One More Time With Feeling

"Your stitches are all out

But your scars are healing wrong

The helium balloon inside your room has come undone

And it's pushing up at the ceiling

And the flickering lights it cannot get beyond"

~ Regina Spektor

Having recently bought a breathtakingly beautiful dress from The Vampire's Wife (blogged here), an upcoming special occasion in Dublin encouraged me to splash out and treat myself to another one of their amazing designs. I adore this dress, but I think the Universe was trying to tell me not to buy it. I didn't listen however, so of course everything went wrong.

First, my usual size didn't fit me (the silk organza lining in this particular design makes for a much tighter fit than normal, with no give in it whatsoever), so I returned it and exchanged it for a bigger size. Then, as most of the dress was now too big for me, I had to take it to a Tailor for alteration. That was the biggest mistake. Three fittings and many weeks later, I have been left with a dress that doesn't fit me properly at all. It went from being huge, with tons of material for the Tailor to play with, to now only just closing on me if I breathe in deeply enough, with a waistline that sits somewhere between my natural waist and my boobs, making me look rather top heavy. There's not enough dress left to alter it any further so I will forevermore have to diet for at least a month before wearing it so that my hips and tummy (both small by anyone's standards) can comfortably fit inside. I'll saying nothing about the rather snug boob area. Needless to say, I wasn't able to wear it to the special occasion in Dublin (if you're curious, I wore this instead), and I simply can't justify the cost of replacing the beautiful dress.

All that being said, it really is the most fabulous thing, and had the Tailor done a decent job with the alterations, it would undoubtedly be right up there with my favourite dresses of all time. Midi in length, it features a classic pink floral Liberty print. The three-quarter length sleeves are edged with silk metallic chiffon ruffles, and this detail is followed through to a hemline of yet more softly gathered golden frills. It is romantic feminine girly chic at its absolute best. No one does that quite like The Vampire's Wife.

Paired with hot pink satin sling-backs, this is an outfit I should thoroughly enjoy wearing, but I get weary holding my tummy in and not being able to eat, or indeed breathe in it. It all looked so good on paper; the dress is me to a tee, it's by one of my favourite brands of all time, and it is quite literally the dress of dreams. Hey ho. Maybe I'll listen more closely to what the Universe is trying to tell me next time.

By the way, if anyone can recommend a good Tailor, please let me know!

Get The Look:

Dress: The Vampire's Wife Pink Floral and Gold Metallic Cotton Dress

Shoes: Gina 'Martini' Peep-Toe Shoes in fuchsia (similar here here and here)
Bag: Dirty Fabulous Vintage Beaded Clutch Bag in ivory (similar here and here)

Photos: Jason Connery ©

The Vampire's Wife

“On the second day I brought her a flower

She was more beautiful than any woman I'd seen

I said, 'Do you know where the wild roses grow

So sweet and scarlet and free?'

On the second day he came with a single rose

Said: 'Will you give me your loss and your sorrow?'

I nodded my head, as I laid on the bed

He said, 'If I show you the roses will you follow?’”

~ Nick Cave

Taking its name from her husband Nick Cave’s abandoned book project about the relationship between the muse and the creative process, The Vampire’s Wife is the brainchild of former model and actress Susie Cave (nee Bick) and her friend and business partner Alex Adamson. Part of a new generation of Designers who do things on their own terms, Susie doesn’t do seasonal collections. Instead, new pieces appear online and in store as and when she designs them.

Offering an off-beat twist on retro glamour, a Vampire’s Wife dress has an other-worldly feel about it. It takes you somewhere else, sometime else. Classic and contemporary at the same time, the pretty prairie style dresses are infused with a bewitching, gothic glamour. Demure, yet not, they ooze sex appeal in an unassuming way. The perfect dress for those nights when you want to make an impression without trying too hard.

In the current climate of #MeToo and Time’s Up, what women choose to wear has never been more prevalent, and The Vampire’s Wife’s restrained designs and modest cuts, feel strangely timely. “They are not about empowerment as such, as they are predicated on the idea that women are already powerful,” Cave says of her designs.

Get The Look:

Dress: The Vampire’s Wife Forget Me Not Mini Cate Dress

Shoes: Jimmy Choo ’Anouk’ Shoes in black

Bag: Celine Mini Boogie Bag in sparkly black (I've had this for many years; similar available preowned here and here)

Photos: Jason Connery ©