I’m super excited to be joining Cindy from Cindy Hattersley Design and Kim from Northern California Style on this month’s SIGNATURE STYLE. These women are not only superior interior stylists (you should see their homes 😍), they also have an incredible sense of what looks good on them and what they like to wear. And while their personal styles differ to mine, I do find myself oohing and aahing over clothes they wear, looks they put together and their style suggestions 🙏🏻 So it’s such a treat to chat Spring dresses with them both….in my Autumn 🍂

To be honest, no matter the season, I could talk dresses all year long. They are, by far, my fave garment in my wardrobe. But not just any dress, I lean towards the long dress, not the formal ball gown but the casual looser kind. So much so, I got married (actually I eloped on a Kenyan beach) in a linen midi dress. I adore most styles of midis (where the hem hits at mid calf) or maxi’s (where the hem hits the ankles) these include kaftans, the shirt dress, the wrap dress, the strapless, the off the shoulder, the empire waist, and the kimono. They all have my attention and pride of place in my wardrobe. In fact, every time I’m out and about and walk past a shop window I can’t NOT look to see if there is a dress in it I fancy 😊. And while I really have no need for any more, I unapologetically will never promise that I won’t add to my collection. Why? Because they are my “go to”, they get worn most days and that is how we should shop… for what we wear most days 😉

My current Spring/Summer Dress Collection stands at 45 (including my wedding dress). Sounds like a lot, but I have been wearing (and hence) collecting them for a while. That’s the thing about maxis and midis, if you choose carefully, they become timeless (just look at my 1995 dress above). They transcend trends, are stayers in your wardrobe and get repeatedly worn. And gosh, I love that! But instead of showing you what I have (you can see that on Instagram), I thought I’d share what is currently on my radar for SS21. New brands and businesses that I am currently looking at and that ship worldwide! I haven’t bought from any of these (yet), but when I feel the need … I may 😉 and you may notice a colour theme 🤍

It’s no secret I love linen and I’ve admired Seaside Tones from afar for a while now. This highly successful global brand was established in Poland in 2015. The Australian arm Seaside Tones Australia followed in 2019 and their garments are available from local stockists. They offer high quality ethically made garments in natural fabrics (but mostly Baltic linen). Below are three dresses that have caught my eye…

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A style I’m quite well known for wearing is the patterned maxi. I have so many! These I pick up on my travels as well from a couple of small local boutiques. However, as my style evolves, I find myself leaning now towards simplicity. A quieter look and feel in which the cut of the dress speaks volumes and not the print (this also increases the chances of a dress being timeless). Below is a dress from Indecisive the label. This brand caught my eye in 2020, and I now have myself drooling over them in 2021. Established in 2015 this brand is sustainable and their products are made in Australia 🙏🏻 again, the design epitomises casual chic. No styling needed… superb, isn’t it?

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My obsession over the white Spring/Summer Dress isn’t new.. I filmed an IGTV about earlier this year (below is the intro), and if you have time you can pop on over to my Instagram and scroll down to February 4 to see the rest of my Collections episode on White Dresses… you may just notice that there isn’t a white linen 😉

I really hope this has you thinking about the Spring Dresses in your own wardrobe and really looking at the styles, colours and patterns you repeatedly wear. This may help you establish an idea of what you should be looking at adding and also what you need no more of. Doing this, will help you only purchase those dresses that will get worn repeatedly and be with you for years. Now why now pop on over to see what “Spring Dresses” Cindy and Kim love…

Cindy Hattersley Design

Northern California Style