A denim dress is the ultimate summer wardrobe staple - here are the 11 best on the high street right now, from £38
The best thing about warm-weather dressing is that it requires little to no planning: just slip on a dress in the morning with a pair of slingbacks (or even some strappy sandals, if your office dress code is the laid-back sort), grab your woven tote of choice (could be leather or raffia) and you're good to head out the door.
Floral frocks are still very much in our mix, despite several attempts from the minimalist style set to declare the print dead. Just lean into richer colours such as burnt oranges, espresso browns, merlot red and mossy olives, rather than the sugary pinks and pastels, says YOU's fashion columnist Joanne Hegarty.
Floral prints are also getting some serious competition from polka dots this season, with the SS25 collections on the high street bursting with dresses, blouses, tops and even trousers covered in dots of all sizes and colours.
Not into prints? Linen dresses never disappoint as the weather warms, especially if you stick to classic shades of white, blue and black. The same is true for embroidered dresses, as they're typically made from breathable cotton and the openwork detailing offers a breezier alternative.
And then, of course, there are denim dresses. Often overlooked because we think of it as a heavier fabric, but most styles on the high street right now are actually made from lighter-weight denim. Plus, they're versatile, low-maintenance and look cute paired with raffia accessories. What's not to love?
So, scroll down for our edit of the best denim dresses to shop this season, from drop-waist midis to strapless and slip silhouettes.
The best denim dresses
Nobody's Child
£89 Shop
Boden
£136 Shop
FatFace
£69 Shop
Gap
£65 Shop
Aligne
£135 Shop
Ghost
£129 Shop
Mint Velvet
New Look
Next
£38 Shop
Reiss
£190 Shop
Zara
£39.99 Shop
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
41 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Study reveals how much it will cost couples each year to retire in comfort... and the amount you need to be able to go on holiday and enjoy trips to the theatre
The cost of a comfortable retirement for couples has tipped beyond £60,000 a year, a study has found. For households wanting to invest their hard-earned pensions in several holidays, theatre trips and flash cars, the annual sum needed to do so has soared to £60,600. And if retired couples are seeking to have just a 'moderate' lifestyle – with fewer trips abroad and only the occasional meal out – this will still set them back £43,900 each year, according to retirement advisers the Pension and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA). Individuals will, meanwhile, need to save even harder as the moderate retirement level would cost them £31,700 and the comfortable alternative £43,900. The Pension and Lifetime Savings Association study, compiled by Loughborough University (pictured), showed lower energy prices have dampened the annual rise in retirement costs Compiled by Loughborough University, the PLSA's Retirement Living Standards report indicates what annual incomes workers need for a minimum, moderate or comfortable retirement. These are based on different baskets of goods and services such as food and drink, transport, holidays, clothes and social outings. The study also showed lower energy prices have dampened the annual rise in retirement costs, while the income needed to fund a moderate or better lifestyle has risen by only a few percentage points since the PLSA's last report.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
How much you REALLY need saved for retirement revealed if you want to survive – and how to boost your pot
THE minimum amount of money you need to live on in retirement each year has fallen - but there are ways of boosting your pot to get more. Industry trade body The Pension and Lifetime Savings Association calculates how much a single person and a couple need to afford different levels of comfort in retirement. 1 They factor in all household bills, groceries, travel and car costs, going away on holiday, clothes, beauty treatments and more, into the amount of money you need per year. There are three lifestyle levels - minimum, moderate and comfortable. Here's how much you need per year to afford them all. How much do I need? The amount of money you need for the most basic retirement lifestyle (a minimum retirement) has dropped. A single person now needs £13,400, down £1,000 from £14,400, while a couple needs £21,600, down £800 from £22,400. A minimum lifestyle covers all your basic needs, with a little bit left over for fun. This includes a small holiday and a cheap meal out once a month. The PLSA said the amount of money you need per year for this lifestyle has gone down because of lower energy bills and a change in people's expectations of the kind of lifestyle they can afford in retirement. Meanwhile, the amount you need for a moderate or comfortable lifestyle in retirement has gone up. For a moderate lifestyle, a single person would need £31,700, up by £400 from £31,300, while a couple would need £43,900, up by £800 from £43,100. A moderate lifestyle includes one holiday abroad a year, eating out once a week, and budget for two or three weekly activities like going to the cinema or swimming. How to track down lost pensions worth £1,000s For a comfortable lifestyle, a single person would need £43,900, up £800 from £43,100, and a two-person household would need £60,600 – £1,600 extra from £59,000. A comfortable retirement includes a foreign holiday and several mini breaks a year, as well as beauty treatments and hair appointments every six weeks. These calculations provide a guideline to help savers budget for later life, and to use as a measure to help keep on track with their retirement. You may need more if you are still renting, or paying off your mortgage, in retirement. The PLSA said 17% of people expect to be homeowners with a mortgage or loan and 8% expect to be renting from a private landlord, according to its survey by 1,500 people. The retirement living standard amounts were calculated by the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University on behalf of the PLSA. Tom Selby from AJ Bell said: "The good news for retirees is that the pain of rocketing inflation is now easing, which in turn is reflected in the drop in the cost of a 'minimum' retirement living standard. "This is clearly a positive development although the nature of inflation means living costs for everyone, including retirees, will almost certainly be permanently higher in the future." SAVING FOR RETIREMENT ANYONE planning their retirement needs to do some careful calculations about how much they will need to afford the lifestyle they want. A good starting point is the government's state pension age calculator, which will tell you when you will receive your state pension. Visit to find out more. Pension calculators can also help you determine how much money you need to save to have the pension pot you want at retirement. The earlier you start saving, the easier it is as your money grows longer. And you're not on your own when saving for retirement. Your workplace will almost certainly contribute some money to your pension pot, too, and you get tax relief from the government, which reduces the amount you have to pay yourself. How you can boost your pot It might feel daunting saving enough money to live on during retirement - but there are tricks to boost your pension pot. A simple way to save more is to increase contributions into your workplace pension scheme. Most people are now auto-enrolled into a workplace pension scheme. A minimum of 8% of your salary must be paid into your pot - 3% will be paid by your employer, while 5% must be paid in by you. It's a really generous scheme, as in effect, you are getting free cash from your employer for your retirement. The earlier you start saving into your pension, the longer your money has to grow, thanks to the effect of something called compound interest. This means that over a long time frame, you could supersize your retirement pot. Check your workplace pension scheme because some are more generous than others as some employers may match your contributions like-for-like. Look into whether you can sign up to a salary sacrifice scheme, where you agree to take a pay cut and funnel this money into your pension instead. This can be a great option if you are in danger of tipping over into a higher rate tax band. It's a win-win situation, as your employer pays less in national insurance contributions too. You may find that you have a missing pension pot if you have moved jobs. Some £31.1 billion is lying in forgotten pots according to the Pensions Policy Institute. You can use the government's online Pension Tracing Service (or call 0800 731 0193) to help track down lost pensions. It may be worth checking what your pension is invested in too. There are roughly 14 million savers who have a defined contribution pension - where the money you get depends on how much you have saved, and how well your investments perform - in a "default" scheme. A default scheme means that your investments are picked for your by your pension firm. However, these are usually a "one-size fits all" plan which doesn't take into account your personal circumstances, like your age. When you are younger, you can generally afford to take on more risk with your investments, because you have time to ride out any dips in the market. Meanwhile, someone approaching retirement may not want very low-risk options as their pension pot may not recover in time by the time they need it if their investments drop. You can speak to a financial adviser about your options if you are not happy and thinking about switching out of a default fund. STATE PENSION BASICS AT the moment the new state pension is paid to both men and women from age 66 - but it's due to rise to 67 by 2028 and 68 by 2046. It is a recurring payment from the government most Brits start getting when they reach the state pension age. However, not everyone gets the same amount, and you are awarded depending on your National Insurance record. For most pensioners, it forms only part of their retirement income, as they could have other pots from a workplace pension, earning and savings. The new state pension is based on people's National Insurance records. Workers must have 35 qualifying years of National Insurance to get the maximum amount of the new state pension. You earn National Insurance qualifying years through work, or by getting credits, for instance when you are looking after children and claiming child benefit. If you have gaps, you can top up your record by paying in voluntary National Insurance contributions. To get the old, full basic state pension, you will need 30 years of contributions or credits. You will need at least 10 years on your NI record to get any state pension. The full rate of the new state pension is £221.20 a week - or £11,542 a year. Under the old system, the full basic state pension is £169.50 per week and is paid to those who retired before April 6, 2016. State pension payments are expected to rise by 4.1% in line with wages from April 2025. This means someone on the full new state pension will see their payments rise by around £473 a year next spring.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
The 1% Club's Lee Mack reveals snub by A-list rock legend and why his ‘half-diagnosed' ADHD helps him write jokes
LEE MACK's long-running comedy Not Going Out is one of the increasingly rare studio-based sitcoms still on TV. And the funnyman fears the format, a staple for generations, could soon die out and blames 'risk averse' commissioners and up-and-coming writers who are unfamiliar with its concept. 9 9 9 Speaking at the launch of a record 14th series of his BBC One hit, which makes it Britain's second longest-running sitcom ever, Lee says shows such as Not Going Out, Fawlty Towers and Dad's Army may soon be a thing of the past. He said: 'A 25-year-old comic now will remember The Office or the Royle Family, and will probably be even too young for that, but certainly won't have grown up watching Fawlty Towers, Dad's Army, Steptoe And Son, Rising Damp, all the things I used to watch, that I used to love thinking 'wouldn't it be brilliant to do something like that one day'. 'That's the worry in a way. If you're a fan of studio sitcom, the younger people coming through haven't been brought up on it to want to do it.' Gag rate And young writers aren't the only problem, as commissioners are less likely to take a punt on a new studio sitcom with a live audience, because they think it's too 'risky'. Instead they play it safe by making viewers feel 'awkward', as that's easier and less likely to get a bashing from critics. Lee, who names his sitcom, Mrs Brown's Boys and Miranda (which may or may not return) as the only shows left of this type, explains: 'Love or hate a studio sitcom, there's no denying — especially with Mrs Brown's Boys for example — they are really trying to go for the laughs, there's a real attempt to do that. 'So if you attempt something, and it doesn't work in the eyes of the person who doesn't like it . . . people are being more risk-averse now by saying 'why don't we make people feel awkward'.' The BBC has commissioned two new series of Not Going Out, and with the second running next year, the comedy will have aired for 20 years and racked up 15 series — second only to Last Of The Summer Wine. Lee prides himself on his sitcom's gag rate of five jokes every minute, as well as the comedy's ability to play out in real time, 'like a play', meaning they attempt to shoot a 30-minute episode in one go. The comic, who also stars in TV juggernauts Would I Lie To You? and The 1% Club, admits he's always 'obsessively writing jokes' during states of 'hyperfocus' which he puts down to his 'half-diagnosed' ADHD. The 1% Club's Lee Mack shocked as record number use pass on question - but can you get it right- The new series kicks off this month with Lee, who plays a fictional version of himself, and on-screen wife Lucy (Sally Bretton) moving to the country as their kids fly the nest. The show has fast-forwarded seven years since its last outing in 2023, with the 100th episode and Christmas special watched by 4.6million viewers. The series will also feature special guests, one of which will not be a Gallagher brother, despite Lee's best efforts to lure in Noel Gallagher for a cameo. Lee says: 'I texted Noel and it was the day after the Saturday release of the (reunion) tickets. 'I suspect his inbox was quite big. I said 'I know this isn't a good time but I reckon everyone is asking for tickets — and I'm probably the only one who isn't but will you be in my sitcom?' 'Never got back to me. It's been almost eight months now and I am tempted to send one more message saying 'is it a no?'' He may have had better luck asking his brother Liam, who counts himself as a Lee fan — well, sort of. The comedian adds: 'I've never met Liam, but I was once in a play with Mathew Horne from Gavin And Stacey, who said to me, 'I met up with Liam Gallagher last night and told him I was in a play with you and he said 'ah yeah, I've always thought Lee Mack's a bit of a w*nker but I suppose he's all right' — which I take as a high compliment.' Indeed he should. 9 9 9 UK DEBUT AMERICAN thriller The Consultant gets its UK debut on Sunday, with all episodes dropping on ITVX. Based on the novel of the same name, it sees Christoph Waltz as the title character Regus Patoff navigating the challenges of improving a gaming firm that pushes him to the limit. Auction bid for Sarah 9 CHANNEL 4 is adding another property series to its roster – following people who have bought their home at auction. The broadcaster, which already has shows including Location Location Location, Grand Designs and Amazing Spaces, will air I Bought It At Auction, fronted by Sarah Beeny. The six-part programme is being made by the production company behind ITV's Mr Bates Vs The Post Office. It will document the journey of the buyers from initial purchase to the final renovation, with property expert Sarah on hand to offer advice along the way. She said: 'Buying property at auction is risky and not for the faint-hearted but for those who dare, it can be exciting, albeit nerve-racking.' Chase for top escape 9 IF you've ever dreamt of watching The Governess, The Beast and The Dark Destroyer slap suncream on each other in foreign climes, then ITV may just have the show for you. I can reveal the channel is working on a fun new holiday format called The Great Escapers. It will take groups of TV fan favourites from the likes of The Chase - including Anne Hegerty – Loose Women, I'm A Celeb and Coronation Street and send them off on a jaunt. A source said: 'The show will be lots of fun, showing a whole new side of each celebrity and even shining a light on some unusual holiday hotspots. 'The celebs will fight it out to give the others the best holiday experience with the aim of being crowned 'the great escaper'.' Filming across Europe will begin this summer with the show to air later this year. I'd pay good money to see the Loosey Wims take Benidorm. Chloe's tantric antics 9 FORMER Love Islander Chloe Burrows is on a new quest for romance on her latest TV outing. Chloe, who featured on the 2021 series of the ITV2 reality show, ditches matchmaking apps and gets dating to see how singletons meet now. Love In The Wild: The Real Dating Experiment sees Chloe asked to dance, hug, meditate and hold hands with strangers at a tantric dating night, in the hope it will cause a spark. Chloe says: 'They have a 94 per cent match success rate, so I was hopeful. 'It's really intense, there's so much touching, I don't think I'm a tantric girlie. I don't even hug my mum that much.' It streams on Channel 4 from tomorrow.
