hasbeens | Frocks & Frou Frou

So, I’ve picked up a couple of new dress patterns in the last couple of weeks, so this might be the last iteration of my favourite Colette Myrtle that you see for a while.

It’s the first time I’ve done the pattern half & half like I did my whale print Moneta, but I flipped the halves around, so the pattern was on the skirt, and the plain fabric on the bodice.

The pear fabric is another Spoonflower purchase from Mulberry_tree who also designed the fabric I used for my Frockatoo. I used a ponte for the bodice because it was the only knit fabric I could find that was the right colour, but I suspect it’s a bit too heavy in comparison to the softer “modern jersey” in the skirt, and doesn’t quite have the drape that works best with the Myrtle pattern. I’m on the look-out for a softer fabric, and if I can find some that’s suitable I’ll definitely be swapping them over some time in the future.

The green in the pear print is perfectly matched with the Swedish Hasbeens clogs that I bought two years ago, and have been too scared to try and break in. This summer though. DEFINITELY this summer.

Speaking of summer, it’s well and truly skirts-and-dresses weather so once again I’m looking for those perfect chub-rub cures and there’s a couple of new anti-chafing shorts that I’ve been road testing for you:

The first is the new hi-rise shorts from Canadian brand Thigh Society. These are a seamless short made of a breathable fabric that boasts 4-way stretch so they’re comfortable rather than constricting. They have a moisture-wicking gusset made from a fabric called Sorbtek, which keeps you dry, even on the stickiest days. In the past I’ve tried the shorter leg length and have had a slight problem with them riding up during the day, but the new hi-rise shorts have an extra 1.5″ in the leg, and I was delighted to discover that it’s enough to totally eliminate any ride up on me. I can wear them under skirts and dresses for several days at a time and they don’t stretch out at all. They’re seamless, so they give a smooth line under skirts and dresses and the lack of seams means it doesn’t show under close-fitting clothes.

Sonsee, my all-time favourite tights company, has just expanded their range to include slips, bras, and (hurrah!) comfort shorts. Like their amazing tights range they have a huge amount of stretch and recovery, and they fit up to a size 28 comfortably. Like Thigh Society they’re available in a beige and a black and both a longer and a shorter length. I had a bit of an issue with the shorter length riding up at the end of a long day, but again a bit of extra length made all the difference, and I can easily wear my long-length Sonsee shorts day after day without any issues. The fabric’s a little thinner than the Thigh Society but it seems equally breathable (though without the moisture-wicking gusset.

For a reminder of the other products that have been designed to help make your summer more comfortable go ahead and check out my chub-rub round-up from last summer.

I bought this summery little smock dress in the height of summer, thinking it would be a nice breezy number to wear on reeeeaaallllllly hot days. It’s the calico version of Little Tienda’s “Las Flores” midi dress and it’s a really lovely piece. At $139 there are cheaper Mexican-style frocks on the market, but speaking from personal experience they don’t come close to Little Tienda in terms of quality and workmanship.

Dress: Little Tienda

Shoes: Swedish Hasbeens via Modcloth

The calico fabric provides a nice natural base for the gorgeous embroidery to stand out against. It’s not as harsh as pure white, and the fabric has a kind of heavy softness to it. The flower motif really glows, it’s impeccably sewn, and hasn’t buckled the fabric the way I’ve found cheaper Mexican dresses do.

I’m wearing the XL, which fits with room to spare though I trimmed a few inches off the hem. I wasn’t sure about the sleeves when it first arrived, so I ended up bringing them in a little with a tucked pleat – it’s helped limit the amount of volume around my bust-line and streamline the silhouette a little.

In summer I wear it bare-legged with clogs or sandals, and minimum jewellery, since the gorgeous embroidery really adds everything you need in terms of frou frou.

But of course, it’s not summer right now…

Dress: As above

Cardigan: Paper Scissors

Tights: Hue

Shoes: Miz Mooz

I was surprised by how well this dress worked as a cooler weather frock, when combined with tights and a cardigan.

I’m wearing olive coloured tights that pick up the green in the embroidery, but aren’t too dark against the pale fabric of the dress. The deep red cardigan is the perfect hue to match with the flowers, and I added a brown belt – worn high – to give a some shape to the layers.

Earrings: Primal Originals

I kept the accessories minimal again – this isn’t the kind of frock that needs a necklace or statement earrings – but I couldn’t resist teaming them with the mother of pearl hoops that I’d bought from Etsy last year. They add the perfect finishing touch to a polished hippie-chic outfit that reminds me of summer on a grey day.

Frocks & Frou Frou

Tag Archives: hasbeens

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