Recent purchases

I wish that I had the foresight to plan a seasonal wardrobe. Most of the time when I go shopping I don't even know if I want a dress/skirt/shoes and end of wandering the High Street looking for inspiration.

In this respect the web and some of my favourite blogs have helped me a fair bit so oftentimes I at least go shopping with some ideas of things to look out for that will transform me into a beautifully coordinated, on trend dresser.

Evans got me interested in their clothing again recently when they launched "The Collection" a capsule range of "Modern Classics" promising better quality and more directional clothing than their usual smocks and leggings lines.  There is a stunning advertising campaign featuring US plus-sized supermodel Marquita Pring and the fashion blogging community were rightly all over it.

Inspired by this lovely photograph the first thing in the range that I went for was the dress. It is a really unusual design, grey jersey top and "nude" (beige) pleated skirt joined by way of a black satin ribbon waist. A true day to evening item from which I hope I get plenty of wear. But unfortunately there is no sign of the pretty biker jacket to go with it and my criticism of the range is that it is bitty, with few opportunities to put together finished outfits.

Also from the range I bought this minimalist top.£35  but a true wardrobe classic in fantastic fabric, well-cut which hangs (and washes) beautifully. It does however look a bit boring in this photo

So here's my third and last purchase from my Evans shopping trip, which I'd pitch as being both classic and fun. Its a black, spotty "prom" dress

I'm gratified to hear that this item has now sold out. i think of it as more WI summer fete than prom dress (well I am 44) but it is a cute, feminine swishy thing that makes dressing for work bit less of a chore. It also well with my H&M inclusive cardigan featured in this earlier post.