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Graziadaily
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
I Usually Hate Dresses - But This Popular High Street Style Changed My Mind
When I think of my spring/summer wardrobe, I think of buttery pastels, muted florals and heaps of linen - but this year, I've had to rethink my wardrobe because of one trend in particular. Now, I'm not suggesting you start listing all your existing clothes on Vinted, instead, consider making space for polka dots. As you've probably seen by now, the perennial dotted print is elbowing out ditsy florals and neutral linens, and this year polka dots have made a departure from the classic styles we saw on the likes of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman , to become more grown-up, in a new palette of colours and dots of all shapes and sizes - backed by designers like Valentino, Jacquemus and Carolina Herrera. If I had to single out one high street style that's managed to convinced me to swap my beloved florals for something more 2025, it would be the Puff-Sleeve Mini Dress from & Other Stories. Equal parts coquettish and cool, the latest polka dot phenomenon is cut to a mini length, with a subtly cinched waist and voluminous puff sleeves. Its monochrome colourway - a black base finished with small white polka dots - provides an interesting contrast that can most definitely hold itself among a more eclectic wardrobe, but also retains some of that old-school Hollywood glamour you'd expect in a polka dot number. ©Instagram/@hellovalentine Puff-Sleeve Mini Dress & Other Stories' Puff Sleeve Mini Dress is one you can take on holiday, and then wear to a wedding, garden party, Christening - or pretty much any other social date you have in your calendar. With an open back that's gloriously chic and voluminous puff sleeves, I expect this dress will be one to sell out. Styling the mini dress is delightfully simple, particularly if you have your favourite pair of chunky sandals in tow. For a look fit for cafe-hopping in (insert European city of your choice), pair the polka dot mini dress with tan sandals and a Dragon Diffusion bag. Alternatively for the evening, swap out the flat sandals for strappy kitten heels or platform sandals and the tote for something smaller. If, it gets towards the end of summer you find it's a little cold to wear a mini dress, you can always layer a sheer turtleneck top underneath the dress and add a pair of knee-high boots. & Other Stories' polka dot mini joins this season's polka dot dress hall-of-famers, earning its place alongside the bandeau-style Felicity Dress from Nobody's Child and Reformation's fuss-free Nara dress. The & Other Stories iteration finds itself somewhere in the middle - between polished and playful - and it's mini length sets it apart from the sea of midis and floor-sweeping maxis. It probably comes as no surprise then, that it's already selling out (and fast). Main image credit: Instagram/@lanitonnu Gemma Lavers is a fashion commerce writer at Grazia, where she tracks down viral pieces and is as comfortable navigating the M&S new-in page as she is dissecting the latest celebrity look. When not writing, shopping or at Reformer Pilates (a cliché but she's hooked), Gemma will likely be planning her next holiday (and what she's going to wear). For a glimpse into said travels, outfit inspo and life as a journalist, follow her on Instagram or TikTok.
Scottish Sun
24-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
I'm 5ft 9' & tried 7 dresses under £20 – Primark's viral one showed my cheeks while ‘flattering' M&S frock was frumpy
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue. Can kids' clothing really fit someone above the average height in the UK? LEGGY DISPLAY I'm 5ft 9' & tried 7 dresses under £20 – Primark's viral one showed my cheeks while 'flattering' M&S frock was frumpy Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FROM runways to affordable high street clothing ranges, we all know that the fashion industry still has a long way to go in creating a more diverse landscape. As well as seriously failing in size - whether you have a bigger or a smaller bust and so on - there's also a serious lack of height inclusivity, something I know too well as someone who's 5'9ft. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 12 As someone on the taller side, I know that not all viral mini dresses will work for my height Credit: supplied/kate kulniece 12 Sadly, this haul was no exception - although there were a few winners Credit: supplied/kate kulniece Historically, mainstream and fast fashion brands have catered for the average height – which reaches just 5ft 4in for a woman in the UK. This means that many trending and viral pieces garments are inaccessible to taller fashionistas like myself - especially when it comes to rocking a mini dress in summer. While I am all for a leggy display, some of the mini frocks are often too short even for my liking - and that comes from someone who sports teeny shorts at the gym. From short cuffs to even shorter hems, finding clothes online, or even in store, that will fit comfortably - and won't have your cheeks on show - can be challenging. So if you're like me and are tired of having to wear maxi dresses when it's boiling hot, see which viral mini frocks, including trending Primark numbers, will cover your dignity - and the ones that will give strangers a full show for free. New Look Tiered Mini Dress, £29.99 12 While the dress covered my dignity, it was giving me apron vibes Credit: supplied/kate kulniece 12 This £29.99 is bloat-friendly - and ideal for the beach Credit: supplied/kate kulniece While I rarely shop at New Look - purely because there isn't one near me - my fashion-obsessed friends always rave about their huge collection of summer dresses. One of the many items that have been flying off the shelves is their Tiered Mini Dress, setting you back just £29.99. Available in white and fiery red, this little number can be styled up or down - pair it with hot trainers and you're good to go for a sunny picnic, or team it with strappy heels and you're bound to turn heads. But is it tall girlie-approved? Absolutely - but do make sure to wear skin-toned undies, as the material is quite see-through. Although this summery and flirty frock covered my dignity, it's simply not the one for me - as it felt like I was rocking an apron. Fashion fans 'need' Primark's new £14 linen trousers - there's two colours to choose from and they're great for spring Primark Kids Gingham Check Dress, £10 12 The adorable kids' dress from Primark has become all the rage amongst fashionistas - but will I be able to pull it off as someone on the taller side? Credit: tiktok@lileviex/ It's one the latest items that broke the internet - the viral Primark Gingham Check Dress that petite fashionistas could easily pull off, despite it being sold at the kids' section. The gorgeous mini frock, retailing for just a tenner, screams summer picnics in the park thanks to its timeless check print. To give the adorable dress a fair chance, I picked it up in the biggest size possible - aimed for 14 and 15-year-old teenagers. Although I somehow managed to squeeze into this teeny dress, it's safe to say it came off the second I turned around and was gobsmacked by how short it is - which shouldn't have been a shock, really. It's a real shame, as I loved the print and the cut - but if you're anything above 5'5'', I'd suggest to steer clear of this number... unless you want to have your cheeks hanging out - quite literally. 12 While I loved the print and the overall cut, this adorable dress was a big fat no Credit: supplied/kate kulniece New Look Black Square Neck Flared Mini Dress, £32.99 12 This dress features a timeless design that's sure to remain a hit for the summers to come Credit: supplied/kate kulniece This head-turning number features a timeless design that's sure to remain a hit for the summers to come - a square neckline teamed with a flowy bottom half, ideal to hide the bloating from all those cheeky Aperols. Online, this LBD is also available in sky blue and vibrant red - perfect if you want to add a pop of colour to your summer wardrobe. One shopper, who is 5'2'', praised the wallet-friendly frock, claiming it ''gives a lovely shape'' - but will it be tall girl-approved? If you're on the lookout for something basic yet flirty - and comfortable - this dress is a winner. While I wasn't a great fan with how it looked with my white Veja trainers, this LBD would look incredible paired with strappy heels, a golden necklace and statement earrings. More importantly - it covers everything it needs to cover, while still having that cheeky and playful side to it. 12 This wallet-friendly frock covered everything I wanted it to cover - whilst also having that playful feel to it Credit: supplied/kate kulniece Top Primark summer buys IF you're looking for more Primark summer buys, then you've come to the right place. Shoppers have recently been raving about the new Miffy PJs from Primark. Others were desperate to nab the new leopard print nightwear. If animal print is your thing, you'll want to check out the new maxi skirts. The haltnerneck tops are perfect for summer. If you're on a budget, these trousers are identical to a pair from Zara, but without the hefty price tag. There's brilliant travel essentials for less than £10. And if you plan on heading to the beach, you won't want to miss these crochet bags. Primark Sleeveless Corset Mini Dress, £23 12 In recent years, Primark has really upped its fashion game - and this floral number looks gorgeous... from the front Credit: supplied/kate kulniece When in doubt - or on a budget - Primark is the go-to for millions of Brits on the lookout for last-minute garments, or Anthropologie dupes and cotton-rich bedding. In the recent years, our favourite discount retailer has seriously upped its fashion game - and this Sleeveless Corset Mini Dress is no exception. Setting you back a mere £23, this skater-style dress comes in cream, hot pink and floral - the latter of which caught my eye right away - and features an adorable bow detailing on the back. The model online is only a tad bit shorter than me, reaching at 5'7ft - and the dress was already giving quite the leggy display, so it's safe to say I was rather sceptical before putting it on. And rightly so - as while from the front it did cover my bits, you couldn't say the same about the party in the back. 12 While I loved the overall design, print and the sweet bow detailing around my waist, this dress is not safe on windy days Credit: supplied/kate kulniece Drop Waist Sleeveless Dress, £10 12 I loved the summery colour of this dress - but even as someone with practically non-existent boobs, I found the top way too tight Credit: supplied/kate kulniece After the epic fail of the adorable gingham Primark dress, I didn't have much hope for this Girls Drop Waist Sleeveless Dress, priced at just £10. But while it was clearly too small and designed for someone who hasn't hit puberty yet, it did somehow cover my lower half - though just about. The buttermilk yellow - one of the most trending colours of the season - complimented my tan and I liked the bottom half of the dress. However, if you're on the taller or more athletic side - save that £10, as you won't be able to get both of arms in and you'll most likely just end up looking like an overgrown toddler.
Daily Mirror
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Nobody's Child's new summer dresses with pockets are practical and flattering
When it comes to summer clothing, we're all about floaty and flattering dresses that'll keep us cool and comfortable. However if you've ever found a gorgeous dress and though 'I really wish this had pockets', then Nobody's Child's brand new collection is about to make your dreams come true. After the brand's research revealed 75% of us wished more women's clothes had pockets (and, more importantly, pockets big enough to actually use) they launched a brand new range that does exactly that. The aptly named Dresses with Pockets collection is packed full of the brand's beloved summer silhouettes, all with handy side pockets that are actually big enough to keep your belongings in. The new range combines style and functionality, making sure you look and feel your best whilst still being able to get the best use out of your new summer wardrobe. There's everything from long floaty midi dresses to flattering minis, as well as dresses for every occasion whether you need something for a summer wedding or are after a throw-on-and-go outfit for running errands. Many of the pieces are already 'in demand' according to the Nobody's Child website, including this £89 Black Gingham Sleeveless Tiered Charlie Midi Dress which has sold over 50 times in the last two days. It features a stretchy shirred bodice and floaty tiered midi skirt keeping you comfortable and giving you plenty of movement, and you could just as easily pair it with heels and a raffia clutch as you could with trainers and a denim jacket. Another great pick is the White And Blue Striped Starlight Mini Dress, which is £79 and manages to be both flattering and floaty. It has a fitted panel around the waist to accentuate your figure, with a flared mini skirt and sleeveless body, keeping you cool and breezy in the hot weather. Some of our other favourite picks include the Beige Shell Print Nova Midi Dress which makes the perfect holiday dress thanks to its coastal print and puff sleeves, and the White Polka Dot Bandeau Felicity Midi Dress, which features detachable straps and a fitted bodice with a flowing midi skirt. Everything in the collection comes in size 4 to 18. Elsewhere Fat Face has launched its new summer collection which is also full of flowing midi dresses and flattering fits. Meanwhile Simply Be's brand new summer range
Metro
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Zara have been trolling us for 50 years but we're still giving them our money
There's only one place on earth where you'll find a dinosaur wearing jewellery, a woman modelling a dress in a swimming pool and a lady crawling with boots on her hands… Zara. Today marks 50 years of the beloved high street retailer, which first opened its doors in A Coruña, Spain, before conquering Europe, North America, Australia, South Africa and, of course, the UK. The Zara empire has grown, despite a notoriously user-unfriendly website – or perhaps because of it. Over the years, shoppers have been trolled by shoes covered in melted ice cream, one model holding a giant mozzarella sandwich, another dragging a bare Christmas tree across the floor. There's even an Instagram account, Awkward Zara, dedicated to showcasing the brand's most bizarre photoshoots, with fans left wondering why half the merchandise is so often difficult to see. And yet we buy (and buy again), at a time when so many of Zara's competitors have fallen… Laugh at the styling all you want, Zara knows how to create clothing everyone wants. You only have to look back to 2019, the year of 'The Zara Dress'. The black and white polka dot number went so viral, it garnered its own Instagram page and saw brides sashaying down the aisle in the ubiquitous, calf-length hemline. Then in 2022, Zara spawned a new dress of the moment which took the country by storm. The £32.99 Printed Mini Dress featured button fastening, a collar, long-sleeves, and a short-but-wearable skater-style skirt. For stylist Clare Chambers, aka The Personal Brand Stylist, there's nothing quite like a Zara. 'It's key pieces are like gold dust and I end up on a mission to get them for my clients,' she tells Metro. 'There's also nothing like a Zara blazer for me. Yes the brand has staples, but it's just great at picking out the key looks or items from the runway and creating an iteration of it that's affordable and obtainable for the everyday person.' Even Kate Middleton is known to dabble, most notably wearing a blue Zara dress the day after her wedding in 2011, cause it to sell out globally within 24 hours. More recently she was spotted re-wearing a black & white plaid Zara dress with a pussy bow and v-neckline to a children's hospice near Cardiff. Meghan Markle, meanwhile, has worn Zara rompers to the Invictus Games, while Melania Trump was criticised for wearing the brand's coat with the slogan 'I really don't care, do u?' to a migrant child detention centre in Texas. Other celebrities who wear Zara include Taylor Swift, Emily Ratajkowski, Selena Gomez, Sophie Turner and even Queen Letizia of Spain. And Clare says there's a reason they all shop there. 'It makes celebs and the likes of Kate Middleton seem accessible and relatable,' she explains. 'That's why stylists like me use Zara because it's sophisticated, polished and attainable.' The stylist always pulls Zara pieces for her super rich clients, regardless of budget. 'While I might get them a Chloe bag I'll always weave in pieces from Zara because they're high fashion pieces with good price points,' she says. Fashion brands like Jack Wills, American Apparel, House of Fraser and Forever 21 are falling out favour, recording low profits or disappearing all together. Yet Zara (or its parent company, Inditex) reported £6.4 billion in pre-tax profit in 2024, up 10% from the previous year. Martin Corcoran, CEO of retail performance marketing company Summit, says there are a few simple reasons why the brand is bucking the trend. 'I've got plenty of Zara stuff, as has my wife, and this is because the brand hits 80% of consumers in the fashion market,' he tells Metro. 'They're on top of trends, they have a good store footprint and have positioned themselves near more premium brands. Being an international brand helps because if one market is down, you're often up in another.' Stylist Clare adds that the website modelling its clothes in rather ridiculous ways is definitely a gimmick, and it works. 'Any press is good press,' she says. 'They get people talking about the brand.' Since opening its doors on 9th May 1975 the brand has dominated the fashion market, but will it still be part of our high street for the next half a century? Zara isn't immune to controversy, which has earned it some backlash. In 2023 it was criticised for it's ad campaign 'The Jacket' which featured a model against a backdrop that people claimed resembled the destruction in Gaza. The brand claimed the photos were taken before the Israel-Gaza conflict began and labelled it a 'misunderstanding'. Back in 2011, Zara's Brazillian production was found to have 'slave-like' conditions, with workers pulling 16 to 19 hour shifts and some as young as 14 years old. However Zara claimed this was a result of 'unauthorised outsourcing'. @screenshothq Fashion giant Zara has come under fire following the release of its latest ad campaign, which has triggered a wave of anger on social media. The photoshoot for its 2024 Atelier range showed mannequins wrapped in white fabric and models standing amid rubbish from freight boxes, which some said resembled war rubble and coffins. What's your take, too far-fetched or spot on? #zara #boycottzara #palestine #palestinetiktok ♬ Epic News – DM Production It's faced backlash for its sizing too, despite carrying up to an XXL (UK 18) many have found its clothes to be too small for the corresponding size. TikToker Zoe Towell said she no longer shops in Zara because as a size 12, even the XL dresses don't fit. Despite this, the brand remains popular, and Martin explains the popularity of its products and prices allows Zara to course correct and carry on after any missteps. He also doesn't see the revival of Topshop – once a millennial Mecca and fashion titan offering a similar experience to Zara – as competition to the Spanish brand. Martin says: 'Topshop is starting at the bottom of the ladder. Zara's competition is Uniqlo, Mango and H&M, which are established. 'If it's going to be worried about anyone in Europe it will be Shein, which has paused its ad spending in America and redirected its efforts on Europe to start heavily competing here.' More Trending But what Clare says is unrivalled is Zara's item quality for price, meaning they're likely to be around for a long time. And we have to agree. Sure when we're dress shopping on the website the models might be holding dinosaurs and polar bears, and be twisted into angles we couldn't even imagine, but we love it anyway. If it's good enough for the likes of The Princess of Wales, it's certainly good enough for us. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: From Antler to Smythson, Fenty Beauty to Dune – these are the top picks from our shopping expert this week MORE: Alo Yoga's annual sitewide sale is back -with 30% savings on best-sellers like the Airlift leggings MORE: Tesco relaunches 'lovely' range online after 7 years and shoppers are 'buzzing'
