Stepping in to this year’s Estethica at LFW I was surprised to see so many neutrals for SS10, but on venturing just a little further inside I was delighted to find an abundance of gorgeous garments in stunning colours that I can’t wait to wear next year. Here are my top 10 dresses, each picked for their great party potential, versatile casual style or for being perfect work wear.
Firstly the casual dresses – they’ll be a wardrobe staple so they need to go with everything and have the ability to be dressed up at a moment’s notice for an impromptu summer BBQ or cocktail on the beach.
People Tree – I love the 70’s beach wear vibe of this jersey dress from People Tree. You can wear with sandals on the beach, team with a jacket and pumps for work or throw on wedges or heels, a pink belt and vintage beads for a fab evening look.
Globe Hope – Finnish brand Globe Hope have ingeniously styled this cute dress from post consumer linen. The detail on the neckline is so gorgeous that it doesn’t need a lot of accessorising and I’d be inclined to keep it simple – for day wear this dress would look cute worn with pumps or sandals or for a more elegant look add heels and a clutch bag.
Article 23 – We’re told this silk jersey dress was picked out of 1000’s of pieces for the Paris fashion week’s top 100 for their catwalk show and we can see why – the stunning fabric feels amazingly soft so not only is it super stylish but also very comfortable to wear. Wear loose with sandals and a fedora on the beach or for a sharper look, add heels and accessorise with long beads or chains and chunky bracelets. To give the figure more definition cinch in at the waist with a tan belt or lower on your hips for a more relaxed look.
Minna – This beautiful dress from Minna certainly stood out for its beautiful design and fabric and could easily have gone in the party dress top picks too. This is the kind of dress you can throw on when you feel you have nothing to wear and you’ll instantly feel gorgeous. No jewellery (or shoes) required with this one but it’s also easy to dress up with heels and delicate jewellery or down with sandals and a flower in your hair!
Eco work wear can be hard to get right in a smart office environment – you don’t want to compromise on style but have to look tailored and professional. Here are my top work dresses that can easily dressed up or down according to the occasion.
Henrietta Ludgate – This dress is simply stunning and would be a wonderful addition to any wardrobe. With the flared hemline giving a twist on the classic wiggle dress this offers a fresh and current alternative for work wear, plus it can be accessorised to perfection a number of ways. Add some colourful statement jewellery and shoes to enhance the quirky element of the dress, or go for timeless elegance by wearing with simple gold jewellery.
Junky Styling – Another brilliant re-worked design from Junky Styling – the traditional stripe shirt, updated in this gorgeous and innovative style makes it perfect work wear. This dress is beautifully tailored and nicely fitted at the waist so is very flattering as well as being a good length for the office. Super versatile, it can be teamed with trainers or pumps for a more casual look
Article 23 - Stylish, tailored, eco work wear can be scarce, so this fitted shift dress from Article 23 is a great find. Also available in black, this dress is so versatile – it can be worn as in the picture with a shirt underneath or with matching fitted jacket for a sharper, more formal look. Go straight from the office to an evening do by accessorising with killer heels, skinny belt and some stunning jewellery.
After my initial concern that colour in the SS10 collections was somewhat lacking I’m happy to bring you my top party dresses from Estethica:
Lalesso – This gorgeous 50’s inspired Lalesso dress has a cut away back and comes in a few different patterns. Beautifully styled in this photo, I love this exotic flower and leaf print which is at its best worn with minimal jewellery (anything more might be overkill). Team with a simple bright pink belt or ribbon at the waist and heels or wedge sandals for the evening. For day wear, add a cardigan and pumps for an updated 50’s feel.
Mark Liu’s zero waste designs need little accessorising as each one of them is a work of art in itself. The shape and style of this dress is striking and sexy but feminine and the fabric is stunning. Wear with simple jewellery, gold for the evening – anything more would detract from this amazing dress.
Minna – Last but absolutely not least is the Maria dress from Minna. I could have chosen numerous pieces from this label for my top picks and I opted for this because of the beautiful vintage fabric, gorgeous cut and its versatility. An obvious party dress, this one is perfect for so many occasions I certainly can’t mention them all – for an evening out or wedding wear with white or tan heels, a clutch and chunky bangles; for daytime, team with some trusty pumps or sandals and for work wear add a jacket and you’re away!
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Love vintage, visit QueensOfVintage.com
