It is a pretty tough thing to nail down just one on my many dresses and say it’s my favourite. But the Pinup Girl Clothing Monica Dress sure is a hot contender. It is most definitely is my favourite wiggle dress!

I’ve been wanting to do a blog post about the Monica for ages but with such a fabulous dress, I knew it had to be a extra special one… especially since I have 4 colours! Jeff and Dorin of Studio81 helped to bring my vision to life, of showcasing each of the colours I have in a different theme.

The Monica was designed as part of the Laura Byrnes Black Label and ever since it was released in 2012 it’s been a total hit. Originally coming in a black, red and gold, it now comes in 7 other colours, 6 of them also in plus size.

The first one I ever purchased was the black. Back then, I was still finding my confidence with wiggle dresses. I was trialling different types of shape-wear so buying the Monica was kind of a big deal But the Monica’s ruching disguises any shape-wear that would otherwise show through a smoother dress, making it much easier to wear.

With my measurements falling across 3 different sizes (medium for bust, small for waist and large for hips), I went with the medium. I think I could have sized down to the small for my bust but it probably would have been too stretched over my hips and lost the ruched detail.

With in-built bengaline shaper, I fell in love instantly when I first put it on! I had never felt so amazing in a wiggle dress!

The versatile neckline and clear elastic grip means you can wear the dress on the shoulder or up for 40s silhouette.

The black version feels so film noir! I styled it with my Nana’s vintage fur and leather gloves and gorgeous velvet hat borrowed from my friend Sylvanna.

Perfect for a cocktail evening or a night at the theatre, the black Monica exudes vintage glamour. Drape yourself with a vintage fur and add a sparkly statement necklace and you can be sure to turn heads where-ever you go!

With the success of my first Monica, I decided I needed another one! Within a two weeks I had bought the red version off a friend who had purchased it but needed a different size.

The red, while just as glamourous, feels a little more casual (in a extremely well-dressed way!) and more suited to day-wear.

With the bright pop of stunning red matte knit, it can be dressed up or down. Add a slim belt to define your waist and and some matching red heels and it’s a perfect outfit any day-time event that carries on into the evening. The red Monica will seamlessly see you though from day to night.

This glorious coat is the Collectif Pearl Coat, you can read a full review here. It’s out of stock on the website but there’s a totally stunning dark green version coming out soon!

Next on the Monica wishlist was the glamorous Champagne version! When I saw this previewed, I knew I had to have it! I purchased it at Christmas time and waited patiently to get to wear it to my Hens night in March. I think it’s the perfect pinup wedding dress so that’s how I decided to portray it for this blog post.

The silver lurex knit gives the dress a beautiful sparkle… it just feels so special when you put it on! I made the bow/birdcage veil fascinator with matching champagne fabric and wore the necklace from my actual wedding.

The ever-so lovely Sue of the Floral Stylist put together this beautiful bouquet of deep reds to match my lipstick.

There is also a off-white Monica which could also be used as a wedding dress. Just be aware though, because of the off white jersey knit but pure white lining/shaper, the colour difference is noticeable when the dress is on.

Last but not least and the most recent addition to my collection… the purple Monica! I leaped for joy when this colour was previewed….y’all know how much I love purple!

In the same matte jersey knit of the other versions, the purple is just so decadent! Similar to it’s red sister, it has the ability to be dressed up or down.

I accessorised the purple Monica with the Deadly Dames Velvet Belt and killer patent pumps. It just felt perfect for a boudoir style shoot!

Worth mentioning that whilst there is a in-built bengaline shaper, I like to go for something a little more extreme and am wearing my Rago 6207 and Orchard Corset CS-426 corset. I’ll be doing a full review on this corset soon!

The Monica truly is a beautiful dress with amazing construction and with so many colours, you’d be hard pressed to find one you don’t fall in love with instantly! I’m crossing my fingers and toes for a deep green version in the future and also think it would look amazing in a full-length version *hint-hint* 😉

Jeff and Dorin at Studio81 did such a fabulous job with the photos, we literally only spent about 10 minutes to get each look and it was so hard to choose which ones to pick. They are such a great, professional team and their studio is so lovely and situated right in the heart of Newmarket. You feel so special getting to sit in their viewing room in front of a huge television to pick out your edits. The experience from start to finish is always top notch!

Studio81 is giving away 3 x $300 photoshoot/print credit vouchers to my readers! Just click the RaffleCopter link below and follow the instructions to enter. Please make sure you read the terms and conditions before entering

Enter here>>> Win a $300 Studio81 Voucher

Big thanks also to the Floral Stylist for the beautiful bouquet, check out their facebook page for their other creations including my wedding flowers and decorations!
x Miss Victory Violet