Jacket for summer dresses

[Katykaty11]

Booked short break in Spain next week. Warm enough for dresses but want to take a jacket for evenings. Im 65 and have the usual blue denim one but get impression a bit dated. Any suggestions ? Would a cardigan be better?

Also utility but a cardigan-jacket.

https://www.reiss.com/style/su851462/v00001

And tbf it does look very nice

On the strength of this thread I bought the Sainsbury's cropped linen jacket in the stone colourway. It just arrived and looks great. I am a 12 but with 32g bust so I was worried about the chest pockets but it doesn't accentuate them at all. Unlike the Nobody's Child Charlie dress that also arrived today and is sadly going straight back. Shirred tops are definitely not the way forward for me unfortunately.

Maybe - & it's lovely in a very 70s Biba way. But I suspect the OP might want something a wee bit more classic & versatile if she's looking at Hobbs & M&S?

Yes, I have the fawn/beige version and I wear it as a casual jacket instead of a denim jacket. Or with jeans (avoids the double denim!).

Hobbs don't really "do" casual styling, as you say, but I have several jackets and trenchcoats from them which actually work well with casual outfits.

The problem with shirred tops & dresses is that (like another thread about T-bar & Mary-Jane shoes) they can have a strong whiff of little girl about them. I'm not sure if they really work better on small/flat-chested women - or whether it troubles me more as the childlike element is emphasised! I had one with ties at the shoulders & could never quite bring myself to wear it ...

Not an aspect I have ever really needed to consider I suppose. On me it was.giving strong Les Dawson vibes. And it was such a lovely colour.

It does look lovely. In my alternative pristine life where I have glossy straight hair not big & wavy, & where I am not covered in cat hair, I would wear it!!

Eeekkk!!! Not something you could style away!!! I dont think that Les - whether his male or female incarnations - was EVER a style icon!!!

OP - have you thought of a kimono-style knit over dresses or separates? Poetry has a few lovely (but costly) ones. They do style things in quite a dull way, IMO, but if you look at these shapes on other websites, they can look great. This one is cotton.

https://www.poetryfashion.co.uk/product-RN99/patterned-cotton-kimonostyle-cardigan.htm

This is cashmere so the most expensive. https://www.poetryfashion.co.uk/product-RN84/cashmere-kimonostyle-cardigan.htm

And a couple more in lots of colours. They're more jacket-like in style.

https://www.poetryfashion.co.uk/product-UL92/buttonfront-cotton-cardigan.htm

Or this. Not high-fashion I know, but simple & versatile - plus I don't know your style or budget so thought Poetry might be worth suggesting.

www.poetryfashion.co.uk/product-UH29/doubleknit-cotton-jacket.htm

This one has been styled in a bit more of a contemporary way, though with trousers.

https://www.poetryfashion.co.uk/product-RN98/cotton-collared-cardigan.htm

I love this! Reminiscent of an Oleg Cassini design for Jackie Kennedy.

If you wear plain dresses these kaho reversible quilted jackets are fantastic. I wear mine all the time Spring-Summer. They are slightly cropped and very easy to wash: kahoprints.com/collections/reversible-quilted-jackets?srsltid=AfmBOorPhZ_YS9vNQMiSPMXvVegSlp_8rVmnq4JjlH4JwLslnkh0pk-c

It is rather - never a bad thing!

https://www.boden.com/products/women-maya-zip-up-jacket-herb-garden-k1247grn

Like this Boden one too.

Another Boden one. In navy or beige too.

https://www.boden.com/products/women-gloucester-mac-grey-brown-multigingham-u0444gry

Sorry meant mango not m and s one going back. I went to so many shops! It was in the sale and buttons are also a bit garish. The Hobbs one I saw is mentioned by Rupiarn earlier. I think a lot of adverts for jackets are styled with trousers. I'm looking for one to go with dresses so I'm thinking slightly cropped. I'm also not great at ordering online so I'm sticking with High Street shops. I'm having one more trip at end of the week. I'll find it when I actually stop looking for it no doubt!

I just bought this from Next and love it. I'm a slightly top heavy 14, 5ft 8 and bought a 14L and it's a roomy fit but the ability to nip it in at the waist is great.

https://www.next.co.uk/style/su767542/h57780

I do love a good check. This one could elevate an otherwise boring outfit. If you throw this on with your school-run jeans and t-shirt you automatically look stylish.

How about a linen alternative? On the High Street to try.

I find linen is difficult to keep smart. Needs ironing. Denim is a lot more forgiving or a suede biker jacket. Chore (workwear) jackets are definitely worth looking at, in cotton. Blue is THE colour! Mango has some great cropped jackets. I’ve seen a red double breasted linen one and it’s lovely!

Yes, that horrible shade of sky blue - just like the shirt from my convent school uniform ... I hated it then & I hate it even more now!! Looks awful if you're ginger strawberry blonde!

All depends on the shade of suede though as to whether something is forgiving, & the OP has been looking for a cream jacket. Cream leather would be much better than suede. Must say, I wouldn't choose cream for a holiday jacket - whether suede, canvas or linen. As throwing it over the back of chairs in restaurants & children putting grubby paws on it/dropping it on the pavement/getting suncream or make-up on it would all be likely things to happen!!!