Is this dress a bit dated?

[CerealPosterHere]

I like it but am aware that apparently floral dresses have “had their day”. I am in my 40s so probably fat face target audience

https://www.fatface.com/style/su397065/e79200#e79200

Slow typer and PP has said similar!

Seasalt have similar cotton ones in their sale at the moment

I've always worn florals and probably always will - just my vibe :)

I've got some FF viscose dresses (pre the Next take over though which I think has shifted the quality a little) and they wash and wear well. However they do tend to need an iron which I don't mind but other's might.

I don’t think that style was popular 10 years ago- but covid warps a lot!!! The summer before covid was the first time I was seeing a lot of floral midi dresses with denim jackets and white trainers. It wasn’t ubiquitous though, until the summer of covid when that floral midi, denim jacket and trainer combo was the look of every mum at the park (with Prosecco on separate picnic blankets at least 2 metres apart as that was our social life)

I had hoped the midi length sun dress would be done by now - as a short person, its really not a good length, I can do knee length, shorter (so long as still closer to knee than arse) or maxi length. Cutting across the lower leg like that is not a good look unless you are very tall.

sadly, it looks like we’ve got another year of the shops that do good quality clothes aimed at middle aged women making spring/summer dresses only flatter tall ones.

I bought that dress last summer - it was miles too long on me (I'm 5 ft 3 and bought regular) - plus the fabric was really see through with a big flouncy tier at the bottom - so I sent it back. Looked really poor quality in real life i'm afraid.

Oh I’m the same height. Have ordered the short version though. But yeah sounds like material might not be great.

I’m beginning to think that I might as well just buy from primark or go much better quality like Toast. The inbetween brands don’t seem any better than primark or Tesco 🤷🏻‍♀️. certainly don’t want a see through dress

picking it up on Tues so will see

Let us know what you think- I’m invested now!!!!

I like it, and I'm not usually very into floral dresses. But I feel like they are always pretty acceptable!

I don't love the tier on the skirt but they are everywhere now and it's not that noticeable.

I agree with you re quality and brands. I do think Seasalt is better quality than most other high street brands but also more expensive and styles can be (even!) more mumsy...

i think floral summer dresses are a bit like blue jeans, plain white trainers, black leggings, a trench coat, white shirt, etc
i.e. essentially staple items that don't really date
yes there might be slightly different cuts and styles and colours that are 'this year's' trends, and yes, sometimes the other clothing items or accessories you pair it with can update or age an overall look.

but in and of itself, nobody is going to look at a floral dress and go 'that's very 2010.' People were wearing floral dresses in 1780 and I bet they'll be wearing them in 2050.

I disagree, IME, it was unusual for women to wear floral dresses between 8-30 years ago, it's only in the last 5-7 years they became really popular. Unlike blue jeans which have been worn continually (in different shapes) since the 70s.

Well you'd be wrong there. If nothing else have you never heard of Laura Ashley or Monsoon?

Of course they were @Chewbecca in fact I was wearing floral dresses with gazelles way back in 1995.

I actually quite like the dress (mid 30s here) but am not aware of fashion trends at all.
I would have worn it with a denim jacket and white trainers 😂😂 so no help from me I’m afraid OP.

Those who say not to wear it with a denim jacket, what would you wear it with then? A blazer? Bomber jacket? Please don’t say an oversized jacket, doesn’t suit me at all! (5’4” and apple shaped)
Actually I’ve recently found out that this way of describing body shaped is outdated too, so maybe better described as round!

I didnt like either of the red sainsburys shoes linked to yesterday btw but have ordered these

https://tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk/product/tuc145225008

Yes I was about to ask the same question about what to wear instead of denim jacket! I agree it's been done to death but never know what to replace it with come Summer time...

The floral dress will never have had its day. Yes there has been a few years of the floral midi dress, denim jacket and white trainers uniform...but there are many other ways of styling one. They will never go out of fashion. There will always be floral dresses.
Having said that, I don't like florals at all. Seldom wear them. I wouldn't wear your dress myself but not because it's dated.

You definitely mis-remember then - I was wearing ditsy floral dresses in the late 90s/early 2000s! Mostly bias cut and just below knee length, though I definitely had a midi length one which I've often remembered over the last five years and wished I still had it (and the figure I had back then 😂) I wore them with Converse, DMs or ballet flats.

The style may change a bit and they definitely went out of fashion for a while, but they never really go away. And I would agree the summer before Covid was there first real midi floral dress summer.

I still have a ditsy long floral dress that I bought in Debenhams in 1995 or 1996. Still wear it! 😁. I get complimented every time I wear it, it has spaghetti straps and I wear a fitted tight tshirt under it. It’s very 90s dated but kind of retro now. I’d have been 18 or 19 when I bought it.

I wore floral dresses, trainers and denim jackets back in the 90s (and have done off & on ever since) and was delighted when there was an abundance of all of them in the shops a few years ago. Absolutely gutted that my style staple for the last few decades is deemed frumpy and outdated now 😭😂

Btw re viscose & shrinking, I always carefully handwash anything viscose but have still had things shrink - Jigsaw gorgeous floral midi dress I’m looking at you 😡

I've been wearing floral dresses all my life. I've never owned trainers in any colour or a denim jacket.

That dress isn't quite me, but for dresses generally it would depend on the weather-but this is what I wear - a cropped boxy cardigan or a loose boxy jumper, a tweed riding jacket , any other cropped jacket fitted or boxy , a fitted tweed tail coat, a loose linen coat dress worn as a coat, a trench coat or raincoat if wet, a light wool coat if chilly.

I'd wear a jumper 😆 I find jackets over bare skin feel cold so I'd much rather wear a wool or cotton jumper over the top and take it off if it gets warm.

I got a cream coloured denim jacket from Seventy & Mochi last year in an attempt at something different. Still denim of course - & not as versatile as a denim coloured jacket would be…

Just wear it anyway. You make an outfit your own with jewellery and shoes, hair, a bag and such like.
A dress and a denim jacket is a classic combination. Nothing goes out of date now...it's fine to take inspiration from any era.

@mewkins
It can be hard to get that right though - wool jumpers can look a bit heavy for summer evenings and while cotton can work, it can be hard to find one jumper/cardigan that works with many different dresses like a denim jacket does.
But please do post any links if you have some as I’m always on the look out for things to wear with my collection of floral dresses 😊