Daily Outfit – The Water Lilly Dress on a Tropical Holiday
Yes this is a bit special. The story goes like this..
My lovely girlfriend Bernie Dexter, who aside from being a stunning pinup model, is also a cracking designer of vintage inspired fashion. You’ve seen me wear a number of things from her ranges before; including cute 50′s capri pants and retro dungaree jeans. But just before I took off for Thailand, she sent me this STUNNING water lilly dress from her latest range! It is made of a mid weight cotton with a rear zip and a tie up halter neck. The bust is a gathered inset section and the print is a “water” print, in that it looks like blue ripples on a lake. The skirt of the dress is lovely and full so it is perfectly cool for hot summer days and just delightful in these tropical surrounds.
Anyway, when I knew I was heading to Thailand I promised her I’d take a few special outfits appreciation shots of this fantastic dress. Little did I know that the resort I would be staying at actually had a water lilly pond! Serendipity if you ask me. So I paired the dress with an inexpensive pink rose clip I found at a roadside stall, and a cute pair of floral print wedges I’d bought for the trip ( super cheap at $29 from Betts). What I adore so much about Bernie’s dresses is that not only is the fit incredibly flattering on a range of figure types, you really don’t need to accessorise at all. Just pop a dress on and you’re good to go.
All of the fabrics she chooses have such interest and movement in the print, that they speak for themselves. These are not bad mood dresses, they are not high maintenance dresses (I wash mine in a wash bag on delicate in the machine). What they represent to me is the very best of what everyday fashion is relearning from the 1950′s. That a simple cotton dress, well made with femininity in mind, is the one step solution to a glamorous day.
The good news for my Australian readers is that thanks to a little girly pow wow between friends, my lovely sponsor MisKonduct Klothing is now stocking Bernie Dexter‘s range here in Australia!! That means quick and inexpensive shipping, easy returns and being super swanky is just a local click away. Size wise I find that if you consult the measurement charts on Bernie’s site you should be good. As they are a cotton and have no stretch, you want to make sure that you get a friend to measure you up so you know your correct size. I always recommend having a (discreet) friend do this for you once and then write it all down for late night shopping indulgences. Make sure to measure everything, including the drop beneath your bust to your natural waist line – you never know when you’ll need the measurements. (Even more so on 50′s styled dresses where you want to be sure they sit on your natural waist and not above) I generally wear an Australian size 8-10, so the small Water Lilly dress fits me perfectly.
If you love it as much as I do and have any questions, please feel free to ask away in the comments section. After all, a gem like this is too good to keep all to one’s self. 
I’ve been wanting one of Bernie’s dresses forever! In fact just today (before seeing this post!) I was on her site looking at jeans and the gingham dress. I want one so badly. Maybe my hubby will let me slurge ;o)
xoxo
Quincy: I can vouch for the awesomeness of the jeans. I two pairs, one in small and one in medium for when I want more room and casualness as opposed to super fitted and sexy.
Lush! I think I’ll be treating myself to a Bernie dress when I get my new job
It’s been my mission this year to wear more dresses, and be more adventurous with my choices when I don’t wear dresses
I’ve rediscovered an old love for deco-ing novelty tee’s, I’m wearing Goonies one right now!
So, in short, I either look a lady or an art student! I really should start doing OOTD posts
Miz recently posted..Brit Awards dress lust
Miz: LOL that IS a funny combination! Would love to see that shirt.
I am so jealous of your recent trip to Thailand! You look gorgeous as always. I hope that you and your family had a blast!
What a beautiful dress. Tropical and Hawaiian florals are my number one, favorite print.
louloubarbie.blogspot.com
Laura Leonard: We did have a wonderful time. It was a holiday long over due and I’m already saving hard and fast for the next one.
*sigh* It’s minus 5 celsius where I am, can’t wait for summer to get here so I can wear dresses like that again!
My birthday is coming up next month, maybe I’ll get myself a little treat from Bernie then
Ingrid: Og go on- do it! They make you feel like a million bucks!
super sweet dress. Just lovely and you look amazing in it! The scenery makes it even better!
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Anja: Thank you
Wow! I think I like this one even more than the landscape dress you have from her!
Stephanie recently posted..The Faux Button Dress
Stephanie: I love them both but they have such a different feel. I’m looking forward to wearing the cherry blossom landscape one with some pink angora this autumn.
Gorgeous! I love the patten, love the design, it looks so comfortable and breezy. And those shoes were just made for this outfit.
coffeeaddict recently posted..Valentines day revisited
Coffeaddict: The shoes were such a random find. I hadn’t planned on them for this dress but for another project altogether. I love when things work out like this!
gorgeous dress!!!
Laura: Thanks
Water lilies are one of my favorite things. Love the lush tropical surroundings !
Jaede: It is simply lush there!
Gotta love Bernie Dexter’s dresses…. I recently took advantage of her 20% off sale but it’s good that MisKonduct is also stocking it in Aus
Love the print of this dress – you look great!
AgentK: Yes, it is great to see some new quality pieces like these now being stocked in Australia
you look like a woodland elf from Lord of the Rings ! Gorgeous dress by Bernie Dexter. She’s so talented.X
Glamourdaze recently posted..Radio City Music hall – The Age of Glamour
Glamourdaze: Oh wow, thank you! Yes, she’s one talented lady that Bernie.
<3<3
You’re such a doll! I’m officially obsessed with your blog!
Yours,
Velveteen x
Um, not to be an obnoxious drag, but those flowers in the pond are not waterlilies. (As far as I can make out; am not wearing my glasses.) They look more like lotus flowers, which are not lilies. The reason why I´m nit picking is that after travelling for three months in India, Cambodia and Thailand recently I actually got a lotus flower tattoo, and it´s very special and precious to me. If the flowers on your dress are lilies; well, that´s great, and the dress is incredibly beautiful no matter what
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelumbo_nucifera
P.s. Your blog is beautiful, and so are you.
Glamdoc: Hi there! Well I’m not an expert in these things, but these were at the Singapore zoo and beside the pond they had one of those plaques describing what they were. The plaque has them listed as a Giant Water Lilly but I can’t remember the species name… Perhaps different places have different names for them?
On the tattoo front, I have Chinese peonies as a part of mine.