Women's Dresses

How to choose the right length

Length does more work than print in deciding whether a dress gets worn.

• Mini sits above the knee. Best with bare legs in summer, or over thick tights and boots from October, which is what makes it the most year-round of the three if you're prepared to layer.
• Midi falls between knee and ankle. The most forgiving length for British weather because it works with trainers, sandals or boots without looking like it's compensating.
• Maxi reaches the ankle. Excellent on holiday and at summer weddings, awkward in rain and on public transport. Worth owning, rarely worth owning three of.

If you're buying one dress to cover the most occasions, a midi in a plain or restrained print will outwork anything else in the collection.

How to choose the fabric

• Cotton and cotton poplin hold their shape, breathe, and take a machine wash. The practical everyday choice.
• Cotton gauze is loosely woven, which is why it moves the way it does and stays cool. It creases readily. That's the character of the fabric, not a fault.
• Viscose drapes from the shoulder rather than holding its own shape. Flattering, cool, and needs gentler washing than cotton.
• Linen blends give structure and texture and get softer with washing. They crease; that's linen.
• Jersey and knit stretch and forgive, which makes them the easiest to fit and the best for travelling.

How to buy a dress that works past summer

The dress most people regret is the one that only works in July. Three things extend the season:

• Sleeves, or a shape that takes a layer. A dress that fits a long-sleeve top underneath doubles its wearing months.
• A waist you can define. Tie waists, elasticated waists and belted styles work over knitwear in a way that shift shapes don't.
• Pockets. Not styling advice, practical. Dresses with side-seam pockets get worn considerably more often than those without, because you can leave the house without a bag.

How to get the fit right

Sizing on this collection comes from several brands and they don't all cut the same way:

• Sisstrevolution and Amuse Society use US sizing that maps closely to UK: S is roughly UK 8-10, M is UK 10-12, L is UK 12-14.
• Afends uses Australian sizing, which matches UK directly, AU 8 is UK 8.
• Non-stretch fabrics like cotton poplin and seersucker have no give. Size up if you're between.
• Smocked bodices and elasticated waists accommodate a range within a size, so they're the safer buy when you're unsure.

Every product page carries the garment measurements and, where the supplier provided it, the model's height and the size she's wearing. That second detail is more useful than the size label. It tells you how the length will fall on you.

How to choose a dress for a specific occasion

For a summer wedding

Midi or maxi, in a fabric with drape. Avoid anything that creases badly if you're travelling to it. Check the neckline works with the underwear you own before the day, not on it.

For the beach or over swimwear

Look for the cover-up styles: gauze, jersey and loose cotton in mini or midi length. A heavier jersey won't turn transparent over a wet swimsuit, which lighter fabrics will.

For work

Shirt dresses and pinafores read as considered without being formal. A pinafore over a shirt or roll-neck carries into winter.

For everyday

Jersey, cotton, pockets, machine washable. The dress you actually reach for is nearly always the least interesting one you own.

How to care for them

• Wash cool and inside out: this protects prints and stops darker colours fading at the seams
• Cotton gauze and linen will crease. Hang them damp rather than ironing, and most of it drops out
• Viscose should be hung to dry, never tumble dried. It shrinks and loses its drape
• Check the label on anything with a lining or a zip before machine washing; several premium pieces here are hand-wash or dry-clean
• Store maxis hanging, folded over the bar, rather than full length, so they don't stretch at the shoulders