Bella Donna dreams

A little while ago I was tempted by the PUG online yard sale and picked up a few discounted beauties. It's hard to resist any PUG sale. I was lucky in that I wasn't coveting anything too hard at the time but I still thought I'd have a little browse. Then a few things found their way into my basket, you know, just in case, just to think about.... Then somehow I was entering in my payment details...

Any kind of sale has a weird affect one me. Things I'd thought were kind of pretty suddenly become must-haves and I find myself whittling down a wishlist that I never would have considered before! A PUG sale is extra dangerous because most of the site falls into the wishlist. The prices are the only thing that holds me back. Reduce those and I'm hopeless. This will probably end up with me living in a garden shed, dressed immaculately in retro evening gowns that I wear to sleep in.

The speed of the PUG website during a sale proves that I'm not alone in this though. I've got some soul-sisters out there, tensely waiting for each page to load. It's worth the wait though when you pick up a bargain like this....

The Bella Donna dress in black with red rose border print by PUG brand Pinup Couture. I'd admired the flamenco flare of this style before but probably wouldn't have parted with the full $144. For $60 however, I was sold.

The dress has a nice full skirt that you could fit a petticoat under but also looks fine without. It's not as full as the Harley dress so it's easier to wear without one. The adjustable, thick straps and boned bodice make for a secure fit that would work with a range of body shapes. The fabric is a sturdy cotton mix with a beautiful rose print along the skirt.

One day I'll remember to iron my dresses....

As if that wasn't pretty enough it's finished with a row of little pom-poms along the hem and neckline!

So cute!! 

I choose a M in this dress and it fits perfectly. I definitely prefer the look of the dress with a belt though. It helps accentuate the shape of the dress and pull it together.

If you like Spanish/Flamenco inspiration this is the dress for you! It's sadly no longer available in this colourway but you can get it in red with a black border print or red with an Italian landscape border print over on the PUG website. Both dresses have different feels, The red with rose border has the same look as this black version but the Italian border print is amazing and evokes the Riviera (no pom-poms on this version).

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All photos by the lovely Sally Molineaux