Something to wear over maxi dress

[thesnaleandthewhail]

I have a few midi and maxi dresses for summer, loose ones. I'm wondering what kind of cardigan/light jacket could work with them for summer evenings? I'm not a massive fan of a denim or leather jacket to be honest. I'm thinking a cardigan but not in a granny way? I feel like it needs to be cropped. It also needs to go with several colours. Any ideas??

I love a maxi dress in summer and I think other people look good with little denim/leather/cotton or linen jackets over them, but I'm just not a jacket kind of person, they make me feel awkward. So I do wear a cardigan, usually cropped or quite short, and with a bit of structure or fitted rather than really loose. A jumper or sweatshirt can also look great though of course it covers up part of the dress, but that's a look! :o

I also sometimes wear a hoodie but I've been berated on S&B before for suggesting hoodies. I love them. I'm old enough to be a granny (though not one) and I don't really care if I look like one, whatever that means.

Cos is good for classy cardigans here

I guess it is casual ageism if we're going to get very fine grained about it. Are any grannies truly offended though? For me that's the litmus test. I think it's clear enough that when people say "granny" they're not talking about an age or people who are grandmas, more an old stereotype picture of a granny, that mostly doesn't exist anymore since plenty of people are stylish no matter their age or grand-parental status. It is kind of exhausting having to spell that out when I don't really think the short hand of granny has hurt anyone. But I can't dispute that you're correct, dowdy is a better and safer word.

And thank you yes I like that FC cardigan!

I find I look frumpy in a cardigan over a midi dress.

I tend to fall back on a denim jacket, although I've also been wearing midi dresses with a relaxed blazer or a khaki shacket (hate that word!) this spring. I like the contrast between a quite feminine looking dress and a casual jacket. I do like the look of jumpers over dresses on other people but can't seem to pull it off myself.

palava.co/collections/womens-knitwear-aw21

Palava cardigans are all cropped to waist length and look very neat over dresses.

Brora will also have loads of neat , cropped cardigans.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

You might feel unstylish or dowdy. Fine. But enough with the 'old' or 'like a granny' bullshit.

I like a cropped denim jacket but in cotton fabric rather than denim, eg khaki. Toying with a pale pink one for this summer.

Cardigans are tricky. Hard to get the length right but this sort of style can work.

Hear , hear. It's casual, unthinking ageism.

@thesnaleandthewhail

I guess it is casual ageism if we're going to get very fine grained about it. Are any grannies truly offended though? For me that's the litmus test. I think it's clear enough that when people say "granny" they're not talking about an age or people who are grandmas, more an old stereotype picture of a granny, that mostly doesn't exist anymore since plenty of people are stylish no matter their age or grand-parental status. It is kind of exhausting having to spell that out when I don't really think the short hand of granny has hurt anyone. But I can't dispute that you're correct, dowdy is a better and safer word.

And thank you yes I like that FC cardigan!

By your own justification "granny" is just , a lazy, unthinking and inaccurate synonym for "dowdy"

Yes, exactly, I did agree with that. I accept what you're saying.

But I do also feel that no grannies are actually upset.

It's a balance isn't it between being careful and fair with language and getting outraged by everything.

@KimikosNightmare

palava.co/collections/womens-knitwear-aw21

Palava cardigans are all cropped to waist length and look very neat over dresses.

Brora will also have loads of neat , cropped cardigans.

These are cute. Maybe too cutesy designs for my dresses but I like the concept

Yes I feel the same about granny. Yes it is ageist. But also, it doesn't seem to be anti-grannies as such. It's a bit like calling someone "grandpa" for being old-fashioned and behind the times. Doesn't mean you're saying all grandpas actually are that.

What about things like "mansplain", that doesn't mean all men does it?

I'm petite and short bodied so I find cardigans tricky as then hit my hips not my waist, I do like long cardigans. But too warm for over a maxi summer dress.

Erm...I really don't think I'm getting 'outraged by everything' actually.

I like a couple of those Palava ones - like a cross between a cardigan and a bomber jacket.

@MoonOnASpoon

Yes I feel the same about granny. Yes it is ageist. But also, it doesn't seem to be anti-grannies as such. It's a bit like calling someone "grandpa" for being old-fashioned and behind the times. Doesn't mean you're saying all grandpas actually are that.

What about things like "mansplain", that doesn't mean all men does it?

I hate mansplain too. All of these words are unthinking, lazy and hackneyed.

There are perfectly good words to describe what is being badly described by using them.

Kimiko on that level you're right, I know you are. But... I kind of like the energy of a lot of these words too, sometimes they are useful. A colleague of my ex's was always known as grandpa as he was slightly older - as a joke. It suited him and was funny. I laugh when my DD says "bingo wings" - and so on. These things just make life more vivid. I honestly don't know where I stand tbh.

Depends on your budget but I love stuff from Wyse London to through over everything
Chunky oversized cardis look great over maxi dresses

Update! I've ordered two cropped jumpers to try.

I'll check out wyse london though thanks. I tried on various types of jackets and cardigans that I already had to get an idea what it would be like if they were the right length/colour etc but I think the jumper idea worked the best 👌🏼

Boden do a cropped cashmere in a variety of colours.

For cardigans I think the short boxy shape &Other Stories do keeps it looking modern - www.stories.com/en_gbp/clothing/knitwear/cardigans/product.boxy-wool-knit-cardigan-green.1009391004.html

Like some previous posters my preference is a utility jacket - Cos have a nice cropped version at the moment but basically all high street shops have their own version.

Shrug or cropped fitted cardi. I like jewel coloured cashmere over a summer dress. Boden do lovely ones but buy 2nd hand on Ebay. Long cardi in acrylic is granny territory for me

I would say this is granny ish though

@Londonlou2 Please read the thread and skip the casual ageism.

@elizzza Short and boxy definitely better.

I’ve got these in a couple of colours
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B007XFC38W?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image&th=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

H&M have some new in cropped cardis. I bought an unstructured edge to edge linen jacket with patch pockets from M&S last year in their Autumn sale £11 down from £35.
Would something like that be a choice?
I must say that I've seen cropped cardies everywhere and they look good if you pick the right shape.
I look on YouTube to see what's current and Mellisa M (can't think of her last name)

...sent too soon.
Melissa M always has great ideas about High Street fashion and models the clothes herself. She also styles people in person and via zoom all around the world.