Vintage shopping can be wretched when something you've fallen for quite hard and deeply, and it can be wrenched away from you just like that.  More so on eBay when the clock is ticking and those opposing bids are piling up. 

This black strapless dress with a gold lame fan pleating detail from Kuku Vintage had me clicking and reclicking the link just to read the measurements again.  The waist is sadly too wee for my me.  Sure I could kid myself into thinking 'Yes, an extra inch or two will come off' but with my affection for Cake Therapy, that sadly isn't going to happen. 

But to wheover is svelte enough, a gold fan fronting the dress is one of those structural details that I squeal at and look for when going vintage shopping and snap up straight away.  So were it not for my el chunko tendancies, this would have been an absolute steal.  Go forth my small-waisted fashion soldiers and get ye some gold pleated lame...