Dresses

Bell-shaped fluffy frock and strappy ballet pumps

Leave a Comment

I’ll be honest, the bell silhouette is not for everyone. But if we choose wisely most of us should be able to carry off bell-shaped styles well enough. Unlike an A-line cut which flares out at the hem or the Tulip which tapers in, the bell cut flares out at the waist and falls in a straight line to the hem.  

How to wear it

This shape only works with a close-fitting bodice (upper half) – a voluminous or fussy top half will swamp you.  So skirts should always be paired with a fitted top. The style of top doesn’t actually matter – short or long sleeves, vest or T-shirt, even a fitted shirt will do – so long as you are working with your body shape and only going as “fitted” as you feel comfortable with.

Who can wear it

Most of us can wear this cut. It is particularly flattering on “straight up and down” girls like me as it adds curves where there aren’t any!  Very petite girls should look for dresses that are very fitted at the waist (the one I’m wearing here isn’t). Very tall girls should stick with short styles.

Where to? 

Bell-shaped dresses and skirts tend to be structured making them a popular choice for formal gowns (yawn). Personally, I’ve never subscribed to a strict code when it comes to which clothes should be worn where. If you are comfortable, not affronting public decency and using some common sense, I’m all for wearing whatever whenever. Half of my wardrobe would be out of action otherwise!

 

I wanted to dress this down but it’s far too chic for trainers or boots. So, I went casual-luxe with my strappy ballet pumps.  Tip: It is easy to “over dress” a bell-shaped piece with the wrong choice of accessories, particularly if it is a very structured style.  To dress it up all you need are barely there strappy heels or an understated pair of flat or kitten heel mules, finished off with simple jewellery. Just let the dress or skirt speak for itself! 🙂

Addie x

I am wearing:

Dress: Emin & Paul| Shoes: Isabel Marant| Bag: Givenchy| Sunglasses: Celine

 

 

 

Photos: UW Ugbenne

Black Against The Wall. A Jumper Over A Dress.

Leave a Comment

I wore this a couple of weeks ago when we were still basking in all that glorious Autumn sunshine. I’m blogging it because it’s a super easy transitional outfit – a jumper over a cotton tunic with sturdy boots (simples!) – plus, if you’ve read Hi-Lo Pick ‘n’ Mix. I like a bit of everything you’ll know how I love a high street/high-end combo.

It was a busy Saturday and I needed something suitable for a swanky brunch but comfortable enough for the usual weekend errands afterwards.  You can achieve this look with any dress and “statement jumper” combination. Colour doesn’t have to be black but for a polished look I’ll keep it muted, sticking to the same tones for the jumper and dress.  Understated colours like camel, any type of grey or even blush pink will work fabulously even with black accessories.

So here’s the breakdown of this Hi-Lo mix and match:

# Black tunic – several years old (GAP);  # Jumper with fabulous sleeve detail – this season’s purchase (Primark); # Kick-ass boots – going into it’s second Winter (Primark. Yes, believe it); # Bag – can we take a moment to adore please? Also a couple of years old (Givenchy and worth every hard-earned penny); # Sunglasses, my absolute favourite that go with everything I own – also a couple of years old (Céline). 

Thanks to nifty accessorising, my fairly basic outfit is chic’ed up for zhu-zhu brunch but not too precious for the Saturday shop.  Hurrah.

Thanks for reading.

Addie x