We spend the whole year looking forward to the summer, and when it does come, we find ourselves with nothing suitable to wear. Then we rush to the shops, buy the first thing we see, and then the weather changes! So we are out and about, with plans and invitations, and nothing suitable to wear yet again.
Well, in this article, we aim to help you avoid such situations. Firstly, plan ahead. Don’t buy things that don’t look like you or that look neither versatile nor likely to go with later fashion seasons. Secondly, TRY TO REMAIN CALM. Not every sale you pass it offering you things that you will look better in than you do in your current outfits, especially once the colour fades a bit or it starts to catch lint.
Instead, focus on the material a dress is made out of – will it still be as good when the temperature changes? – and the quality of the finishing – are there bits of thread hanging off it? and does the sewing look like it was done by a blind robot?
Try to wear matching colours, colours that also match the season, in cuts that suit the occasion, and materials that will keep you at the optimum temperature. Get a cardigan you can wrap around yourself, on top of your cotton dress, in case you are still at a party when night falls. This way when you get cold, you already have a change of clothes on you. Everyone is into layering. Shrugs, cardigans and wraps keep you warm in case the barmy british summer turns against you. These are key to outfit building and making your summer dress more versatile so you can wear it to different occasions and really get value for money out of it
Keep in mind that dark colours are for the winter months, because they absorb all the sunlight, so choose a bright and colourful outfit, or a colourful cardigan to go with a black or dark coloured cotton dress.
If you travel, consider choosing a crinkle finish Cotton Dress so that you won’t need to panic if you need something to wear when you have only just arrived and opened your suitcase. They are amazingly adaptable and offer a quick change of clothes.
Cotton is great for a hot day, so as soon as the weather forecasts get optimistic for warm weather, get your cotton dresses ready and choose a cut level that suits where you are going to be. If you are going to anything that permits a casual look, think cotton for a good fit that doesn’t remind you that you are wearing it and allows you to enjoy the day without worrying about your clothes.
Linen offers a shinier and often classier impression – this is what to wear if you want to make a bit of a splash – if you want to look and feel like someone special or someone who wants to make a special occasion out of an evening.
If you are going to be at a garden party, picnic or other on-the-lawn event, make sure you wear a sleeveless top that shows off your shoulders. Keep sunscreen and something that keeps you warm and dry handy in case it gets cloudy, windy or rainy. Remember that wearing a dress in a vibrant colour makes you look bright and cheerful, which makes others respond to you in a bright and cheerful way, which can’t be bad.
Fiona Muller is a trained textile designer and has written a textile thesaurus. For a quick browse to help you find that ideal summer dress that will serve you well for year after year to come, go to www.east.co.uk
