Reviewed – Gina Bacconi Lace and Velvet Dress

A few years ago I went on a fabulous cruise with my husband and family. There were a couple of formal, black tie events taking place whilst we were on board, events that called for a special evening gown. Now, I’d given birth just 8 months earlier and was not feeling particularly glam or body confident, so I needed a dress that would make me feel beautiful, if only for a night. The brand I turned to was Gina Bacconi, a brand who understand about glamour and can dress curvy figures. I have to say I loved my dress and how it made me feel.

Flash forward five years and Gina Bacconi is still a go-to brand when you need something really special for an event, ball or a black tie occasion. And so, this weekend, I was calling on the brand once again when I was asked to judge the best dressed lady and best hat at the Ladies Evening at Wolverhampton Race course. I wanted a dress that was elegant and glamorous, but also functional – I was going to be walking pretty much the whole of the venue in order to spot the best dressed ladies, so it need to be something I was comfortable in, and could walk in. This ruled out anything super tight, or a floor sweeping maxi. I also wanted something that had a classic look – a dress that I can wear time and time again for special occasions – so nothing too ‘fashion’. Gina Bacconi sent me the perfect dress.

The dress I chose was the lace and velvet dress. This is black lace, with a velvet cumberband detail across the back, and a champagne coloured underlayer. The dress has a shift style shape and sits just above the knee on me (I’m 5ft 7inches), with a comfortable, cap sleeve. I liked that this dress had a classic look, and that it reminded me of the sophisticated styles worn by the Duchess of Cambridge and her sister Pippa Middleton, styles that seem to fit a whole host of occasions.

This dress was really easy to wear. It has a zip at the back, but because the dress contains an element of stretch in the fabric (10% elastane), I could actually put this on without needing to undo the zip, which is good news if you struggle with zips at the back. I teamed the dress with black accessories, with a single colour block coming from the red shoes. These were from my favourite designer, Vivienne Westwood and Melissa, and I chose red, but I pretty much think any coloured, heeled shoes would have the same effect of just lifting the look.

I had a wonderful night at Wolverhampton Racecourse, and my lovely dress just added to the occasion, making it a very special and memorable night.

*I was gifted the dress from Gina Bacconi for an honest review.

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