Willpower is an important skill to nurture, especially when it comes to shopping. Personally, I’m quite good at being selective with most categories of clothing—I tend to hold out until I find the pair of jeans, cotton T-shirt or classic loafers that feel like they were made for me. But when it comes to dresses, try as I may, my cup will never be filled.
And can you blame me? Every season, the array of dresses released by luxury brands and high-street stores is borderline overwhelming. And every one of them is unique from the last. Be it a sweetheart mini or a sleek black maxi, each time a dress catches my eye, my mind fills with potential outfits and hypothetical occasions that only this dress will work for. Yes, it’s a problem.
I accepted a long time ago that I can’t possibly own all the dressers I fall in love with—storage issues, lack of funds and the environmental impact of excessive buying being just a handful of reasons—but I have found a way to indulge my dress obsession to a reasonable extent.
Where I try to invest the bulk of my fashion budget in pieces I know I’ll own for the long haul and I’m unlikely to tire of (think 100% cotton basics and vegan leather accessories), I generally stick to high street dresses. This way, I can enjoy a myriad of styles that take my interest without breaking the bank, while paying attention to the quality of the materials and considering whether they’ll work in my wardrobe for the foreseeable.
It helps that brands like & Other Stories, H&M and Marks and Spencer all have their finger on the pulse when it comes to trends—as well as offering a wealth of timeless silhouettes each season. And you might be surprised by how expensive looking they are. Don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you to sift through the masses of dresses by yourself. I’ve rounded up 30 below that I think are worthy of your attention. While you scroll through, I’m off to decide which I can justify adding to my wardrobe…
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