So what if you don't do boho...

...what do you wear in Summer?  It might be just me, but it certainly seems to be boho on speed everywhere you turn. 

And it's a look I'm not that great with.   The odd snippet here and there but actually I think that's even harder - you have a couple of random outfits you can wear but with no cohesive look to your wardrobe.  Not that you *need* that necessarily of course (she says thinking out loud) but it does make for difficult mix and match dressing and I (ok weirdo alert I appreciate) like to have a "look".  Yes I feel like a cretin writing that now but I know I'm not alone.. (she says hopefully...).  I like to be able to create lots of different outfits from my wardrobe and things have to multitask.  Plus I'm quite wedded to the idea of a *theme* for a season... I'm going to quit whilst I'm vaguely ahead as I fear many of you are glazing over (but if you agree with me - do tell me what your look/theme is for this Summer please!)

However that aside, one thing I do know is that lots of us aren't full on boho lovers.  I have, therefore, come up with some Summer styles for us to embrace that we can create an alternative wardrobe around. 

So I've got a couple of suggestions over the next couple of days and I'm starting with stripes.  Not necessarily of the Breton variety - pushing the envelope slightly here and looking at some alternative colours.  Although clearly I can't swerve the navy and white altogether.  

Now apologies if you're not into dresses.  At this time of year, I get dress obsessed.  You can't get me into one in the Winter for love nor money but in the Summer, I can't get enough of them.  They are simply too easy to wear. 

Little bit of fake tan needed with these but I am definitely of the belief that the more you just have your legs out, the better they start looking immediately.  Anyone else find this?  

Well I'm obviously starting with monochrome.  And I'd happily wear this with a biker jacket and a pair of ankle boots.

YAS July Dress in Mono Stripe £60



Slightly more grown up but still easy to dress down at Finery.  Wear with or without the belt. 

Akerman Cut About Stripe Belted Shirt Dress £69



And I love the idea of wearing the belt as a neck tie and leaving the dress loose... 




Shirt Dress Style is possibly my favourite dress style at the moment, hence I'm crushing on the one above and this is fabulously easy to wear with trainers or for work.

Linen Blend Loose Fit Stripe Shirt Dress from Autograph £59



Sleeveless now and this is definitely not going to be for everyone but I LOVE it.  Very Marni... but no - it's M&S.  Get in there. 

Pure Cotton Striped Knitted Dress £35  I love the colours - really adore them.  So different. Hats off to you Marks. 



Knitted again in wide, irregular stripes.  And this one has 25% off at Warehouse.  All dresses are discounted with the code DRESS25.

Panelled V Neck Dress from Warehouse £149  Yes that does seem a LOT for Warehouse but I guess it must be pretty special for that then - and certainly the 25% comes in handy.



This is exquisite if not on the ridiculously short side for anyone who is slightly taller than average.  Off to see if they do in a Tall version. 

ASOS Stripe Natural Dress £35  Definitely has a nod to boho without being full on heavy Marant.  Perfection for those who want to dip a toe in the boho water without actually getting remotely wet.



Another short one but love the bardot style..

White Stripe Bardot Neck Dress from New Look £14.99



A different (preferred by me) colourway also for £14.99




A slightly more expensive version but I would still say a great deal and definitely my favourite of all three.  Dare I say it looks longer??

White Contrast Stripe Bardot Dress £22.99



Longer sleeved and again, this looks super short but I'm hoping the Tall version would be longer and less muff flashing.  Let alone Les Dawson knee displaying... 

ASOS Tall Sweat Dress in Stripe was £25 now £19.50  Pockets.  It has pockets.  Throw on boots and wear on a warmish but rainy day.  Get those leg a bit wet... (wash the fake tan off first - been there, done that, had rivulets of gravy running down my leg.  Not a good look).



Certainly we're sticking with safe territory here but this such an easy dress to wear on warm days - not to mention being super flattering. 

Pleated Neck Striped Maxi Dress from Marks and Spencer £45




Speaking of super flattering, this isn't the most exciting colourwise but love the twist on a classic stripe. 

Mela Blue Stripe Hanky Hem Dress from New Look £35



Ditto this one...

Cheap Monday Striped Racer Maxi Dress £40



ASOS Maxi Dress in Variagated Stripe Print £28



A slightly unusual shade now of grey. 

ASOS WHITE Stripe Organza Dress £75



More midi love and another great dress that would take you from the school run, to work, to dinner.  

Stripe Midi Dress from Warehouse £69 pre 25% discount.



Another waisted striped midi dress in shades of red at ASOS £45



And as I said - of course I can't not include a navy and white job but how about changing it up with accessories.  I'm thinking leopard print... (as I always would).  Or how about metallics.  So neither of those are hardly reinventing the wheel but just something different from white or red or anything nautically themed.  Actually - I might be tempted to do black.  Yes, in fact, that's what I would be doing.  In my head as I type, that is working.  Black little blazer, black bag, black ballet pumps.  Bonjour from Paris. (ish).

Woven Mix Swing Dress from Me+Em £88




Again a take on the classic breton stripe with a fluted sleeve - very much reminds me of a significantly more expensive top they have in JCrew. 

Stripe Flute Sleeve Dress from Warehouse £35



And a more typical breton inspired number, again at Warehouse £32



Now one in black and white - ridiculously easy to wear and perfect for every day.  Just fling on black ankle boots when it's wet. 

Monki Stripe Drop Waist Dress £25




So today, I am channelling the stripe look in a dress I got last year for peanuts in the sale from & Other Stories and my sandals from three years ago.  And I had forgotten how much I love both of them.  Perfect for casual sunny days.



Striped dress - & Other Stories
White leather sandals - River Island
Trilby - Zara Men
Silver Have a Nice Day bag - Anya Hindmarch


And this is from yesterday. 


Orange/red dress - H&M
Tan Gladiator Sandals - Forever21
Trilby - Zara Men
Silver Have a Nice Day bag - Anya Hindmarch

Boho or no boho?  So we had stripes first.  Yay or nay?  Option number two coming up tomorrow. 

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CONVERSATION

26 comentarios:

  1. Not big on boho either though I have dabbled with it in the past & still own a couple of pieces: but really, wanted to say how much I love that first YAS dress & impulsively going to order it. Just like that. I hope the fabric isn't too heavy as I'm wanting it for Spain... Will let you know! Thanks for the tip!

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    1. It's lovely isn't it? Good underrated label actually - hope it works out for you xx

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  2. I don't do boho... I always feel a bit scruffy in it? It's just not me, I prefer a summer version of my winter look, and it's a bit more structured than boho.
    I love a dress in summer, shirt dress or denim dress or a t- shirt style dress in a nice jersey in striped material or plain. I have also recently branched out into print!
    For cooler summer days it's just a summer version of my winter uniform ....
    Jeans (skinny or boyfriend) with a summer top and flat sandals or ballet flats. I stick to the same colour palette too, makes mixing and matching and holiday packing easier

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    1. I'm definitely a fan of the same colour palette. And if it's print you're into - watch today..!

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  3. I used to love a summer dress but now that I'm back in the frozen north we get so little summer that most days it's too chilly for legs that bare. When it is actually warm I do want to be exposing as much flesh as I can (without making small children cry and dazzling motorists with my, ahem, lily white limbs) but it's barely ever summer long enough to buy and wear the dresses :-( I should maybe move properly south - can you still get those battery leftover bits in chip shops? xx

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    1. Scraps? I know when I went to Uni in Leeds everyone used to ask for them and I was like.. err what?? Have to say I'm not a batter fan (I know I know - weird) so they were never that appealing. Proper chipper chips though.. oh hello... And anyway, Summer - where the hell did that go? *weeps and stares out as rain*....

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    2. Ah, they are a north of England thing. June is always flaky and I think summer has moved on a bit - September is usually lovely these days. Isn't it? Just say yes :D

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  4. I'm doing khaki/military this summer, with a bit of navy chuck in. Always open to dresses but can't do too much bare skin at work.
    Love the blog btw. Always a good source of inspiration!

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    1. Ooh I'm loving the khaki and navy theme... good one. I have to say I"m also mostly a fan of dresses with sleeves but a) as it's never usually warm enough to wear that much else and b) it means less to fake tan. !!

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  5. Love both the dresses you're wearing! Colourful and summery x

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    1. Thank you! One is from last year but will get dragged out for years to come and the other is a super cheapo (£15!) from H&M way back in Feb I think!

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  6. Lovely lovely - For packing for the hols I'm thinking stripes all the way. I have that J Crew top with fluted sleeves and its lovely but hard to cram under a top or jacket! I think different stripes that clash a bit can work as well - what do you think? I'm also taking my bright pink loafers from Topshop that you got me onto as going out shoes. I'm trying this year to be realistic as we will have a washing machine and often I don't wear some of the things I take like jackets and high shoes!

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    1. Now there is that for sure - it's a gorgeous top though. And yes, I LOVE clashing stripes. i'm into clashing anything at the moment - blog coming up on it today... Pink loafers, tick tick tick. And yes - I learnt years ago that most of the holidays I go on (ie ones with children) there is absolutely NO point whatsoever in heels. Sobs.

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  7. Not so into dresses, but definately intolerance themed dressing (not as in Disney though). For many years I've done a capsule travel wardrobe for Max versitility and smaller suitcase (didn't know the technical term to begin with ). This year my additions have mainly been blush and navy combo's.
    Danish Pastry

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    1. Genius! And yes - good lord - no Disney theme!!

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  8. Thank you thank you thank you was beginning to wonder what I would wear this summer! I so can't do boho and as much as I would love to the Bardot and off the shoulder look just wont work for me. Love a dress and total fan of the shirt variety with a belt of some sort. Definitely need something with a waist so actually loving the New Look alternative strip and the Finery numbers. Also love the YAS one possibly not right for me but will have to take a closer look at the brans. Of course one of my favs is your other stories ones - why is it always that way lol.

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    1. They do have other versions of the Stories ones in this year...!

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  9. I live in perpetual "summer", which is much harder on the wardrobe then you might think! The challenge is staying cool & bit not looking as though you're about to hit the beach all the time - for me the key is colour & pattern, nice print dresses that you can dress up or down, stripes are fab on grown-up shapes, shorts with smarter tops/t-shirts and working out which parts of yourself you can bear to show the world :)
    And shopping the Uk high street like a mentalist in the few months that it sells things you can wear!

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    1. Gosh no, I know what you mean. I lived in the US for a year and it was SO SO hot every single day for five months - no opportunity at all for any sort of trousers. Although in the Winter - dear god was it cold!!!

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  10. (Sorry - the challenge is apparently also not typing like an eejit)

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  11. Great minds! I was wearing a midi breton dress from hush yesterday with slide sandals and a silver bag... it was perfect and summery, a combination I might be wearing lots of this summer. I do love stripes for this time of year.

    I do like boho, but I do a very dilute version :). So maybe with accessories or perhaps a peasant top.

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  12. I love Boho 😍 Could be tempted by the Me & Em dress though 😆

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    1. Now I would never have put you in that! Isn't that funny!!

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    2. It's not ME at all 😂 I'm just strangely drawn to it. X

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