STYLE ADVICE:
SUNSHINE-READY DRESSES FOR SUMMER
Whether you’re looking for a floaty maxi dress or a short dress for picnics in the park, you’ll find the best summer dresses you could wish for in M&S X Ghost’s new collection
The seventies-style smock dress
Life’s a breeze with a flowing midaxi dress, especially during hot and humid weather. A simple ankle-grazing dress will be a throw-on-and-go favourite for many summers to come. Add a straw basket bag and strappy sandals to amp up the holiday vibe at home. Choose a square-neck smock dress to accentuate your décolletage or opt for more coverage with long-sleeved styles that take air conditioning in their stride. Chunky platform sandals give a further nod to the decade’s bohemian vibe.
The striking button-up dress
A shirt dress is ideal for the return to the office. Choose a retro style in a loose cut and keep the look fresh with chunky flatform sandals or this season’s on-trend trainers. Alternatively, take a classic turn with an Audrey Hepburn-approved shift dress: take your pick from cool cotton or linen fabric and pair with flat ballet pumps for a chic look that stands the test of time. A vintage-inspired headscarf and basket bag are all you need to recreate riviera style, even if you are staying put at home. Oh, and a pair of oversized sunglasses, of course.
The pretty puff-sleeved dress
A hyper-feminine short-sleeved dress is ideal for summer weddings and events. The secret to wearing lighter shades and pastels is to not be precious about them; instead, consider any stains a sign of a summer well spent. Maximise the cost-per-wear value by toughening up a vintage-inspired dress for everyday wear with riptape sandals and a denim jacket, adding oversized earrings and espadrilles for sundowners in the evening. You might just wonder why you didn’t try it sooner.
The fun floral-print dress
Floral prints are perennially fashionable, and all-over blooms tap into the cottagecore style trend nicely. Wear dainty, figure-flattering silhouettes with trainers or block-heeled sandals to ground the look and throw a cardigan on top if you want to layer up. Floral dresses can also be bold, daring and graphic depending on your style, so don’t be afraid to experiment with larger-scale prints too, which look particularly striking on long dresses with plenty of fabric to showcase the design.
The wear-anywhere midi dress
Enter the failsafe midi dress: comfy, flattering and easily dressed up or down for any occasion. Whether you choose a tea dress, wrap dress or shirt dress, this outfit-in-one is bound to become a go-to in your summer wardrobe. For those returning to the workplace or planning outfits for postponed weddings and belated birthdays, the mid-length dress is your new best friend. Best of all, midi dresses can be worn year round, with the addition of a sweater vest and knee-high boots during the cooler months. Genius.
Words: Dulcie Emerson
