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Among the whispering, the champagne and the stars: Gatsby Lady Flapper Dress in Emerald Green



Every few years I reread The Great Gatsby. Each time, within its pages, I learn something new about myself, about love, and about the human condition. Gatsby's dreamy soul speaks to my romantic one. The beautiful, transformative power and faith of his love and all that it builds is really one of the greatest stories of all time. The book speaks of longing, desire, excess, love and nostalgia - some of my very favourite topics.
I have a romantic soul. I am nostalgic by nature, and am drawn to vintage styles and aesthetics that invoke the spirit of the era they were born into. The roaring twenties have long captivated me. Fresh from the horrors of the Great War, society rebelled against the corsets and stays of the Victorian era. Women cast off their fashion shackles and a more androgynous trend was born - hemlines and hair styles were shorter. It was a decade of excess. Reeling from the existential crisis that results when so many dying seemingly for nothing, the flappers of the twenties revelled in pleasure and excess. If life was short and without meaning, but have a damn good time while you're here.






Gold Beaded Clutch - Vintage Family Heirloom
Wide Fit Black Strappy Heels - Primark


Despite my adoration for all things retro, and a special love of the twenties in particular, this in fact is my first proper flapper dress. Gatsby Lady have made my little vintage heart ridiculously happy, because they have a gorgeous line of beautifully embellished flapper dresses, and they are all available in plus sizes!!! That's right, you heard me ladies. Plus size flapper dresses. And my god are they beautiful! We are talking encrusted jewels of dresses. Excessive in the most wonderful way. Not just one beauty, but scores. Actual choice - of colour and cut and style. Shimmery and sparkly and perfect for drinking gin and smoking and swearing and listening to jazz and dancing the Charleston. All the wonderful things flappers get to do.

When Gatsby Lady offered me a piece to review, I picked this Angel Sleeve Emerald Green Flapper Dress beauty. It's soft grass green, embellished with green and gold sequins and glass beads. The top of the dress has a ray-like pattern, reminiscent of art deco design. The lining is a simple green polyester shift. The overlays is a light mesh, with some elastic at the waist which is good for giving shape. I sized up to a 26 as I had heard that the styles run really small (I am usually a 22) but in hindsight I would have been okay in a 24. However I kinda like the relaxed fit. Makes a nice change to the more fitted styles I often gravitate towards.






The outfit was perfectly finished with a matching headband (which I want to work into my wardrobe in other ways because it's just so fabulous and boho) and my vintage beaded clutch. This gold beaded clutch is one of my very favourite possessions - it belonged to my great grandmother in the twenties and is now mine. As my family have moved back and forth between several continents over the decades, very little has survived the constant culling of stuff, so this heirloom is super special to me and therefore doesn't make it out very often. But I think you have to agree it's perfect with this dress.

Gatsby Lady dresses are perfect for the party season. Glamorous and sparkly and show stopping, they're also really easy to wear. So if you're looking for a special dress as we head into the festive season, studded as it is with events and gatherings, I'd really recommend giving them a try. Just wonderful! Have you tried Gatsby Lady before? Do you love the flapper style? Let me know...

7 comments

  1. Hayley you look amazing!!!! I love the green on you and you should never ever take off that headband!

    C x
    CurvyGirlThin.com

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    1. Thank you my darling. I want to wear it all the time! Thinking how I can work it into every outfit!

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  2. You look absolutely stunning! I love the green against your red hair and pale skin. You are 1920's perfection :D xx

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    1. Thank you lovely lady! Red and Green should never be seen except upon an Irish queen - psssht!

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  3. You look absolutely stunning! The dress is simply beautiful! It suits you perfect. Yet, my favourite thing is that clutch. I love that it has been handed down to you, and has probably seen some amazing adventures! T xxx

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    1. Thank you hon. It does make it so much more special, indeed!

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  4. I was actually searching EMERALD HAIR dye because I just did I'd... But I don't believe in coincidence.... I love Gatsby and Art Deco Era and I love seeing a gorgeous woman such as yourself take the flapper style in a totally different direction that is brimming with a vitality I find contagious! 💜💜💜 I wore a flapper dress to my prom which I had to attend because I was on student council. I was my date. LOL. At least I knew not to ask me to dance-not my forte. But it was 1993 and you didn't wear BLACK, or "costumes" (though the dresses in fashion looked like pastel metallic lampshades to me and still do when I spot one at thrift stores today) but I like what I like and I love the way you rock that dress. You make me glad to be a girl with curves and shape myself....YOU are gorgeous, doll. Just had to comment.....

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