I had mixed feelings at first.
I often find when a celeb teams up with a retailer – no matter how big or small, it can be a major hit or miss.
Despite the fact that I’ve noticed a lot of misses lately, after seeing Olivia Culpo’s collection for Pretty Little Thing… I was just obsessed.
I’m not much of a super girly-girl, but I loved the retro dresses mixed with edgy black leather and pops of bright vinyl.
The entire line was just so romantic yet edgy at the same time and I absolutely had to try it.
Now usually if I’m reviewing clothes, I’ll take pictures standing still and with a pose – the ultimate Insta hun – but this time a video was put on the agenda and I knew it was time to change it up.
Plus, this collection was a bit more ‘out there’ than what I’m used too, so I was super conscious of all my bits and bobs being on camera for the world to see.
The first look I tried was the white lace dress, which admittedly, I usually run away from.
I never wear white, and hardly ever wear lace, but I was happily surprised when I put this dress on.
It was a great fit, snug at the waist (but with room for a food baby) and since I’m a petite woman, I was glad it didn’t go all the way down to my knees like most high street dresses do.
With autumn firmly in play, I could definitely see myself wearing it to a party because it covers you up enough to keep warm (believe me, the wind was wild when we were filming), and at €47.25, I think it’ll definitely be a piece that will stay in my wardrobe for many seasons to come.
The next dress I tried was the standout dress of the collection.
This is the dress Olivia Culpo wore on Instagram to announce the line and to say it was a show-stopper on her is an understatement.
However, I’m not a former Miss America, so I was intrigued to see how it would fit me.
Because of its low cut, I thought I was going to be super aware of my boobs in it – but they were actually grand and stayed in place.
The bit that I was aware of was my stomach.
I felt the dress clung to my tummy, and after seeing it in one of the first shots, I couldn’t stop myself looking out for it and sucking in as the filming went on (which admittedly, made me uncomfortable).
Apart from that, I loved the off-the-shoulder puff sleeves – they gave an extra edge to the gúna, and at €54 it won’t break the bank.
The next piece I tried was the jumpsuit; or as I like to call it, my power suit.
As I said before, I’m small at 5’1″ so I didn’t have high hopes for this fitting me properly (most jumpsuits are way too long), however, it turned out to be my favourite piece from the collection.
It fit around my waist perfectly, wasn’t too long on my legs, and was super comfy to move around in.
To be honest, I felt f*cking badass in it, and while my boobs have never been so out before (like, wow, hello there), I still felt secure and was happy that nothing would pop out… God forbid.
Whether it’s a wedding, a party or a regular Saturday night out – this jumpsuit is a go-to wardrobe staple and at €47.25 I will definitely be telling all my friends to buy it.
The final look I also stole from Olivia. At the launch of the collection in LA, the brunette beauty wore a white long shirt, teamed with a black vinyl skirt.
I wanted to add a pop of colour into my choices, so I opted for the red skirt, which is priced at €27.
When I had this outfit laid out on my bed, I wasn’t too sure about it. The shirt, which comes in at €33.75, looked way too oversized and the skirt was much too bright for my liking.
But again, my mind changed when I actually put on the clothes.
We always talk about ‘office to bar’ transitional dressing, and this is the ultimate example.
Without the red skirt, I’d definitely wear it into the office with a pair of tights and boots. It looks super professional and very low-key.
However, throw on the red vinyl skirt and ditch the tights… then it’s a stand-out piece for a date night or girls get-together.
I loved the pop of colour and even decided to play with my make-up once the outfit was on.
As I pranced around the canals of Dublin, and perched awkwardly on the river, I’m happy to say that I felt comfortable in the majority of the clothing.
That said, this range isn’t for everyone, these pieces are statement looks, they’re tight, low-cut and they cling.
I feel like the Olivia Culpo x Pretty Little Thing collection was very well-rounded, and personally, I loved three out of the four outfits.
If you’re into the retro, romantic look, then this is definitely the collection for you.
