It is obvious to anyone who reads my blog that I love clothes; I've been going on about them many times, sometimes with interesting discussions ensuing from my musings, such as here.
What I love most out of all types of clothes are dresses.
A dress is just the perfect item - it allows you to be ready with one single bit of clothing (not counting what is worn underneath), and all you need is a matching pair of shoes and maybe a handbag and jacket, if temperatures so require.
My dresses range from the type I only ever wear at home to the ones that I can team up or down for either business or just doing the groceries shopping, and I have a few that need a special occasion to be worn, such as a party, a ball, going to the opera or to a posh restaurant.
Not that long ago, my Mum presented me with what is currently my most beautiful dress - and waiting for an occasion to wear it:
It is from Laura Ashley and originally must have cost somewhere around 250-300 €, I guess; my Mum got it for just over 40 € from Ebay.
Now, some people say they'd never wear clothes bought Second Hand, but in this case, the lady she bought it from lives nearby and we have both been to her place and seen what an exceptionally clean and tidy household she leads, she herself being a very neat and well-groomed person. When she says she has worn the dress only once to a wedding, I believe her.
And now it is mine, and I already know with what accessories I am going to wear it - with the exception of the shoes.
In case the occasion should be a ball, I'll of course be wearing my dancing shoes. They are black and therefore do not match the dress perfectly, but they are proper dancing shoes and allow me to spend the majority of an evening on the dance floor without my feet suffering. Should the occasion be a night at the opera or ballet or something else, I'll have to think again.
The shoes I am wearing in the pictures are certainly not the ones I am really going to wear with this dress; the heels are chipped in two places and that would just make the whole outfit look somewhat shabby. So, in all likelihood, if the occasion arises to wear this dress and it is not for dancing, I'll have to buy new shoes... *sigh* :-D
Great dress! And what a find. Don't know about you, but I love shoes. I've always said you can tell the story of my life by following the trail of the unsuitable shoes! Have fun shopping for the shoes to go with your beautiful new dress. How about some strappy white or silver heeled sandals? But whatever you choose will look great I am sure! :o) xoxo
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yes, and a huge thank you to my Mum who found it and got it for me! I, too, love shoes, but it is not always easy to combine the sensible (I need to be able to walk in them, and walk a lot, since I do not drive) with the elegant. Pure white won't go with the dress, since it is of a creamy background colour. I suppose when I'll need the shoes, I'll have to take the dress with me to the shops in order to get it perfectly right :-)
DeleteWhat a pretty dress! I would feel like Cinderella wearing it. I love the full skirt and the way it does at the back (the way the fabric goes into a V at the top, I mean). I just read the comment above and white or silver sandals would look good, I agree! But of course you must find something that you can dance in! Do you know this quote, "Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in HIGH HEELS!"
ReplyDeleteKay, I do feel rather princessy with the lovely full swinging skirt around me, rather unusual for me since I so often wear more the shorter variety of dresses and skirts (to show off my legs, you know, he he!). Somehow I instantly assume a better posture when I slip this on!
DeleteIf I'll wear it to a dance, I'll certainly be wearing my proper dancing shoes, the ones you've seen on the picture with my post about the ball. They don't match in colour but they were made for dancing.
What a darling dress! It is certainely something I would choose! I can just see how it would open up while twirling on the dance floor. I just love it, it looks so summery and cool! even a little shawl or wrap around your shoulders would be plenty to keep the chill off on a cool breezy night! JUST LOVE IT and you look beautiful in it Libby!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda! Yes, it does look nice when one swirls around in it, I can just picture it during a Viennese or an English Waltz, which RJ and I are quite good at together. The dress has a full cotton lining as well as a layer of stiff tulle petticoat with a cream satin lining, it is so well made.
DeleteLaura Ashley gowns are so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a find!
xx
julie
There used to be a time, Julie, when I regularly bought Laura Ashley dresses for myself (only when they had a sale going on...). I then stopped wearing them because I found they were making me look rather frumpy. But this one, I don't feel like a frump in it at all.
DeleteNo, not frumpy at all. Laura Ashley things are classics! :o)
DeleteI totally agree that dresses are so versatile, and have quite a few in my wardrobe, along with plenty of nice cardigans! None of them are as lovely as yours though :o)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen :-) Yes, the versatility is another point why I love dresses more than any other item of clothing. I have some that I can wear all year round, with or without a blouse or jumper underneath, depending on temperatures.
DeleteOh, what a beautiful dress, and it was made for you!! Lovely!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Dorothy
It certainly feels as if it was made to measure for me! Thank you, Dorothy, you too have a great weekend.
DeleteI LOVE IT!!! That's my kind of dress! I was a HUGE Laura Ashley fan too!
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely, isn't it!
DeleteThis dress looks very elegant on you – it hangs well too and I like the fabric pattern. My mother worked in high fashion in Paris before she married my father. I wrote a post on her about when she worked at the House of Worth. She always made me look at fashion while growing up and would notice if a dress did not hang well or if the length was not straight. You will enjoy this dress a lot I think.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I shall look for that post about your mother's work in the fashion world. So far, no occasion has arisen for me to wear this dress, but just knowing it is there is nice :-)
DeleteWell you seem to have the figure for it! (I don't...)
ReplyDeleteI believe I do, Monica :-)
DeleteSehr elegant ou très élégant pour utiliser le langage de chic.
ReplyDeleteMerci beaucoup!
Delete