The Deadliest of Dames

Tired of looking a little ho-hum? Are the Peter Pan collars not channelling your inner badass? Need something that will make your cleavage pop? Then Deadly Dames, the vampy and super sexy clothing line designed by über-babe Micheline Pitt, is just what you need!

Didn't that sound like a 30 second commercial? Maybe, but I stand by the above statement.

The Deadly Dames line has been through many evolutions, each season more different (although equally fabulous) than the last. Micheline states that her clothing: "is what happens when you mix doll clothes with 50's sex kittens and, well, possibly John Waters" and are clothes for "girls who want to be their own Barbie doll, but with an EDGE!"

Micheline's first season teamed the rockabilly/psychobilly style with cool cuts and prints. Here are a few of my favourite pieces from the beginning of Deadly Dames:

Left to right: discontinued Green Leopard Babydoll swing with added collar for cuteness and re-designed Malibu Tiki dress.  I'm normally a sound size medium in Deadly Dames, but I can get away with a small in the Green Leopard Babydoll. At first, the fit of the Malibu Tiki was a little snug, but after a bit of wear (and maybe a small tug on the fabric at the waist) everything hugged the body perfectly. Because of the well-structured and padded cups, this dress doesn't necessarily require a bra. Malibu Tiki available here.

The Deadly Dames Polka Dot Wiggle dress - a classic. This dress is very form fitted and requires nude undergarments. I believe this garment was in Micheline's first collection and it is a big seller. I find this frock very true to size with just the perfect amount of stretch. It's available here.

One of her later seasons was inspired by Marie Antoinette. This line featured floral motifs and lingerie-inspired silhouettes. Muted palettes in satin, lace and velvet came together to produce a very decadent line. Girls were falling over themselves to get their hands on the beautiful blue Victorian numbers. Ooh la la!

Victorian Courtesan Swing Dress. The thick sateen of this dress has a slight sheen and the Victorian rose print is delightful! The lingerie-inspired bodice adds an element of burlesque for a bit of fun. I'm wearing my normal size medium in this dress. Available here.

The latest Deadly Dames line is called 'Fetish Folly' - a culmination of the kinky teamed with vintage flair. The Victorian print will make a new comeback in a new colourway - red and pink floral! I particularly look forward to the special edition Haunted Housewife dress in this revamped print.

From the latest Deadly Dames line comes the Tie-Me-Up dress in fetish print - yes it's really as  flirty as the  name suggests. The print includes women with whips, bondage, corsets, high-heeled boots and a general dominatrix feel. Not for the faint-hearted, particularly with the cleavage aspect. I was able to size down to a small in this dress. The tie straps cater for a range  of bust sizes and sateen always has some give. This whip-crackin' wonder is available here. 

Each and every Deadly Dames piece I own features clever construction and asset-enhancing design. I often find myself being asked where I buy my clothes from whenever I wear one of these garments. I look forward to seeing what daring designs the future holds for Deadly Dames!

Happy Sunday x

Wiggle or Swing?

Different styles of dresses can have different effects. Lately, I have been wondering whether the wiggle or swing style suits me best, which got me to thinking that each style has its benefits and pitfalls. Some dresses suit particular occasions better than others. I only have one vintage wiggle dress, and that is my glorious Alfred Shaheen sarong dress (oh how I love thee). The rest of my vintage frocks are swing style. I have decided to look to my vintage-inspired collection a la pinupgirlclothing to see which style I'd prefer.

Let's look at wiggle dresses first. Do me a favour and disregard the ridiculous poses - I was just having a bit of a laugh with my poor husband who was wrangled into taking these photos.

Here we have the following dresses, left to right: Pinup Couture's Plum Jayne Glamour dress in satin, Dixiefried's Tiki Twist! in Asian-print brocade, and the Niagara dress in dark fuchsia stretch taffeta (a sample that I scored off a lovely PUGette via PUG Swap/Sell Community). The only one of these dresses that is still available is the Tiki Twist! at pinupgirlclothing.  You can still purchase the Niagara dress in a few different colourways though.

Forgetting the fact that I am obviously no model, wiggle dresses can be really flattering (in my case, when teamed with an awesome bra and shapewear). Not everyone is comfortable with a form fitting dress. Unless I'm wearing hardcore shapewear (Spanx in this case), then I'm not really confident with it myself - I am quite a hippy girl with a tendency to get a little bloated after I eat. I find that these are the kind of dresses that can make a gal feel sexy, but not necessarily like she wants to put away a large meal! A great style for a night out, special event or cocktail party, maybe even a black-tie wedding where you don't feel like wearing a full-length gown, leaving the legs free to party! That being said, I do love the hourglass effect that this style has on me. Pinupgirlclothing makes a super-duper range of wiggle dresses, well-cut from high quality fabrics. In fact, there are so many great choices it's hard to pick just one dress sometimes ;)

 Swing dresses... A different look for me, entirely!

Available from pinupgirlclothing. Left to right: Pinup Couture's Evelyn in rose print, The Courtesan Swing in Victorian Print from the Deadly Dames collection and the Pink Psychobilly Skull swing dress, also by Deadly Dames (no longer available).

I find that swing style dresses have a sweetness about them. I love the flowing fabric and the circle skirts which hearken back to the femininity of the 50's. I get a real kick out of wearing these dresses and I especially love it when old women say, "I used to wear something similar back in..." A swing dress, to me, seems less formal than a wiggle dress and it hides a multitude of sins (a great way of disguising my tummy when I overeat!). I feel comfortable enough to wear one shopping. As a teen, you would NEVER have got me into something like this, but as a young child, I loved that twirly effect that you would get from spinning around in a circle skirt. Well, there you go. I must have reverted back to my childish ways - I love twirling in my swing dresses! Perfect for a garden wedding, high tea, impressing your nanna... the list goes on.

So, which one? Choices, choices!

Two stunning women in two different styles. Photography by Laura Byrnes. Dresses (Micheline Pitt in the Vamp Dress - left,  Masuimi Max in the Netti Dress - right) available at  www.pinupgirlclothing.com

I have concluded nothing (must go back to pinupgirlclothing to look again!).

Which do you prefer? I would love to know what YOU think.

Happy Friday x