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The buttoned dress is the fashion pro’s secret weapon for weather that hasn’t quite made up its mind yet. Light fabrics with sleeves provide a great combination for in-between seasons. They also work across body shapes (a tea-dress style is great for D cups and above) and occasions (trainers for daytime, knee-length boots for evening).
There are tricks to maxing out the versatility of this style. Wear open as an alternative to a long shirt or a light cardigan or, if you’re not keen on showing too much skin, put a T-shirt or poloneck underneath. Those with crafty abilities can also change boring buttons to something more exciting with a trip to a haberdashery department.
A shorter-length buttoned dress has a more casual feel. Bold retro prints worthy of The Queen’s Gambit stand out, while gold buttons on a red dress break up the colour of an easy shift style. Prints like polka dots work for summer but they have life beyond September. Just add tights to wear all year round.
Lauren Cochrane
Buy
Monochrome checks, £59.99, mango.com
Accessorize this geometric dress with sleek gold hoop earrings and a pair of chunky mules.
Pale pink silk, £145, ghost.co.uk
Wear it alone for a special occasion, or style with a chunky cardigan and lace up hiking style boots.
Ethical paisley, £165, baukjen.com
A jewelled tone print is ideal for autumnal grey days – layer a polo neck underneath.
Rent
White sleeveless, from £9 a day by Joseph, from mywardrobehq.com
Embrace any warm days with a sleeveless midi dress, socks and crisp white trainers or birkenstocks.
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Monochrome print by House of Sunny, from £15 for 4 days rental, from rotaro.co.uk
This dress is perfect for reluctant print wearers, not too bold, but just enough interest for a brunch date or after work drinks.
Tiger print by Realisation Par, from £36 from hurrcollective.com
Warmer than zebra print, and a touch more unusual than leopard, this dress looks good with knee-high slouchy black boots.
Thrift
Polka dot, £20, beyondretro.com
A mini dress is a good transitional buy – wear it now with a denim jacket and flat pumps.
Red, £38, rokit.co.uk
Style this dress with chunky gold jewellery for an updated twist on the 1980s, or layer over a poloneck or classic white shirt.
Green and blue print, £40, thrifted.com
It may be overtly spring-like but this dress is a classic. Buy it now and wear under a navy coat, or put it away and save it for a sunny day.
