I’ve ordered a 2nd sack-of-potatoes dress

when I lived in India, all the ladies who are at home, where a long loose dress, more like a nighty, and keep their churidor or sari to wear outdoors, always cool easy to wear and made perfect sense, although I kept to my shorts and t shirt and factor 20/30 every day.

I bought a similar style dress in linen from Woolovers. Mine is a colour called cayenne but there was lots of choice. Not too expensive either. Also came in plain or print.

Why long sleeves in hot weather? Surely strappy is the way to go?

Lara2, long sleeves can be surprisingly cool in hot weather but if I buy a dress with either elbow length or long sleeves, it's because of my 'bingo wings'. In the distant past, I had no qualms about sleeveless dresses. Ah....

Also shoulders burn so easily. I can’t remember the last time my shoulders or upper arms were exposed to the world. I was a bit slack with sunscreen for a while, wanting my VitD levels to go up and I’ve now got very leathery skin so I now wear cotton layers. Apart from a brown tanned bit between my socks and the bottom of my leggings. My tanometer that shows me how brown I would have been without the covering.

I love it.

I live in Queensland, Australia now, and my friends back home (UK) would probably be astonished (to say the least) at the skimpies that pass for my wardrobe now?

I don’t know how old you are, Lara2, but I’m past the age where (unless I’m on a beach) I want a lot of flesh on show. If I were still 50 odd, it might be a different matter.
I wouldn’t be seen dead in anything strappy now!

I know some people are entirely happy to display ageing flesh, complete with sags and wrinkles, and the best of British to them, but I’m not one of them.

Also, I lived for many years in extremely hot countries, and it’s a fact that if you want to keep cool and comfortable, long and loose, in natural fibres, is the way to go - not with the sun beating down on bare skin.

Hi Witzend! I'm 51. You are right of course about long and loose clothing, and I agree about natural fibres too. But when in Rome...!?

Cheers to you Witzend. Enjoy your dresses and your G&Ts.

It's a long time since I visited Queensland, but then everyone I spoke to lectured me about protecting myself from the sun. I do just that especially since a melanoma scare.

I do love that style, but sadly out of my price range, Seasalt has some similar styled and some lovely simple styled dresses too, but less expensive if anyone is interested?

www.seasaltcornwall.co.uk/clothing/dresses-tunics

I think that dress looks lovely. I'm about to dive on to the Poetry website too!

I've learned through the years to buy the things I REALLY like even though they seem expensive. In the end they are not, as I love wearing them and with better quality comes longer wearing time. My mother never allowed herself 'special' clothes and often bought two not quite so nice and then never felt good.

Lara2

Why long sleeves in hot weather? Surely strappy is the way to go?

Never. At my age with saggy arms (in spite of playing loads tennis ) I never wear strappy sleeveless things. I think I look a million times better with loose three quarter sleeved garments I I look out for Sahara and Masai in the sales. They last and last.

I looked in M&S today for anything stylish! They did have similar dresses to the OP's, though rather cheaper. A cream maxi seersucker dress with long sleeves did look rather like a Victorian nightie. Any 'swing' dresses that might have caught my eye had puff sleeves. Oh, please! I outgrew those when I was about 6.

I used to buy clothes from a lady that opened up a shop in Ashburton. It’s called My Fabulous Things. A lot of it was from Italy and was cotton. She has a Facebook page.

I used to buy baggy loose dresses in Sahara in their sales. These days I rather like Kin at John Lewis. These are so baggy that I buy size 14 instead of 16. On cooler days they go well with leggings, otherwise they are long enough to cover my legs!

annodomini, IMO M&S have always been notorious for spoiling something that might have been nice enough, with fussy details or added ‘bits’.

I do still find the odd thing, but mostly I think their buyers/designers have had a taste bypass, or are colour blind, or both.
Or else they just think, ‘Well, I wouldn’t be seen dead in it, but it’ll do for M&S.’.

I still have a nice summery cardigan I bought at least 5 years ago, that came with the most ghastly buttons - like those leather ones on old men’s cardigans, only plastic! Whatever possessed anyone to choose them, I can’t imagine.

Having bought it, I went straight to John Lewis for some infinitely nicer ones. It was well worth the effort of stitching them all on, since I’ve worn that cardigan endlessly, and it washes like a dream.

Witzend
Totally agree about M&S they can’t leave things alone, always have to add unnecessary bits of stuff.
It’s the same with their children’s clothes, pick something up, looks nice till you see all the unnecessary embroidery or frills.
Sahara have some lovely loose fitting dresses this year.

Liking your “sack of potato dress”! Some great alternatives suggested too. I only wear trousers, jeans or maxi dresses. Have found some fab shapeless tunic tops in linen on Phase Eight website. Love them and must admit Ive bought several colours. So not only will I be shapeless but also creased to glory ?. And this from the old bird who would never be seen dead without a blazer- shoulder pads of course-, lippy and earrings. Happy days ??

I love that dress! Too expensive for me though. This arrived today from M&S and is lovely and cool. 100% cotton too. Its a Whitestuff dress and at £55 I thought I was being totally extravagant!

That is really nice, LadyStardust - I just wish they’d make more non-fussy summer things with non-tight 3/4 sleeves.

It was several years ago now, but we were playing I-Spy with a young nephew in the car, when he said he spied ‘something very old and wrinkly’.
It was my elbow! ? ?

Witzend That's so funny, bless him! Sleeves are always an issue with summer dresses aren't they? I was in George @ Asda this afternoon and they had some gorgeous maxi/midi dresses but totally sleeveless. Just a short sleeve is perfect for me. (makes mental note to extra moisturise her elbows from now on)

£229!!!