The White Dress Edit

My seasonal switchover is complete. This week I put all my winter coats away (a bigger job than it might sound, and I have made a mental note to get selling as soon as the winter arrives!) and brought all of my summer clothes out of the loft. If I didn’t feel excited to wear something again, I put it aside in one of two piles. ‘To sell’ and ‘To Charity’. Those bags have gone from virtuous ordered piles to annoying clutter and now they are just pure guilt. I feel guilty that they are there in the first place, guilty about the space they are taking up in our home and guilty that I can’t find the time to find them all homes. I dare say it won’t be long before the ‘To sell’ bags are relegated to the charity shop. I have thought about doing a car boot sale, but the reality is I probably won’t get around to it and selling takes up time I don’t have. I have made a promise to myself to wear the clothes I have, stop feeling the pressure to post new outfits on Instagram (I read someone’s caption this week that said ‘Instagram is all about the new’ and it made me shudder) and try to be much more selective about the gifts I accept. This last point isn’t easy. A) it’s part of my job B) I really love clothes C) I find it hard to say ‘no thank you’ to an emerging brand who have put blood, sweat and tears into their collection, because if it’s something I love, it’s lovely to be able to help them grow their brand. But I have reached a point where I feel a little overwhelmed by choice. So it’s time to become a little more self-disciplined. My new rule is that if I can’t see myself wearing a gifted item more than a few times, I must say no, even if it’s something I love. So this season, I hope you’ll see me wearing all my old favourites and a few new favourites.

So, on the subject of old favourites… I bought this Isabel Marant dress in New York about 7 years ago and I love it just as much today as I did the day I bought it. I actually wear it backwards (I do this quite a lot!) as I prefer an open neck. Something to remember if you are looking to give a piece new life. Obviously it doesn’t work with every item, but if a top or dress has an interesting back, it often works the other way round. I usually remove the label so that it doesn’t show.

I think my ultimate summer outfit has to be a white dress and sandals so I thought I would put together an edit of the my favourite white summer dresses, hopefully with something to suit all budgets.

*Please note this blog contains affiliate links*

Love this dress, it has such a designer feel to it.

A classic white sundress, perfect for wafting through the market in France.

I love the back of this dress.

This is very pretty. I am a huge fan of a dress with a shorter hem at the front and longer at the back.

This might be my favourite, just because it looks so much more expensive than it is. Look at the beautiful detail on the neckline and sleeves for those who don’t like the tops of their arms.

This is the perfect beach to bar dress. Can be popped up onto the shoulders if you aren’t a fan of off the shoulder.

This style of dress works very well on the smaller chested. This photo isn’t doing it justice, it’s a lovely dress.

Okay this dress really would break the bank, but I thought I would put it here for a little inspiration. I love the way they have styled it with a statement belt. A good way to give pieces in your wardrobe a new lease of life.

I’d eat beans on toast for 3 months for this dress, but I’m not sure my family would do the same! 🙂

If I was looking (I’m not, I’m not, I’m not!) then I would be very temped by the Next dress with puff sleeve for £48 and if I was looking to invest, the Innika Choo would be my choice. A bit like this Isabel Marant Dress, I just know I would wear it for years to come…

SHOP THE POST

If you are looking for something similar to the dress I am wearing, then Love Shack Fancy is a brand to look at if your budget can stretch. Their collection is dreamy… (possibly in more ways than one!)

Thanks for reading.