In our minds, September means the arrival of our autumn wardrobe. But more often than not we find ourselves enjoying a few more days of hot suns, which leaves us scrambling around for one of those summer dresses that we were a bit too quick to pack away. That said, September also means that the weather can drop a good ten degrees overnight, so having a few flexible pieces at this time of year is beneficial to any wardrobe.
Enter the transitional summer dress. This one is from New Look (it’s on sale but is almost sold out, but it also comes in pink), I think inspired by Daily Sleeper’s much more expensive versions. I first saw this on Lucy and immediately bought it, knowing it would be a great piece for those tricky-to-navigate days that start off at 10 degrees and end up at 20.
How so? It’s a mixed fabric, mostly made up of cotton and linen, so it’ll keep you cool in the heat – but it doesn’t feel like a light summer dress, it’s more substantial than that. The square neck and back leave some bare skin (necessary when the weather heats up) while the sleeves and midaxi length add coverage when the temperature does drop. It’s ideal for at home in the UK, or for holidays overseas.
I’ve been wearing this LBD with my flip flops, basket and white sunnies but it’ll look just as good with a pair of trainers or heels and a more structured bag, which makes it a great day to evening dress as well. It’s just a really, really great addition to your summer/autumn wardrobe – and, if the oversize sleeve trend disappears, the waist is high enough to have this made into a black linen skirt.
I’m wearing
Dress, New Look* (also comes in pink, red gingham, black gingham and many more – for ease, I’ve listed all of the shirred square neck midi dresses via one link)
Basket, Wayfair
Sunglasses, New Look (sold out, similar here, actually I prefer them)
Flip-flops, Havaianas at Next
Herringbone necklace, Mejuri (gifted)
Shell necklace, Paper People
* The black and pink dresses I’ve linked are listed as being polyester, even though they are the exact same dress I ordered – I even checked back via the link in my order confirmation, which takes you to a polyester version even though mine says cotton, linen, and viscose on the label. I have no idea if you’d end up with polyester or not…the gingham versions are still showing up as the cotton/linen/viscose mix.)
