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.

My Lovely Evans Bargain

There is so much positive stuff on the blogging front about Evans that I have long wanted to join in the fun and write about all the desirable clothes I found in there. Trouble is I could never find anything much to buy there apart from the odd pair of cute shoes. The chain are ever improving though and in a recent visit to their Braehead branch I saw this perfect summer top hanging on the rails.  Priced £29.99 I trooped happily off to the checkout to purchase said item; the lady behind the till scanned the label and asked me for £10. I questioned her mistake and so she checked another of the same item but no, still a bargainous tenner.  I can only assume Philip Green is making so much money off Topshop and the other Arcadia stores that he gives away stuff to needy Evans shoppers for cost price. I'll be back. The top is also available in mid-blue. Can't locate on the Evans website, possibly because of the pricing anomaly.

A quick word on the hosiery front.  I recently tried Scupltz tights and leggings which Planet are selling in their UK stores and found them pretty marvellous. Normally I'd pay what, £6 tops for a pair of M&S opaque tights. These babies cost £22 for a pair of their sheer shaper tights and are worth every penny and more. They fit beautifully have a great true black colour, hold me together nicely and have lasted a few machine washes.  As a late adopter I'll be wearing their leggings (£33) under summer dresses and shifts safe in the knowledge that the knees will not have gone baggy, that's my idea of investment dressing.