I have a very important question to ask about UK style....

[EconomyClassRockstar]

What is with all the dresses?!! Especially the flowery ones. I've just got home from 6 weeks back in the UK and I've never seen so many women in ugly dresses in my life! Is it just because they're cooler in the heat or has Me+Em just brainwashed the entire country?

This is meant pretty tongue in cheek before everyone starts coming at me with their pitchforks...which they're entirely dressed appropriately for! 😂

This. Why do you care OP? I've never heard of Me&Em.

Also, if you’ve got wide hips and a smaller waist it’s very difficult to find shorts/trousers that fit properly and you don’t have that problem with dresses.

Isn’t a summer dress just normal in summer? It is in the UK anyway. Many ladies will wear a long dress to work. They aren’t necessarily hot. Lot cooler than trousers and you can’t rock up to work in shorts and a tank top.

As in not smart enough to be going out in. 🤷‍♀️. I wouldn’t go to a restaurant for lunch in a tank top. Or shorts.

Long, floaty, flowery, frumpy dresses hide all the wobbly bits. Average uk dress size is 16.

You are not being unreasonable. Didnt get the flowery trend. Most of them look like tents as the British female demographic is also quite large.

Agreed.

I've owned floral dresses all my life but I only own one at present. I also have some geometric patterns and plain ones, and even some skirts.

Well said

As in not smart enough to be going out in. 🤷‍♀️. I wouldn’t go to a restaurant for lunch in a tank top. Or shorts.

Going out in as in leaving the house? I wore a tank top out to lunch the other day, I wasn't overly dressed up but I don't dress up for the average restaurant.

I'm quite heartened by this thread and the fact that we're all wearing lovely floaty, feminine, colourful dresses while the rest of the world wears ugly, boxy shorts, vests and sandals.

OP, I don't know if you're American or just live there, but your misplaced confidence in your own style and sense of humour certainly screams AMERICAN!

I live in the north,this is the first decent summer we have had in 3 years, I’m wearing what I wore 4 years ago as I’ve hardly had any wear out of any of it…

So your dress sense isn't very sophisticated is it.

As in leaving the house for any reason other than dog walking or maybe nipping to the village shop.

It’s sloshing around at home attire, not going out attire 🤷‍♀️

Dont get me wrong, I own shorts like these, I own tank tops like these……I don’t go out wearing them though 😁

I tried on a lovely print dress yesterday which suited me, but I decided not to buy it because I do think it’s a bit dated. If I was going to a wedding I would have got it and worn it with heels. I do have a couple of block colour cotten dresses that I wear to work in the heat with sandals and I got compliments from younger colleagues so I must look ok.

I want to know what constitutes ‘great’ shoes because I can’t think of anything that goes with shorts that would fit that description.

Quite. The OP hasn't had to go to work for 6 weeks, most women in the UK have had to. My workplace has a dreas code. No vest and shorts combo for sure!

A sensible answer (taking your Q at face value even though I also think you’re being faux-naive): it’s not reliably hot here as often, so things like midi-dresses are easy to wear in a range of weathers. Whereas you look like a dickhead in shorts and sandals and a skimpy vest unless it’s really hot. I don’t own that kind of clothes, because I’d probably get to wear them for 3 days some years. If I knew it was going to be really hot for an entire summer every year without fail, I probably would. But a cotton midi dress, I can wear with trainers and a jacket when it’s 12 degrees or with sandals when it’s 28 degrees.

I have to say I’ve also been looking with horror at the hideous floral dresses in the shops the last few years and despairing. It’s just not a style I can do, so I’ve stuck with my plain shift dresses which you stylish folk will probably laugh at.

I like shorts and a vest and walking sandals but not in a city ( although Bermuda shorts could work with a shirt). I also wouldn’t wear flip flops in the city either - however fashionable they’re deemed to be. )
I don’t think women in the U.K. are particularly stylish as a collective but there’s quite a diversity of style and a great deal of freedom to wear what you want. My Swedish friend has commented on how judgemental everyone is about clothing in Sweden which is why they’re all in their neutral uniforms… terrified of being judged. Her friends enjoy people watching in London because of the diversity.
Women in North America are not that stylish either outside of a big city. Maybe somewhere in the US there’s a British woman banging on about their clamdiggers and rhinestone t shirts but I can’t imagine they are - we tend to have better manners.

I'm going out tonight in ecru tailored shorts, an emerald green silk vest and black spotted mesh ballet pumps. I love these pumps more than the dog at the moment, they're pretty great.

Long floaty dresses are way cooler than shorts (with their sweaty waistbands) and ‘tanks’.

Not me, I love a plain dress.

This has been a hallmark of UK style for literally hundreds of years. We like floral dresses. Not news to anyone who is even vaguely paying attention.