This month’s Songful Style challenge is all about a tune that instantly brings to mind jukeboxes, milkshakes, and big bouncy hairdos—yep, I’m talking about Chantilly Lace, chosen by the lovely Shelbee! Songful Style is a monthly collaboration between, Shelbee, Marsha and I where we style an outfit based on a song. It’s such fun and we invite you to play along on the last Monday of every month! Last month, we had fun styling Love Shack.
Originally recorded in 1958 by J.P. Richardson—better known as The Big Bopper—Chantilly Lace is a rockabilly classic that totally captures the cheeky, flirtatious vibe of the late 1950s. With its talk-singing style and that unforgettable opening line, “Helllllooooo baaaaby!”, the song feels more like a phone conversation than a typical love song. It’s full of swagger, humour, and a kind of teenage boy bravado that was so typical of the early rock ‘n’ roll era.
The Big Bopper wasn’t just a musician—he was also a DJ and a bit of a showman, which explains the theatrical delivery of the lyrics. Tragically, he’s probably most famous now for being one of the three artists (along with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens) who died in that terrible plane crash in 1959, often referred to as The Day the Music Died. But Chantilly Lace remains a proper legacy piece—one of those songs that’s still instantly recognisable even if you’ve never heard his name before.
The song’s title refers to a type of delicate, decorative lace that was incredibly popular in women’s fashion, especially for lingerie. So naturally, it’s all about a girl who’s got “Chantilly lace and a pretty face and a pony tail hanging down”—the kind of girl who makes the singer weak at the knees just by giggling down the phone. It’s playful, a bit silly, and full of old-school charm.
What I love about this pick is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously—it’s a reminder that fashion (and life!) can be fun, a little flirty, and full of personality. There’s such a strong visual element to this song too, which is perfect for our style challenge. You can almost see the soda shop, the crinoline skirts, and the cat-eye glasses, can’t you?
However, I ended up not going down that route for one reason: the heat! This weekend just happened to be the hottest weekend we’ve had for AGES. It’s unbearable. It’s diabolical. It’s BLOODY HOT! And I hate it lol. No, I don’t fare well in the heat, especially when the heat is around 40 degrees. No thank you! Winter where are you? I miss you! Please come back!
Where was I? Oh yes, my outfit choice for Chantilly Lace. I had intended to play up the 1950s and add my signature whimsy with a lace kimono but it was just too hot. So, I ended up styling a pretty little lace dress that I scored from Vinted last year. This is actually the first time I’m wearing it and I love it. It’s so stinking cute and girlie! I love that it has little pom-poms on the end of the ties at the front. Talk about unusual…and even though it’s not technically Chantilly lace, the delicate fabric and flirty details totally give off that same vintage-lingerie-meets-day-dress charm. Anyway, there’s not a lot else to say about the Chantilly Lace outfit other than I added my favourite clog-style shoes, my Marc Jacobs Tote bag and a necklace that reminds me of Wilma from the Flintstones lol.
We took the photos around the house, searching for shade. As you can see, we’ve still got a lot to do with paving, etc but we’re getting there slowly! If you’re curious about the house, check out my last post which has photos and an update.
If you’re new here—welcome! I’d love you to stick around. You can follow my blog, YouTube, or Instagram for more magical musings, outfit inspo, and life in Portugal! Now don’t forget to check out how my wonderful co-hosts styled Chantilly Lace, (Shelbee & Marsha), and add your posts to the link-up below! Next month, we’ll be styling a song chosen by me, which is the hauntingly beautiful Six by Rose Betts.
