Second Review: Autograph Fashion

I know, I know, I’ve been promising to review the rest of the clothes that Autograph Fashion sent to me for weeks.  But as you may know, I’ve been working on two HUGE projects at work for the past few weeks, which has meant that I’ve had little time for a social life, and that I’ve had to be in kind of boring clothes for practical reasons of late.  There’s no point wearing that pretty new frock when you’re going to be on a building site around paint, dust, furniture in plastic bags and equipment under bubble wrap.  Though the tradies might like it!

However, on Friday, another parcel arrived from Autograph Fashion with MORE clothes for me to review, so I figured I’d better start finding opportunities to wear these pieces and review them.  Autograph have been more than generous in sending me these garments (they have sent me 10 garments in total!) and the least I can do is get some reviews happening for them.

So, yesterday, I finally got the opportunity to go and see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 with my friend Kylie (hello Cupcake!)  I’ve been wanting to go since it came out but have been so crazy busy and I worked 11 out of the previous 12 days, that the time wasn’t there.  However Kylie and I booked our tickets for Gold Class.   For those of you unfamiliar, Gold Class is a fancy pants cinema with big squishy recliner chairs, only about 20 or 30 people in the cinema at any time, and you can have hot food and drinks (including coffees and alcohol) served right to you throughout the  movie.  It’s expensive, but really lovely for a treat.

I figured what better time to wear one of the pieces Autograph has sent me.  So I wore this dress:

Yeah, the photo is a bit washed out because it was a bit dark and we had to use the flash.  But you get the idea.  My bloggy friend Mim bought this dress a while back and I really liked it on her, and I was actually considering buying it when I got time to go shopping.  So I was rather tickled to receive it from Autograph.

I quite like it now I’ve seen it in the flesh so to speak.  The waistline is a bit dull, but I fixed that up by adding my new belt (bought it from Kmart for $17!) and I wore it with footless tights from We Love Colors ($16), ballet flats from Rubi Shoes ($20) and a satin flower headband I picked up at the Reject Shop ($5).  This dress is a size 26, and a generous one at that.  I had plenty of room in it, I probably could have even gone down a size.

My only criticism is that it’s more synthetic fabric, but for $39.95 on the price tag, it’s not too bad a price for a synthetic dress.

I think I could wear it over pants or leggings as well, which gives it more scope for styling.  You can’t really see it but there is a little bit of a tan colour in the print, and I had it with a woven handbag in almost the same tan colour.

The next garment I have to share with you is this top:

I have to admit, I’m not all that fond of this one, but it will be fine for a work top.  It’s a bit mumsy for me, but that’s a taste thing, rather than anything wrong with the garment itself.  You can’t see in the photo but it does have these nice slits down the sleeves that give it a bit of style.  I really don’t like the plastic buckle do-dad in the middle there, I think I might remove that and just wear it with a belt.  I was out on site today so I have to wear closed, flat shoes – thus the knock-off Chucks (they’re black sequins, I love them) from Rubi Shoes ($15) and the plain black pants, from Autograph a couple of years ago (I think they originally sold for about $40).  I am living in knock-off chucks (and my one real pair) at the moment.

It was a really comfortable top, I just felt a bit bland in it.  But hey, I have hot pink hair and visible tattoos, I’m a little more “out there” than some folks.  It’s also a size 26, but it was a bit neater in sizing than the dress.  Sometimes consistency in sizing is a bit of a problem for Autograph.  This one had a $49.95 price tag on it, which I felt was a bit steep for just a synthetic top with a plastic do-dad on it.

But then I almost never pay full marked price for anything, because I pride myself in finding a bargain!

I was in the Autograph store in the Myer Centre here in Brisbane last week and some really nice new stock is coming through.  I picked up a couple of pairs of tailored shorts for work for a song (and wore them with tights underneath, you can see a photo here) and some casual tank tops that actually have armholes that fit under my arms – not halfway down my sides!  They’re very cool and comfy for a hot Brisbane summer.  There are some dresses in stock there that I really like at the moment, and quite a few other pieces that jumped out at me as really lovely.  Not many natural fibres still though, but I’m not really expecting that from chain retailers.

I have to say though, there is one dress that Autograph have sent me that I would have paid every penny of the price tag (and more) for that is absolutely exquisite, that I’m dying to wear and share here with you all, but it’s very swish, so I have to wait for just the right occasion for it.  And you’ll have to wait too!  But I promise you, it’s worth the wait.