You may have seen this lilac polka dot dress (£195, Faithfull the Brand revolve.com) pictured here and there in the past weeks.
It’s V-necked, bias cut, mid-calf. It has almost to-the-elbow puff sleeves (the best sort), a narrow torso, and a dip-down-at-the-sides hem.
In other words, it’s one of those summer dresses that ticks a lot of boxes: feminine, uncomplicated, covered in all the right places.
This time last year you might have looked at a dress like this and thought: ‘That could be pretty for a party,’ but now, in April 2020, you’re much more likely to think: ‘I could get a lot of wear out of that in the months to come.’
This lilac polka dot dress (£195, Faithfull the Brand revolve.com) is one of those summer dresses that ticks a lot of boxes: feminine, uncomplicated, covered in all the right places
That’s one of the revelations of lockdown dressing. A dress — a simple, no frills, not dressy dress — is emerging as the item we would most like to reach for at the weekend, or in the evening, or on a hot day.
As the weather warms up, we want to be able to get a bit of sun on our legs when we’re sitting outside the back door. We want a one-stop, fuss-free, gear change for balmy evenings.
We want a bit of prettiness and colour to mark the change of season (though for me the lilac polka dot dress is too sugar sweet — ideally you want a dress with feminine proportions in a less overtly girly fabric).
Either way, the Simple Summer Dress (SSD) hits the spot. Oh, and if you love a pink dress, Kitri does a pretty, square-necked, button-through style (£125, kitristudio.com).
By simple, we’re talking about unfussy and easy to wear in the day — for working or not: your SSD doesn’t have a leg split to the hip, or a ruffle hem, or a cleavage-advertising neckline.
Zara has a good button-through midi with below-the-elbow puff sleeves (£49.99, zara.com)
The details that mark it out from last year’s are extra voluminous puff sleeves and a boldish print. For this particular dress, mixed prints are not such a good idea, or anything in shiny, sheer or floaty fabric.
That’s your other sort of summer dress, which we’ll be getting on to in due course.
A dress that’s similar to the pink polka dot one is Flynn Skye’s Elsie Midi in a warm brown with a double dot print (£167, revolve.com).
This one has a hook-and-eye midriff panel and slightly ruched three-quarter sleeves, and has the advantage of being in a print that looks good whether or not the sun is out. (Brown is a versatile colour for dresses, great with a tan, or black boots.)
It does have a ruffle hem, but so discreet and unruffly you barely notice it, which is why we’re making an exception.
A little more dressy but still simple is Faithfull The Brand’s meadows midi dress (£159, revolve.com) which comes in a lilac-based floral print, or the more casual style in a vintage yellow floral (£159, revolve.com).
Be warned both have lowish V necklines, though you could always wear a camisole or bandeau top underneath.
Alternatively, if V necks bring you out in hives, then Kitri does a round-necked, fitted body, viscose dress with three-quarter puff sleeves in a bold Seventies floral print on a deep navy base (£145, kitristudio.com).
Navy, like brown, is a good all-weather player and you could be wearing this silky looking number in October.
Still on the dark background florals (black with lilac), Zara has a good button-through midi with below-the-elbow puff sleeves (£49.99, zara.com).
Mango does a shirt-necked, batik print, blue and white dress (£49.99, mango.com), which you could wear loose or belted; or a midi shirt dress (£35.99) in a crisp white and Wedgwood blue stripe with a white sprig print.
Shirt dresses are in a slightly different category, admittedly, but this one is somewhere in between a shirt dress (chic and crisp) and a pretty summer frock.
Other places to browse for SSDs include rouje.com (its Gabin dress is a perennial favourite), musier-paris.com; sezane.com (all French high street brands) and hush-uk.com. You’re not going to have any trouble finding one you like, that’s for sure.