Addicted to clothes

So, I’ve just returned from town having temporarily fed my newly returned shopping addiction. A month or so ago I went through a phase of not being interested in shopping at all, and found my hard earned salary being spent on meals out and booking a city break to Brussels for July.

Yet, magazine propaganda and my recent discovery of You Tube haul videos has led me longing for the buzz of a new wardrobe and I’ve been abusing the plastic on things I don’t need, but certainly want.

Later on I’ll talk about what I’ve been buying, but first I want to answer the question sent to me by bail o hay about choosing an appropriate wedding dress for a civil ceremony.

Finding a dress to wear in your 30s is hard enough, anyway. It’s a difficult age – too old for the latest trends you buy in Topshop that you could so easily get away with in your 20s; yet not old enough for the shapeless styles of M&S and BHS. So undoubtedly finding something for your special day is no easy feat.

You want something that is more special than your usual occasion wear as after all this is your big day. If you don’t want to go for the traditional white/ivory long gowned dress, there are several options for you.

Why not try going for something vintage – perhaps in lace or silk – it will certainly be one of a kind, and different to what you would usually wear. You could dress it up with some diamond style jewellery and heels.

Or how about something a bit retro – from the 50s or 60s, where chiffon and frills were commonplace – again something different and unusual, but still maintaining the class and sophistication of a bridal attire.

Another option, and probably my favourite, it to buy a simple, classic and timeless cream based dress – either calf or ankle length, though not floor length, and dress it up with accessories. Gold, pearl or diamond based will bring out the richness of the cream, and give a chic look. Invest in a pair of shoes that you love to pull it all together, add a shawl for the evening and you’re set for the whole of your big day.

The best thing about this is that after the wedding, your dress doesn’t need to sit in your wardrobe gathering dust, but can be worn again. Substitute the accessories for some funky costume jewellery and some trendy shoes and you can wear again. If you’ve opted for the floor length dress, take along to a tailor (or if like me your mum is a dab hand with a sewing machine), and have it taken up to mini, or calf length and you’ve got a funky going out dress too!

The following dresses are good examples of what I mean…