For every bit of floral and polka dot I swoon over, novelty prints really are my jam. You just know when you see one that the person who created it had a sense of whimsy about them. And if there’s one thing I love in my clothing, it’s a sense of whimsy. Enter UK-based clothing brand Voodoo Vixen, with a bevy of beautiful vintage-inspired styles. When scrolling through this season’s offerings, I couldn’t help but notice that every piece came complete with a wink – an adorable detail, a unique print – which always inspires me to step outside of the norm.
I was really excited for the chance to work with Voodoo Vixen on this post. I admit to being a bit of a VV neophyte up until about 6 months ago, when several of their latest pieces began popping up on some of my favorite bloggers. A few clicks later and I was transported – these are the kinds of clothes you know you’re going to have an adventure in.
For my first foray into Voodoo Vixen frockery, I decided to review the Aria hot air balloon print dress, rated below in terms of fit, fabric, and floatability. Because I was feeling rather adventurous, I thought it only appropriate to take to the skies and float up, up, and away on a cloud of cotton candy Voodoo Vixen fabulousness…
The Fabric & Features
The first thing I noticed when the parcel arrived was the beautiful color palette – she burst out of the packaging with glee, speaking of summer and pastels and warm breezes lazily cavorting through open windows. The absolutely dreamy print was designed in-house, and boasts hot air balloons floating in a blue, pink, and golden sunset. When it comes to bright prints, personally I like to offer some relief in my shoes and accessories – keeping them minimal and in solid colors. You can really ground a print with solid white, which can help direct the eye back to the dress.
The Aria dress is made from 100% polyester – but felt very soft and, despite the crazy NC heat we’ve been experiencing, it didn’t stick to my body uncomfortably the way some cheap polyester fabric can. It was also unlined, which helped to keep it feeling light. It zips up the back with an invisible zipper and has pockets (every gal’s best friend)! I haven’t tried to wash her yet, but she is listed as machine washable. Because of the fabric and the print, I would either iron on reverse or steam this garment (which is my preferred way to get wrinkles out of anything).
The Fit (& Flare)
The Aria dress comes in sizes S – XL, with a super flattering wide pleated waistband and a sweetheart bustline. Overall, I was really happy with the fit of this dress, which felt pretty TTS and seemed really ideal for the larger-busted. I fall between sizes at Voodoo Vixen, so to play it safe I opted for the size M, which was the right choice. The size chart puts a M at a US 6, with a 36″ bust and 29″ waist. I measured my dress upon arrival and she fit these measurements exactly (down to the 1/8 inch – it was pretty impressive). As I am a 35-36″ bust and 27-28″ waist, this dress was a bit large in the waist on me, but was perfect in the bust and sizing down likely would have meant the dreaded pancake boob was imminent. I cinched the waist with a belt and she was good to go.
I loved the sweetheart bust style – both really flattering but also high-cut enough to make it work appropriate. I did find that the thinner straps meant I couldn’t wear a normal bra, but even with just a strapless bra the shape of the cups had me feeling supported enough to leap and skip around like a fool while my neighbors watched with amusement. The skirt was perfectly flared for a full petticoat – at 26″ waist to hem, I found she could take two Malco Modes Meghan petticoats comfortably (and let’s be honest, I judge all of my dresses by how many petticoats I can cram in).
Perhaps my favorite feature of this dress (outside of the print) is the fact that the straps are adjustable. Long waisted and short waisted ladies alike rejoice! This really allows the flexibility for this dress to suit a variety of body types. I noticed this feature is present on a lot of Voodoo Vixen‘s pieces, which makes me far more confident in ordering from them again and again, because I won’t have to worry about the torso length being my downfall.
The Facts & Figures
The Aria hot air balloon print dress retails for £55.00 (~$71.50 USD) and they ship worldwide (though they offer free UK shipping for orders over £20). There are honestly so many pieces on their website I want right now (the Jayne playsuit may have already found its way from my shopping cart and into my closet), and they’re having an amazing summer sale on a range of items, from tops to cardigans to dresses.
If you like what you see, Voodoo Vixen is offering a coupon code exclusive to my readers! Use code DRESSED10 to receive 10% off from voodoovixen.co.uk until the End of June. You can also find Voodoo Vixen on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to get sneak peaks of new collections and sales.
Do you have any Voodoo Vixen pieces? How did you find the overall fit? I’d love to hear about other great styles!
xoxo
Outfit Details:
Dress: Aria dress c/o Voodoo Vixen
Necklace: Passionflower
Belt: Alannah Hill (similar)
Handbag: Vintage (similar here & here)
Shoes: I Love Billy, sold out (similar here & here)
Lip Color: BITE Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in Rose
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