Anyways, what better time to receive a beautiful, heavy, full-skirted blue dress in the mail than in such deep-winter conditions? Let me explain...

A few weeks ago, Eva and Sophie of Bows & Bandits Vintage sent me an email asking if I would give them some feedback on their new site. Naturally, I quite promptly...forgot all about it. Because I'm a jerk. But after some gentle reminding, I finally snapped out of it and gave their shop a look.

I was quite honestly impressed. These ladies have really got their act together. Not only is their site refreshingly clean, stylish, and easy to navigate, but the clothes that they are selling are all truly gems. I'm no stranger (no indeed...) to the world of online vintage shopping, both from the stance of a buyer and a seller. It's not every day that you come across people who are willing to take the time and make the effort to ensure that their store looks not only so polished, but also like so much fun.

So, of course, I wanted everything they were selling (I mean, come on!) and of course, I have no money! Apparently however, ridiculously generous is another phrase you can add to the list of compliments I have for these two ladies, because they happily suggested that they send me something from their stock as an example of what they have in store.

So, here I am, pulling my "happy-happy-joy-joy" face, and wearing my lovely new (old) traditional Austrian dress. The beauty is really in the details, for which I hope you will excuse my sad attempt at justice-giving:




Now, schlepping for some stranger's businesses is not something that interests me, and for every one thing I accept, there is usually some creepy site trying to get me to review pearl necklaces or super discounted engagement rings (I mean, for reals guys? At least pretend that you read the blog. Humor me?) But I can easily say that, hands down, this dress is one of the very best things I have been gifted so far, and at the hands of some fine folks for whom I would happily schlepp till the cows come home!

So thank you, Eva and Sophie! You obviously put a lot of hard work into your store, and it shows! I hope I can play a small part in making sure that it pays off.