Tips on picking out the perfect summer Dress

Finding the right dress is an arduous task which leaves even the most patient of people frustrated and wanting to scream at the top of their lungs. No matter what you look at in-store, there is almost always something about it which just isn’t quite right. It’s either too long or too short, some don’t fit the body shape, and the others are just plain ugly. The quest for the perfect everyday summer dress is something which stumps even the savvy of shoppers each year, but it doesn’t need to be so difficult!

When you do eventually find something which ticks all of the boxes in terms of size, shape, and style, you find out that it’s either far too expensive for you or that it’s not very summer-friendly (who wants to thick non breathable fabrics in summer?!). 

As mentioned in my post on why moving is genius for your wardrobe, i do need some summer dresses in my wardrobe so i have been looking and hence this post.  Sharing my thoughts and tips on how to find the perfect summer dress so you avoid some of the frustration which comes with it. 

1. Things to Consider

Fabric – the most obvious factor when picking a summer dress is its fabric. You want to pick something which is light, will keep you cool, and will feel nice against your skin in the hot weather. Light cotton is always a good shout, but there are any other fabrics which are just as good. Also, ensure that it is a fabricwhich can easily be washed (unless you don’t care about dry cleaning) and that doesn’t wrinkle too easily.

Comfort – in summer, comfort is key. Choose a dress which you are going to love to wear, which will both be physically comfortable and something you feel comfortable wearing. Consider how often your dress may require adjusting or how hard it will be to get on. If there are straps as far as the eye can see, perhaps it’s not your best bet.

Pattern & Colour – finally, pick a pattern which looks light and airy, and which you like. It is summer, after all. Get a dress which isn’t too bold and won’t make people stare for all the wrong reasons. In summer, subtle patterns and light colours work best. Light colours do not absorb heat as much as darker colours, helping you to stay cooler for longer. Colours which can easily be paired with neutral colours are always a great shout, too.

2. Where to Buy

Thanks to the internet, you are no longer restricted to buying from your local stores – great news for those of you who live miles away from human civilisation! There are so many websites where you can pick up clothes now, and it’s not only big companies which are your only choice.

With the advent of eCommerce and platforms such as Shopify, designers and creative people from all over the world are designing and selling their wares online, which are often much cheaper and of a much higher quality than many contemporary name brands. There’s no shame in buying second-hand, either – there is many a gem to be found on websites such as eBay, where fashion-conscious women from all over the world sell their pre-loved garments.

If you shiver at the idea of wearing another lady’s used clothes, websites such as Asos, Topshop, River Island are much-loved internet brands which stock a huge line of high-quality clothing at competitive prices. There are a lot of summer dresses options out there, such as this 2018 summer dress collection, and you are sure to find something here, if nowhere else! Where to buy is largely a question you need to ask yourself, as it really depends on you as an individual, what you like to wear, and where you like your clothes to come from.

3. Get Something Built to Last

The saying goes that if you buy cheap, you buy twice. I am not telling you to go out and drop hundreds of pounds on a new dress (although, some of you don’t need to be told to do that…), but by being switched on and conscious about where you are buying your dress from, you can get something which will last for many summers to come.

If you take proper care of a good-quality dress, there is no reason why it isn’t one that can feature in your wardrobe for the next five-to-ten years. Again, this really depends on the individual: some of us don’t like to wear the same dress more than a few times before retiring it to the nearest charity shop or getting rid of it online.

At last i would just say although buying a summer dress can be so sometimes difficult, it’s obviously not rocket science, and it is not something which you should be over-complicating either. Opt for simple, light and stylish garments that are of a decent quality and you will have yourself a dress which will stand the test of time and leave you turning heads all summer long.

Love 

Chichi