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Daily Dress Edit

I know it’s been a while since we’ve been able to go out and wear a nice dress, and there’s still some time to go before we can wear them inside around people we don’t live with, but that doesn’t stop us just wanting one! There’s something about a new dress that brings so much joy and promise of good times to come. This is where the Daily Dress Edit comes in.

Isabel Spearman wearing an exclusive Beulah London dress from her pop up event

I’ve been inspired by the Daily Dress Edit many times. It’s an incentive dreamt up by the magnificent Isabel Spearman (seen above in one of the dresses from the event) in 2018 to help promote small independent designers. I have discovered so many new brands via her Instagram account and from the pop-up ventures she has done before. The latest Daily Dress Edit Pop Up launches today and runs until Sunday 16th May. This time it will be a virtual event run through the DDE website and Instagram account.

Exclusive designs from (left to right) Back by Sundown, Benjamin Fox, Clary & Peg all available on the Daily Dress Edit site

Isabel has collaborated with 27 of her favourite small British brands to design 27 exclusive and limited edition dresses. It’s the perfect platform for you if you are looking to shop small and support independent businesses. You can discover new brands and invest in a dress to wear now and beyond. Check them out at www.dailydressedit.com

Super floral numbers by Cefinn, Day Dress and Yolke.

If your budget doesn’t stretch to the Daily Dress Edit, then do not fear, as I’ve picked out some less expensive high street options for you. I fully believe you can wear a good dress anywhere but I know that a lot of you find wearing dresses a little out of your comfort zone, so hopefully some of these simpler designs will work as an entry-level model…

BLACK DRESSES

Not a little black dress, as ‘little’ doesn’t really cut it for me these days. Time was, I would be clad in a bodycon tube dress and queuing to get into achingly trendy nightclubs. In fact, one of my proudest moments as a 19 year old, newly moved from the suburbs to the Big Smoke, was getting PICKED out of the queue to get into the Milk Bar in Soho by a fierce-looking lady with a clipboard. I was wearing a VERY tight tube dress that I had bought that same day from Hyper Hyper on High Street Kensington, the mecca of all that was fashion in the early 90s. I recall it was teamed with a leather bum bag and a pair of white hi top Travel Fox trainers. Yes. It was 1992, remember. 

These days I would go for something a lot looser. The only clubs I’m a member of now are Kew Gardens and the National Trust. I’d also wear a cardi and a pair of Air & Grace clogs. Because comfort is king.

1. Cos Pleated Long T Shirt Dress 
2. & Other Stories Fancy Button Alpaca Cardigan 
3. Monki Super Soft Tie Front Dress 
4. Air & Grace Dalia Leather Studded Clogs 

WHITE DRESSES

Nothing says ‘it’s-nearly-summer-and-I’m-determined-to-at-least-pretend-like-I-can-go-on-a-beach-holiday’ more than a white dress and pair of tan leather sandals. You never know, we might get a heatwave on the Costa Del Brentford soon. Just be sure to add a jacket. I don’t think there are very many days, even in the height of summer, in the UK that you can safely leave the house of an evening without a few extra layers. This Gap jacket is one that I should really have included in the 15 Piece Capsule Wardrobe post. It looks like the perfect khaki utility jacket. A very useful item to have.

1. Warehouse White Cotton Midi Dress WIth Cutwork 
2. Gap Cotton Khaki Utility Jacket 
3. Monki White Denim Button Front Midi Dress 
4. M&S Leather Flatform Flip Flops 

CHECK DRESSES

Karen @karenbritchick wearing excellent Gingham

If you’re looking for a bit of a pattern but don’t feel comfortable in a floral number, then the check dress could be the one for you. Gingham is my favourite of all the checks; sorry tartan, you are good too, but you’re strictly a winter wonder.  I know that, for some, wearing gingham throws up memories of summer school uniforms from days gone by. Personally, I quite like dressing like a old lumpy overgrown 11 year old, but I know for others that’s not the ideal look for spring…

1. John Lewis Mother Of Pearl Windowpane Check Dress 
2. Ellyla Hiral Handloom Shopper Bag 
3. New Look Orange Check Puff Sleeve Midi Dress 
4. H&M Faux Leather Espadrilles 

DENIM DRESSES

Couldn’t help myself, had to get a bit of denim in here somewhere. Although I feel most of these are more chambray than actual denim. What even is chambray? That’s a fabric that I swear only got invented in the 1980s. Although that might just be because I had a wonderful chambray drop-waist ra-ra mini dress that was purchased from Tammy Girl in Camberley precinct for the express purpose of wearing to the Saturday evening roller disco in the hall of the Arena Leisure Centre during the summer of ’86.

I know what you’re thinking… ‘What if she goes arse over tit wearing a mini ra-ra dress on the rink?’ Fear not readers, I teamed it with some white 3/4 leggings from Clockhouse. Secret leggings were ALWAYS a thing for me. Unfortunately, the boy with the lemon yellow blouson jacket and red Bauer skates never even noticed me, not even when I did my best ‘fast skate going backwards’ towards him when they played ‘Venus’ by Bananarama.

1. APC Denim and Leather Tote Bag 
2. Hush Navy Romeo Jacket 
3. Warehouse Denim Full Skirt Shirt Dress 
4. H&M Cotton Twill Chambray Dress 
5. New Balance 327 Denim Trainers 

SPOT DRESSES

Last but not least, another of my spring/summer favourites, the spotty dress. Remember that Zara number from those days BC (Before Corona)? I never succumbed to it, but I feel it will forever remind me of the heady days of 2019 when you couldn’t move for seeing it out and about. I recall seeing it on 5 different ladies on one visit to the Chelsea Flower Show. Oh, the Chelsea Flower Show, another club I’m happy to be a member of. I’m not actually a member but I do have tickets for this year. It’s like Glastonbury for middle-aged ladies and really posh people, but with flowers and Pimm’s instead of pills and mud. The PERFECT people-watching environment. Highly recommended.

1. M&S Linen Polka Dot Midi Dress 
2. Gap Redesign Denim Jacket 
3. Monki Seersucker Dot Maxi Dress 
4. Birkenstock Large Buckle Arizona Sandals 

I hope we can all have somewhere to wear a nice dress soon! See you next week where I’m thinking either sweatshirts or jeans, or a nice mix of both.

K x

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