It's our favourite day of the week, Friday, yay, and for some of us, it's also payday! Although the weather hasn't been great over the past few weeks, we are still on the look-out for a cool summer dress ready for our holidays and hopefully warmer climate here in the UK. So, today it is our pleasure to share with you a guest post from ASOS.
Teresa and Sam xx
This year's summer dress fashions
As the days get longer and temperatures go up, you know that summer is just around the corner. Summer is also a great time for women's fashion, as this year designers have created a range of different styles to suit anyone's taste. With different lengths, colours and patterns, it will be easy to find the right style for you.
The maxi dresses have been on trend for some time now and they show no sign of letting up. Delicate fabrics like chiffon and organza make for a light, long, free-floating feel, while necklines can either be straps or bustier-style. This year, bold patterns, including polka dots, floral designs and leopard prints are likely to be popular.
At the other end of the scale, mini dresses are a tighter, more revealing choice. A short hem length combined with either a halter or round neck allows you to show off your tan. Teamed with wedges or heels, they also make for a classy, elegant silhouette for partying when the sun goes down. Mini dresses also lend themselves to statement accessories, such as chunky necklaces, bright bangles and glittery clutch bags.
For those wishing to go for something in between, the midi-length dress will also be much in evidence this summer. With a hem sitting at knee-length, just above or just below, mid-length dresses have an air of the 50s film star about them – think Grace Kelly in Monaco or Brigitte Bardot in Cannes. They are very adaptable, suitable for both day and night wear and suit women of all ages. They can either hug the figure or have a bit more swing in the skirt. Again, necklines vary, from a scooped, shoulder-revealing plunge, to a cute halter neck, and patterns this year are reasonably bold, with stripes likely to be popular.
Also seen all over the catwalks of the international fashion shows were glittering, metallic dresses. These have been on trend for the last couple of seasons, but now they have expanded to include everything from short cocktail dresses to long elegant evening gowns. Iridescence, metallic greens, and the more traditional silver and gold were all seen on the catwalk, and they make ideal choices for evening events during the humid summer nights.
A summer dress style which came to prominence last year and which will continue in 2012 is the lace dress. Either as a full garment or a detail, lace will be everywhere this season. Frills, either at the shoulder or on the skirt are also likely to be common. Another style that has been around for a year or two and continues to feature heavily in designer collection is the tunic or peplum dress. These short skirts worn over a longer dress make for ideal day and evening wear.
For all of the above styles of dress, one feature that made a consistent appearance in many of the big collections is the asymmetric hemline. Either cut on the bias or cut short in the front and left longer at the back, this gives an intriguing twist to any dress style. This is also likely to be a prominent feature on summer tops as well this year.
