LindyBop 'Claudine' Review

Dear readers,

Like many modern vintage-lovers, I am a huge fan of Lindy Bop, a clothing brand which specialises in 1940s and 50s-inspired outfits in modern fabrics. As I was scrolling through their sales offering a few weeks ago (as I often do when I’m sitting on the train, lounging around at home, having a cup of coffee, lying in bed etc. etc…) I spotted a couple of dresses which I thought would be ideal for my upcoming summer trip to Ljubljana. I bought them, wore them around the city, and now I’m back at my laptop to review them for your information and entertainment.

Both dresses are from Lindy Bop’s ‘Claudine’ range; a small range of 1950s inspired shirt dresses in a range of prints. They are made of summery starched cotton, and are fully lined, with neat bodices and flared skirts. They also have short flattering sleeves, landing in the middle of the upper arm, which are secured with ties.

I bought 2 dresses in different prints; one in blue check, and the other in red stripes. Each one also came with a belt (included in the price) in light brown and bright red respectively. I quickly found that the belts are absolutely essential to creating a flattering silhouette with these dresses; they nip one’s waist right in and emphasise the flare of the skirt. Without them, the dresses can appear a little baggy and shapeless.

Once the belts were on, each of the dresses was an absolute delight to wear. They both have very pretty, classic prints, and hold a lovely shape. I was even complimented on the red dress by a stranger, which never happens to me when I wear non-vintage clothes! I found both of them to be well-fitting, although it should be noted that after reading reviews suggesting that Lindy Bop dresses can be tight around the chest, I ordered a size above my usual. If you are busty, I suggest you do the same, as I’ve had many bad experiences with ill-fitting shirt dresses! The comfortable fit of the size 20 helped me to avoid any discomfort, or the dreaded faux pas of my dress suddenly popping open in public. Both dresses fitted neatly around my chest and waist, without being overly tight, and there’s plenty of fabric in the voluminous skirts. I wore them without petticoats for my holiday, but they could also easily be worn with them to create a more dramatic silhouette. They were particularly comfortable in the Slovenian heat, where it reached between 25 and 30˚C. The dresses proved to be light and airy, while heavy enough to maintain their shape.

Even washing the dresses when I returned from holiday has been easy. No need to dry clean or hand-wash; simply throw them in the washing machine and launder at 30˚C. They will require ironing, and ironing pleats is never fun, but I found them less high-maintenance than some other vintage or vintage-inspired dresses. They travelled well in my case and weren’t too creased to wear without ironing when I arrived in Ljubljana.

All in all, Lindy Bop’s ‘Claudine’ dresses proved to be an absolute hit for my summer holiday. They were light, pretty and effortless. I hope to also wear them on a trip later this year to Morocco, where the modest length of the dresses should serve me well. The dresses are also formal enough to wear in certain work environments; perhaps not in a lawyer’s office or a bank, but they should be perfectly suitable for a less corporate office environment. I imagine it would also be easy to throw a jumper over each of them to wear as the weather cools. I’m very happy with my purchase, and look forward to a bright future with my adorable Lindy Bop dresses.

Thanks for reading,

Rebecca