Versatile dresses

[FrazzledDragon]

I'm looking for dresses that I'd be able to wear on their own in summer, but with leggings and boots (and maybe a long cardigan) in the colder months. Ideally around knee length. Any suggestions? I have absolutely no clue with this sort of thing so usually stick to jeans and tshirts/hoodies, but I'd really like to look a bit more put together.

Is there a reason for leggings with your dresses? (Over six decades I cannot recall a single moment when this has ever been a fashionable look - and I hate to think of beautiful dresses being used for this purpose!)

Are you very against either tights or longer length dresses / knee high boots?

Knee length isn't fashionable at the moment so I would look for short sleeved midi length dresses, these will look lovely in the summer with white trainers or sandals and you can wear tights and boots/shoes with them in the winter. And a cardigan (but not long length, regular length is fine)
What's your budget and what size are you?

Tights would be fine, as would midi length. I'm not keen on maxi dresses.

I'm a size ten, but with a mum tum so nothing too tight fitting. Budget would be as cheap as possible at the minute. An idea of styles rather than specific dresses would be fine - as I said, I'm completely clueless so no idea where to start. Hence sticking to the safety of jeans previously.

Tights would be fine, as would midi length. I'm not keen on maxi dresses.

I'm a size ten, but with a mum tum so nothing too tight fitting. Budget would be as cheap as possible at the minute. An idea of styles rather than specific dresses would be fine - as I said, I'm completely clueless so no idea where to start. Hence sticking to the safety of jeans previously.

I have a dress like this one. Its wrap has a popper so it doesn't gape. I also wear leggings with dresses as I loathe tights.

https://www.mountainwarehouse.com/santorini-womens-uv-jersey-wrap-dress-p28831.aspx/bright-pink/

Ah, ok - so you just ‘invented’ knee length dress and leggings as your desired style?

There is no specific cut of dress you need to look for - you sound a perfectly ‘ordinary’ size and shape. What’s most fun is to see what’s currently being sold in relatively mainstream fashionable shops and choose what you like best and feel would work for you. (Personally I wouldn’t want to extend most summer dresses into autumn / winter, as I wear different fabrics according to the season. Other than perhaps a gorgeous silk dress which would be equally good with warm things in colder weather.)

A step up from supermarkets and Primark would be

Uniqlo

Though I think their shirts and skirts might be better than the dresses.

What does as cheap as possible mean for you, though?

These are not suggestions for you but how I make dresses "versatile"

Palava - all of their dresses are cotton, linen or tencel. The cotton and linen are heavier weight anyway. In autumn / winter I wear the darker coloured dresses with a thin long sleeved thermal vest and a waist slip, with chunky cardigans, probably Palava heritage range or Fair Isle, waist length, not long on top and thick opaque tights and flat boots.
Palava

Oska, same principle but with Oska boiled wool jackets/ cardigans, which might be long.
Oska.

with both I'd wear indoor scarves, silk, wool, cotton and fingerless gloves if really cold.

Toast
I don't have anything from Toast but this would work with Toast as well.
Toast

This could be also done with Nobody's Child, Joannie and Seasalt. It's also completely do'able with expensive upmarket brands like Apuntob, Album Di Famiglia, Girls of Dust, Casey Casey (the latter mostly being hated on here but they are versatile)

Wrap dresses are usually flattering and versatile.
What works for me though is shirt dresses. Easy to dress up or down, suitable for summer or winter and you can usually get nice ones for any price range.

Shirt dresses are my favourite. www.lightinthebox.com/p/women-s-white-dress-shirt-dress-casual-dress-mini-dress-linen-cotton-blend-basic-modern-daily-weekend-shirt-collar-button-3-4-length-sleeve-summer-spr_p18803169.html?currency=GBP&sku=1_36%7C2_288&country_code=GB&litb_from=paid_adwords_shopping&utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=21458380736&adword_mt=&adword_ct=&adword_kw=&adword_pos=&adword_pl=&adword_net=x&adword_tar=&adw_src_id=7573621213_21458380736__&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwae1BhC_ARIsAK4JfrxFOf5RqaQ40sH1NhWLmF0xNdEQWCA8UMYUCkzeKpByktWor0ZTLe0aAuM5EALw_wcB is an example of what I like, I think if you want a warmer option for winter, leggings would be good. here you can find out about saving money on shopping promocodius.com/us/blog/promo-code-abuse-and-how-to-prevent-it www.prettylittlething.com/tall-mid-blue-wash-denim-oversized-shirt-dress.html here is another good one

I love fat face cotton dresses; I get mine from Vinted. They work with sandals and with tights in summer. In the summer I exclusively wear seasalt dresses as I'm always hot and they are made of cotton. Fat face dresses, tights and boots are my winter wardrobe!

Sorry to poke my nose in, @wheresthebigcarrot - but you do know other brands also produce cotton dresses?

Crew Clothing Company and Nobody's Child do quite a lot of cotton dresses I think :-)

@Wildermess