Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Cotton midi dresses without frills!

77 replies

sunshinesupermum · 01/06/2021 10:43

First world problems but why is it nigh impossible to find a print midi-length cotton dress without frills at a reasonable price ie £50 or less? Wrap dresses are a no-no too. TIA

OP posts:
MareofBeasttown · 02/06/2021 15:18

I have Weirdfish. It's nice, though I wish it were a little longer. I am 5"7.

ghislaine · 02/06/2021 15:18

Something like this? shirt dress or this

HavelockVetinari · 02/06/2021 16:02

The answer is Boden - they have LOADS of them, frill-free:

www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/womens-dresses/midi-dresses

Thisismynewname123 · 02/06/2021 16:09

@HavelockVetinari Boden tends not to be in the £50 price range though :)

HoollyWugger · 02/06/2021 16:20

@MareofBeasttown

I have Weirdfish. It's nice, though I wish it were a little longer. I am 5"7.
Whereabouts does it come to on you? And is it true to size? It looks lovely but I'm big of nork and it can throw the sizing off with dresses.
TheMoth · 02/06/2021 16:49

Fair few on Joe browns. I'm 5'9, so none of their stuff ever fits me- pulls at the arm pits and waist is too high.

Billandben444 · 02/06/2021 16:57

I know what you mean, I cover my knees at all times now (unless in swimsuit and then there's enough there for folk to be gawping at without noticing my knees!).

HavelockVetinari · 02/06/2021 17:05

[quote Thisismynewname123]@HavelockVetinari Boden tends not to be in the £50 price range though :)[/quote]
Drat, I missed that, my fault for not reading the OP properly.

I suggest buying Boden off eBay - saving the planet as well as the pennies.

HavelockVetinari · 02/06/2021 17:06

I've just looked on eBay, there's loads on there!

MareofBeasttown · 02/06/2021 17:11

@HoollyWugger It hits my knee. I think it runs a bit small. I am small of nork but large of tummy, so I sized up because I don't like clingy.

MajorMakeover · 02/06/2021 17:15

Boden is ££ however I never buy from there unless I have mined a 20% code off this website, on the codes forum.

weebarra · 02/06/2021 17:20

White stuff seems to have some nice midi stuff at the right price. It'll be maxi on me but waiting till it's in the sale!

TheBullfinch · 02/06/2021 17:22

@Bumzoo

Some look like old sacks, or they are ridiculously fussy.
This

It's a real struggle to find something that's not floral or groaning under the weight of frills and lace.

Warehouse do nice plain things, as do La Redoute but if you want higher quality, it's really tricky.

MissKeithsNeice · 02/06/2021 17:27

Uniqlo is my go to and I have boobs. Size down and style with belts if the volumous, loose fitting look isn't your thing.

www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/women/tops/dresses-jumpsuits

sunshinesupermum · 02/06/2021 17:29

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Boden is way too expensive for me for a cotton summer dress but I'll take a look when their sale is on and fingers crossed they have some size 14s left! This is the one I LOVE
www.boden.co.uk/en-gb/voop-cotton-tiered-dress-daffodil-kaleidoscopic-floral/sty-j0914-bye?cat=C1_S2_G4_G757

Why has Fatface chosen to put a cotton lining under a viscose dress?The Weirdfish dress is cotton jersey and I'm really after poplin which I have found on Mango Smile

I already have viscose in my wardrobe but when the temp is 25C cotton is the only comfortable fabric I find. BTW Tiers count as frills for me (wore them in the 1970s so no way do they suit me now!)

OP posts:
Whosaidit · 02/06/2021 17:32

Fair enough about viscose. I often think it gets a bad rep and I find it just as good as cotton for me in the summer but we’re not all the same!

Whosaidit · 02/06/2021 17:33

@Whosaidit

Fair enough about viscose. I often think it gets a bad rep and I find it just as good as cotton for me in the summer but we’re not all the same!
Although having said that, there are diff kinds of viscose aren’t there. I’m wearing a viscose dress from nobody’s child right now and you’d struggle to know it wasn’t cotton. But I have seen viscose which feels a bit more like polyester
MissKeithsNeice · 02/06/2021 17:37

@sunshinesupermum do you prefer patterns or plain? I'm pattern-phobic so often look to Cos. Most is over your budget, but not everything:

www.cosstores.com/en_gbp/women/womenswear/dresses/product.skater-dress-black.0971659001.html

sunshinesupermum · 02/06/2021 17:39

Just noticed that the Boden dress I love does have tiers after all (just as well I can't afford it!)

I am a huge fan of viscose and one black short sleeve top is my go-to even in hot weather but since putting on a small amount of weight the Zara printed poplin shirt dress I've worn the past 2 -3 years is definitely too small now and it's that which I wish to replace.

OP posts:
sunshinesupermum · 02/06/2021 17:42

MissKeithsNiece I want a printed dress and Cos is all plain, sadly.

OP posts:
Whosaidit · 02/06/2021 17:44

@QuentininQuarantino

I bought this mango dress in both colours after reading recommendations on here and I LOVE it, I’m a size 12 and I think I look slimmer than this model does!

I was impressed by how many dresses in there were sustainable cotton (even just cotton is so hard to find these days) and that one has pockets!

Does the dress come up true to size?
Billandben444 · 02/06/2021 20:09

Looks as though the ones on ebay are polyestet

QuentininQuarantino · 02/06/2021 20:38

@Whosaidit I got an M which I think is a loose 12, maybe it’s a looser fit compared to other mango dresses

Swipe left for the next trending thread