wear this dress to so many different events – a fundraiser, a gala, a black tie wedding, a 20s themed party, formal night on a cruise, a milestone birthday party, the possibilities really are endless. A style like this is classic and will last you a life time.
Thank you Roj for allowing me to share your beautiful designs and for a dress that has earned a permanent spot in my closet.
Special thanks to Robert of Robert Skuja Photography for these stunning pictures.
Dress by GATSBYLADY LONDON | Headband by GATSBYLADY LONDON | Shoes by JD WILLIAMS USA (sold out but alternative here) | Clutch alternative here | Necklace by LANE BRYANT | Bracelet by LANE BRYANT (sold out but alternative here) |
