The Best of the Rest

Oh god I'm not well.  It appears my daughter is the generous kind and has given me her lurgy from last week.  I've been sicker for sure but I currently feel like I have been chewing razor blades all day. 

So my day of last minute Christmas shopping has had to be shelved as I feel very sorry for myself - at home with the decorators.  The joy...... I'm also due to be out tonight for a dinner party but have had to give my apologies (yes I feel that rough).  The Husband will be flying solo whilst I try and persuade the children to watch a movie and not make too much noise. 

In the meantime and in between hacking coughs, I have got out some of the presents for the kids that I have bought (not nearly as much as I had thought - darn it.  Every.  Year.  I think I've bought loads, get it all out and it looks a piddly amount.  Except that I've spent loads.  GAH.  I will be doing my trip to The Range to stock up on art supplies to pad out their stash)

And whilst they sit on the kitchen island in a defiant manner, daring me to wrap them, I am practising my procrastination skills by just seeing if there are any dresses out there that I may have missed... and of course there are more sales. GAH. 

I have ordered my dress from yesterday from the bargains at ASOS - it's coming tomorrow, it's so so not me that the chances of it working aren't high but you never know.  It could open up a whole new sort of look for me.... (this is so unlikely it's risible) 

So sat here perusing bits for the children (actually I may just have done a price match at John Lewis as I can click and collect my Lego Emmett watch from there but it's £5 cheaper at Toys R Us. Thanking you kindly JL), I may just have come across some dresses which are rather gorgeous, from Warehouse which have opened up a whole new avenue of temptation. 

As I've said before, this season they are rocking it.  Seriously gorgeous stock, here is my cream of the crop. 

Starting with some looser ones (I've got canape-itis in mind for next week, you can keep your Roses & your Celebrations, I cannot resist a savoury canape.  I can literally hoover an entire tray in one swoop).  Again, I'm thinking Christmas Day, maybe New Year's Eve with some added bling and perfect for drinks parties and evenings out in January and beyond (planning ahead here...) 

Grey Marl Swing Dress from Warehouse £30

How have I not seen these before?  This is perfect.  I love it dressed down for lunch with ankle boots (I'm thinking my Toga Pullas..) but with heels for Christmas day or a dinner party.

Lace Shirt Dress from Warehouse £50



This is rather reminiscent of the Whistles dress from yesterday but at a fraction of the price.  A lovely little extra one to have at a bargain price now.  Graffiti dress from Warehouse was £48 now £25  Ideal with black or silver or grey for the Winter.  In the Spring, I'd wear this with a little black blazer and either black ballet pumps or my beloved white sneakers that I can't see me giving up any time soon.  And into the Summer with whatever sandals we shall be wearing.  This is my most favourite sort of dress - one that you wear for any occasion. 



And dresses of this sort are just in abundance at Warehouse. 

Black New Shadow Floral Slinky Dress was £38 now £20 



Camo Print Textured Dress £38 from Warehouse



This one is so far from my comfort zone but I love it.  I think it's very Roksanda as opposed to Warehouse.  Definitely looks much more expensive than you'd think.

Green Pleat Detail Midi Dress £70



Whilst I do love the one above, I have to say it's this one that I LOVE.   I'm just slightly concerned the cream against my ridiculously white skin tone may look a bit meh.  But I would have worn this to work and then out in the evenings, it would have been my *Friday* dress. 

Colour Block Wrap Dress £48 from Warehouse  And I think now with heeled suede court shoes for Winter it would be perfect, into Spring with some gladiator sandals...Or during the day with a pair of strappy buckle ballet flats.  Or how about ankle boots (oh hello Toga Pullas again... I'm literally talking myself into this as I type)






And if we're looking at jumper dresses, this I think would be too short for me to wear with tights but I'm loving the idea of it over my good old (uncomfortable) pleather leggings or skinnies.  The ultimate in comfort (if I can get over the saggy crotch from those god awful Topshop pleather leggings.  Mine detail and at least the length would cover it.  I'm all the class and then some) 

Cable knit high neck dress £48



So moving on as otherwise I would just be able to show every dress from Warehouse and there are others that are worth looking at, such as the brand True Decadence which I haven't come across before, but I would definitely say worth a look at.  All rather Whistles to me but at a third of the price.  From John Lewis. 

True Decadence Big Pleat dress in navy £48



And a grey one in a great texture.  True Decadence Waffle Curve hem tunic dress £48




This looks very like a Sportmax dress I nearly bought last year.  True Decadence Contrast Waist Dress in blue £50



A similar shape here from Ted Baker - a brand I don't tend to look at for dresses to be honest, but this one I think could neatly fit into most wardrobes as that perfect party dress.  For all year round to be honest. 

Ted Baker Metallic Wrap Dress in grey £139




I am still on a navy shoe hunt (I think I may have tracked down the Dorothy Perkins ones though... this does however rely on The Husband trecking to a random London location to pick them up for me.....hmmmmmm) and therefore I am now obviously looking at navy dresses as well.  (this is bad bad shopping....but I do have the little matter of the First Holy Communion at the back of my mind) 

Hobbs Prudence Dress in navy £139  The irony is that these plain navy dresses would be ideal with a totally different coloured shoe.  (I'm not going to mention pink but....)  Silver, grey, cobalt blue (oh yum actually - ooh these would all be fabulous with my Reiss sandals from last year), gold, the list goes on.  I also think this slightly 50's shape would look great with flats as well. 





Hobbs Sandrine dress in navy £149 (I would also wear this with sneakers or skater shoes come the Spring - it's machine washable..... whoop whoop = school run dress)





Now I've swerved Mango recently as I had overload from all their offers but blow me down with a feather, the gits have got new stock in.  And it's gorgeous.  Dresses - just a couple...

Tassel Shift Dress (I know, I know, it's black but it would be so useful) £44.99 from Mango and by the Summer you can wear it over a bikini.  Simply perfect.



Or a printed version (both of these could easily be worn with opaques) 



Speaking of dresses that can work hard for you - not dissimilar to the ones above is this utter beauty I may have stumbled across at the Matches Sale (did I mention Matches are in sale yet....... be still my beating heart and twitchy fingers) 

Caterina Pleated Tunic was £155 now £93 from Vix at Matches


Some DVF at 50% off?  Reina Tunic Dress was £265 now £132


Finishing with more navy - stunning simplicity again at DVF.  Bevin Dress was £305 now £183



And I could honestly go on and on but I must must must go and wrap some presents.   There is no photo today as I literally got back into my pyjamas after school drop off as a lovely friend dropped the children home this afternoon.  This is my outfit from Saturday for a family lunch before we went out in the evening.  More old favourites.