Why Summer Dresses Will Always Be A Staple

[ad-pr – this blog post contains gifted items]

I'm a dress girly. I love dresses so much, no matter the season. But for me, summer dresses are superior throughout spring, summer and even autumn. 

A nice dress, bare legs, and a pair of sandals, trainers or loafers - chef's kiss. Add a cardigan for those chillier days, and even a pair of tights if it's late autumn. They're just so darn versatile and I will forever love that about the trusty summer dress.

Fun fact, when I was at primary school, I'd often wear my summer dress all year round. I was a curvy girl back then too, so when winter rolled around and all the girls in my class began to wear trousers, I wasn't a huge fan. Instead, I rocked my summer dress with tights and a cardigan and honestly, it looked so good. 

If that doesn't prove that summer dresses are a staple, then I don't know what does. 

Anyway, I was recently kindly gifted two gorgeous summer dresses by Oliver Bonas – their Pink Gingham Shirred Bodice Puff Sleeve Midi Dress*, and their Chocolate Brown Gingham Floral Shirred Bodice Midi Dress*. I also received their Blue Embroidered Crew Neck Knitted Cardigan* and their Cream Tulip Zip Up Collared Knitted Cardigan.* 

I just love the look of a dress with a cardi.. it's so effortlessly chic and oh so perfect for a lazy Sunday coffee morning or river wander. 

So, here are the two gorgeous dresses from OB, paired with the cardigans...

Pink Gingham & Blue Knit

First up, the stunning pink gingham number. This dress is absolutely beautiful - so bright, so vivid, and so effortless to throw on and look put together in an instant. The shirred upper, the midi-length skirt, the v-neck cut, the puff sleeves, I truly love everything about this dress. I was also able to size down to a 14, thanks to how roomy it is and how well it fits my body shape. 

When deciding on the cardigan I wanted to pair with the frock, I decided to clash it up a bit. I love bright colours, and I'm not one to play it safe when it comes to fashion - so I decided to lean into dopamine dressing a bit and opt for a bright blue cardi. After all, cerulean blue is kind of a must, right? 

I just love the way that the bright pink and the bright blue team together. It looks so fun and happy and perfect for when the sun is shining. I styled it with a denim bag and some denim sandals, as well as my trust brown sunglasses that I've been wearing for over a decade. 

Brown Floral & Cream Tulip Knit

Next up, the stunning brown floral number. I thought this dress wouldn't be a winner for me because it's more of a straight cut and has an underskirt, but oh boy was I wrong. I was dubious to order a size 14, but went for it anyway and I'm so glad I did. Any bigger wouldn't look as good, and the 14 fits me so well. 

In a stunning tea-dress style with a shirred upper, this chocolate brown floral number is so perfect for ALL year round. For the April sunshine I paired it with some beige sandals and a brown bag, but it would look just as amazing with brown tights, brown boots and a brown jacket when the weather shifts later on in the year.

I styled it with the cream tulip zip knit, which looks as though it wouldn't work, but really really does! The weather was far too warm to wear it in the traditional sense for too long, so I draped it over my shoulders and tied the arms together for the chicest look imaginable. 

I LOVE all four of these pieces, and know for a fact that they will be staples in my wardrobe for many seasons and years to come. 

I'm a believer in investing in good quality garments that I love, and that I know will be timeless even when trends change, and that's why I love Oliver Bonas so much. 

[I was kindly gifted the four garments by Oliver Bonas. This is not a paid advert, and the links are not affiliate links.]