New to dresses! Advice welcome!

[PonyLo]

I am interested in trying out dresses, they are generally comfy but often difficult to source in a plain, winter weight fabric that is also good quality.

I like navy, dark grey for winter and really don't like pattern at all!
Unfortunately most of the decent day dresses are patterned, tiered and thin.
If I find a solid colour dress in a cut that I like it is always evening wear or something I might wear to the theatre, grrr.
i also don't like shirt dresses, wooly jumper dresses or anything from Uniqlo

I am happy to have length tailored to preference but can't control sleeves. The sleeves must go under a coat easily. And they must also be at least wrist length.
Why is it so hard to find a plain, nicely cut dress in a good fabric that actually feels practical for winter?

I like this cord dress (pictured), but am confused by the sleeves. Maybe not great for daywear?
My lifestyle is working from home, going for coffee, shopping or occasional concerts. iI am quite boring.
I would love to be educated more on this topic, so any advice welcome.

Watching with interest. Dresses are universally awful at the moment. Mormon preacher's wife crossed with Soviet Farm hand.

Pointless and unhelpful comment. Dresses are available in all sorts of styles and shapes.

OP do you like that dress and is this your price range? I'm confused what's confusing you about the sleeves. I like it. It's a good, day wear dress.

White Company cord dress

I like that dress, and I would wear it as daywear. I wouldn't feel dressed up enough in it personally to wear to a concert, for example. I'm not a fan of large sleeves or exaggerated shapes, that is a little bigger than my preference, but I think a winter wool style coat will look fine over it.

Why would you not wear it to a concert? I go to concerts regularly, probably at least 30 a year. I don't dress up. I'd wear that dress to one.

What type of materials do you like if you would like winter thickness, but not wooly jumpers?
Actual wool, is polyester/ viscose okay? Fine cord, denim? Obviously aside from the polyester dresses, natural/ nice materials are going to bump the price up.

@AriadnehasleftNaxos because I would wear that dress quite happily to go supermarket shopping or to work, whereas I don't go to concerts as often so I like to wear something that I probably wouldn't wear every day.

@AriadnehasleftNaxos very jealous of 30 concerts a year! I thought I was doing well this year with about 6 😂

I like the Gabriella dress here
https://aligne.co/collections/dresses

I'm talking about classical music mainly - nobody dresses up for those. I'm going to one on Thursday night, will be going straight from work wearing what I was wearing at work (which may well be similar to what the OP has posted)

Going to an opera on Friday - might wear a dressier dress for that.

And something like this, if you're after good quality pieces, I think this brand is meant to be very good at wool. A bit shapeless, but a nice length, sleeve and thickness
https://www.johnlewis.com/celtic-co-supersoft-wool-midi-jumper-dress/p109275681

I do too. Looks just right for a winter dress but better put your tin hat on. The Mormon preacher's wife crossed with Soviet Farm hand/ ugh Amish etc crowd will be along shortly to rubbish it.

@AriadnehasleftNaxos I hope you have a lovely time at both 😊

Another good choice although I prefer the claret version.

Yes and the photo in the OP is just that. Shapeless and drab. Looks as if it belongs on the Hamdmaids Tale.

Gosh what an original comment. And also unhelpful. The OP has posted that as example of something which caught her eye so presumably looking for similar.

@anon2022anon has posted helpful links to similar.

This is similar and although cotton is a heavy very warm material.
Colenimo

The OP likes that style and has given a brief what she's looking for, there's nothing unlikeable about the dress as long as she prefers simple and plain. It doesn't have to be your taste, but when someone says theyre looking for something in particular, I'm not sure why you would come on to rubbish it.

Ive never seen a dress made out of typewriter cord before 😁

Albaray has some lovely dresses, I've had a couple of bits from Vinted from this brand, and the quality has impressed me.
https://www.albaray.co.uk/collections/dresses

I also find & other stories good for a more pared back silhouette, though you might have to wade through some pattern to find block colours.

My biggest bugbear at the moment is tiers. I see a nicely cut dress, and then see a big old tier/flounce at the bottom. I could kind of get by it in a summer dress, but it doesn't seem right in a winter dress.

Hmm …

Anyone actually interested in good plain dresses (rather than those who come to S&B to carp and mock) might enjoy the selection at:

Envoy of Belfast

Just browsing their stock is a great way of identifying contemporary designers making this type of clothing.

But honestly, honestly - don’t click if you disapprove of anything not sold at M&S or Next.

Another wonderful source of exaggeratedly plain, simple dresses is:

Rendez-vous

These are not cheap or High St price clothes. (So there’s no need to point that out.) But they can be found not just reduced in sales but on pre-owned sites - for very much less.

Let the mocking and outrage begin!

Cos pleated dress

Try Yoox for a wide variety of options.

V neck midi dress with belt

At more approachable prices, there’s Plümo:

https://www.plumo.com/categories/Fashion/Dresses-and-Skirts/

Though they tend to attract ribaldry from those who think the worst insult in the world is to liken an item of clothing to something that might be worn by a member of a religious sect.

Kate Barton
Kate Barton winter dress
Kate Barton pintuck dress

Sideline
Sideline dress

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.sideline-clothing.com/shop/p/swift-pinafore-rust-cordwww.sideline-clothing.com/shop/p/swift-pinafore-rust-cord" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sideline pinafore

For winter you can wear a slim fitting long sleeved thermal vest under this style of dress which adds warmth.

Second sideline dress

Sideline pinafore