Hi everyone
It’s the end of May and wow, at last it’s warmer here and I’ve started wearing my dresses. Three cheers for that! It’s interesting how I’ve moved from wearing skirts in the summer to wearing dresses. Only a few years ago I had barely a handful of dresses and far more summer skirts, now I have many more dresses all, bar one, bought from charity shops, of course 🙂
The first dress to come out was an old favourite from last year. It’s the M&S pinafore dress (bought for £6.50) and here I’m wearing it with a t-shirt as it was a sunny day with a cool wind, which we often get even in the midst of summer.
Then there’s another M&S dress that I bought recently for just £10.
It’s so cool to wear and has those yellows that you know I love.
Here I am outside an exhibition of lovely pots and paintings, part of Brighton’s Open Houses where artists open their houses for people to roam around their front rooms that are full of their art.
Although this venue was an artist’s studio I always think of Brighton’s Open Houses as an opportunity to be nosy about how other people live!
And on Friday I will wear this dress bought last year for £19 which is a bit pricey for a charity shop but it was new.
The dress has pockets – wow!
It’s my birthday on Friday and we’re going out for a meal on that day, just the two of us, before a family get-together on Sunday when I’ll wear another of my charity shop dresses so there’ll be more pix to come.
These were the accessories worn with the newly bought M&S summer dress.
I was wearing my Sketcher’s trainers and two button necklaces and three button bracelets all made by the wonderful Joy Fox, whose jewellery I’ve been collecting for years now. The ring which I rather like, was bought at a car boot for 50p!
That’s all for now, but are you wearing your dresses? The wind in the south of England where I live is still quite cold. What’s the weather like where you are? It’s still not quite warm enough to go out with bare arms.
With love, Penny, the Frugalfashionshopper
Hi Penny, I only wear dresses now but I agree that icy wind we have at the moment in the south is making me fetch for a jacket, which I only have two. Perhaps you could do a show of your jackets that you wear with your dresses I need some inspiration. Enjoy your rest of the week.
It has sadly become freezing cold again! I love the blue skies but that wind is so cold. Mind you yesterday I was walking along the road going blue with cold and in the opposite direction a young woman was in a boob tube! Does that say something about me????? 🤣
That’s a very good idea re: jackets – will do that very soon. Thanks Margaret 🙂
You look great! I like that style of dress. Love the dresses. I’m over in Kent and similar weather at the moment too. I have a new (charity shop 😉) dress as well which I’m looking forward to wearing when the sun stays out a bit longer!
Along with the lovely blue skies there’s a very cold wind which catches you out. I went out yesterday completely fooled by the sun and I absolutely froze!
Thanks Jen 🙂
Today is the first really lovely warn day of this spring. It makes me so happy. I love your last dress, the one with the pockets. Just perfect.
I will be wearing that dress tomorrow! We have almost continuous blue skies and sun now but there’s always a very cold wind as well – so it’s still very brrr! But I wear the dresses with layers on top as the sun is so lovely to see it makes you feel summery even when it’s not that warm.
Thanks Nancy 🙂
Hi Penny, I’m enjoying the warm sunshine over here in Somerset but agree the breeze can be a bit chilly. I’ve been wearing dresses along with shorts and even a short romper and the dresses feature in my latest post. Your bargain buys all look fabulous and I’ve been into a few charity shops here looking for some inspiration but no luck yet. All dresses should have pockets 🙂
Hi Debbie, where I am, which is quite near the sea there’s always this cold wind which cools things down a lot. But I’m so glad you’ve come here when the sun is shining – it does look lovely weather even if it is much cooler IRL!!!
I think I’m just lucky to have so many good charity shops. Here’s a tip: I think the Hospice charity shops have the best clothes on sale.
It’s lovely to hear from your posts how much you are enjoying being with Dottie.
Thanks Debbie 🙂
Hello Penny, I do like the white/black yellow dress and I see you have a white jeans jacket which seem to be all the go at the moment. Strangely a friend told me she’d bought one and never worn it. She agreed with me that often if you try to go outside of your usual style it doesn’t work and you end up not wearing the garment. Looks good on you though! I did this with a faux leather black jacket ; never worn and off to the charity shop! I rarely wear anything but dresses and my summer ones are coming out despite the chilly winds. I’m venturing into the longer look but not sure if it’ll stick as I’m petite. You have obviously embraced the trend for frills which are everywhere now – I’ve got one dress like that so far (new) & I’ve bought another from Ebay so we’ll see how much I wear them. Yesterday I got out a jacket I bought about 9 years ago and wore it again ; navy and white stripes over an aqua dress. I dug out a silk scarf I bought in a sale years ago and have never worn with the same aqua, navy and bright pink so well pleased with myself ! I think it’s called ‘shopping your closet’ in the US.
Thanks Lynda and glad you like the M&S dress – it will be a favourite. Jackets are essential in this weather when it looks so good and yet that wind….! It’s interesting how dresses are going to be what I wear in the summer which is very different to how I used to be, it was always skirts, but I have very few now.
And yes, I hadn’t really thought about that but the frills are quite large and, as you can see, all on the lower half of the dresses. I couldn’t wear frills anywhere near my face or torso.
Great to hear about the shopping of your ‘closet’. Bet you looked good. Thanks again Lynda 🙂
I love the new dresses especially the one with the yellow in the print! That outfit is so summery and happy! I probably do wear more dresses than skirts nowadays but really try to give all my clothes equal opportunities!
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Oh I love how you said that – equal opportunities for all our clothes 🤣
That dress will be a favourite. Thanks Mireille 🙂
Hey, you sun bunnies, have none of you heard the old saying ‘Cast ne’er a clout ‘ril May is out!’? 😊 I know we had a few warm days last week but one swallow doesn’t make a summer, you know! (Another old British adage, for Penny’s overseas readers.) Today, in Middle England, it is ruddy cold and I’m wearing winter trackies (er, sweatpants), shirt and sweatshirt as I pootle about. I can’t even think summer! I did buy a dress (with pockets. Yay!) a few weeks ago when on holiday. It was the first new dress I’d had in years – I ‘let’ my husband my husband treat me! – and I’m so looking forward to wearing it. But not yet if this weather keeps up!
You look good in your dresses, Penny, especially the pinafore, it really suits you. And you seem much improved health wise.
Oh, (change of subject), aren’t Open Days great? As you say, it’s a legit way to be nosy!
Happy Birthday for Friday and enjoy your dinner out plus family get-together.
Zepherine x
I do love those old sayings and never a truer word. You are so right! All through my childhood I could absolutely guarantee that the weather would be cold on my birthday!!! And so it will be tomorrow!! I get that you are practically wearing your winter gear. I shall layer up tomorrow.
Thanks so much Zepherine for your kind words and birthday wishes 🙂
Hi Penny, You look great the dresses ,I particular like the blue checked one , worth every penny! I can’t quite get into dresses as I simply don’t know what to put on my feet,it seems a bit early for strappy sandals and I really don’t like wearing sneakers/ trainers with a light dress , to me they seem clumsy , but I guess ,m wrong as it is so much the fashion now. Have a lovely birthday ,it is my birthday on the same day,sso we are distant twins, Husband and I are spending a couple of nights at a hotel in the New Forest .what a lovely treat. It was a spur of the moment booking last week so I am really looking forward to it.,a chance to wear some of my charity shop dressy outfits!
Best Wishes from Judy in Brighton
I feel the same as you re clumpy trainers and dresses. I bought a flat ‘pump’ in denim blue with a white sole from Pavers to wear until I get my sandals out (and my feet prepped!)
Oh wow, Judy, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Enjoy your stay away and the dressing up which is half the fun! We are going away a bit later on this month. But we are going to have a nice time today and over the weekend!
I know, I know re: trainers but I like the clumsiness twinned with the femininity of the dresses. But definitely follow your instincts and your own sense of what’s right 🙂
Thanks and best wishes to you too, Judy
Hello Penny,
Lovely to see you in your summer dresses, I imagine you are at least 5ft. 4ins. My problem is height challenged, 5ft. 1in. it’s so difficult to get a dress short enough. Don’t might some length but not a tripping up length. Anybody got any ideas, where to shop.
Miriam
I’m same height as you. I find standard knee length – which cover my knees – fine but Roman originals and I think M&Co do petites. I can alter things which you may not be able to do.
Oh Miriam I am 5’8″ and was an inch taller when younger as have lost an inch somewhere 🤣
But I have a friend who is the same height as you and will ask her – also I see Lynda has replied to your comment. Hope that helps. Actually I reject most of the dresses in charity shops because they’re too short! There always seem to be far more short dresses than longer ones.
Very best wishes in your hunt for the right length dress 🙂
I love that you embrace dresses and especially the ones that are in style right now. AND wear them with sneakers…you look like a young millennial.
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Oh wow, thanks Jodie. Actually a lot of women in the UK wear dresses so it’s not unusual. I must find your blog on wearing leggings as the pic you showed would definitely only be worn here when attending a gym. So interesting.
Very best to you Jodie xxx
Love your casual summer style with dresses and trainers. I think we’ve had 2 days so far where I went on a walk in short sleeves. Very disappointing. I have a Kettlewell meet up tomorrow but think I will be wearing something different than my original plan – ie with tights!
Geez this weather – back to feeling cold all the time! Although, as I was walking into town a couple of days back going blue with cold a young woman approaching me wearing just a boob tube and shorts. Think that says something about me 🤣 But today I will wear tights!!!
I’ve become a dress lover, too. I think they are so versatile. I wear a summer one in the winter, plus boots, tights, a cashmere cardi, etc, and it works a treat! Here in SW France, where we have been since the end of April, I have never known the weather to be so bad. However, there has been a severe drought so the rain is very much needed. I try not to complain!
I love an Open House! Have you ever been to the one in Arundel?
Love all the outfits on you but my favourite is probably the M&S dress. Take care x
Yes, like you, I’ve completely changed, it was always skirts but I have far more dresses now than I ever used to have.
Re: the weather. I love the blue skies but that wind… Also not keen on the lack of rain as I don’t have an outside tap and have to rely on water butts and really soon they’ll need topping up. Hope we all get some but not floods of course!
No, not been to the Open Houses in Arundel, but hear they are good.
Thanks June 🙂
I love your black and white check dress. The other two dresses are fab as well.
It is still quite cold here in Norfolk, terribly grey and for the first of June it is rather grim. There is always a cold wind off if the North Sea but this is exceptional! Fingers crossed it gets warmer. Happy birthday to you. Carole x
This weather, Carole, is so cold with that north east wind! I was thinking of wearing the blue gingham dress but might wear something different – without a doubt will have to layer up!
Thanks Carole 🙂
Hi Penny,
Here in the Pacific Northwest USA, we sometimes refer to June as June-uary! May can fool us into thinking more warm days are on the way, but then we revert to cooler temperatures — sweaters and jackets reappear.
Have a very Happy Birthday and a raise a glass to all the good things in your life.
I don’t know why I was fooled by the 2-3 days of warmer weather as we’re back to having a north to north-east wind which is so cold. Layering up or resorting to warmer clothes is definitely happening!
Thanks Christine, I will raise a glass 🙂
Love all the dresses and I really like the idea of dresses. the one and done thing, but even thou I have several in my closet, actually 9, I don’t wear them all that much. I did wear one of them to attend a musical and have lunch with my retirement group, but out of 40 or 50 people I was the only not wearing pants. I am so tempted when I see a pretty dress but then realize that if I wear one twice a season it is a lot. I do plan to wear a dress to a luncheon with the above group at private club later in the month. and maybe to one other event. I know that it ought not to matter what others wear but I don’t like to feel overdressed.
This weekend is my grandson’s graduation party from high school. It is at a very casual restaurant and I will wear white pants and a dressier top. The weather here in New York for the past week has been absolutely beautiful. Sunny days and cooler temperatures. Actually mornings can be chilly but it is perfect weather for doing almost anything outside. I do think we will get some rain over the weekend.
I hope you had a very happy birthday Penny. Wishing you all good things! Darby
I find it so interesting that with your much warmer weather women don’t wear dresses all that much. Here it isn’t unusual to wear a dress even with our chilly winds!! However, whatever I wear today I shall definitely wear tights as there’s been a cold north to north-east wind for days now. I was completely fooled by the 2 days of warmer weather we had last week!! Good to hear you have some lovely weather.
Also love hearing about your cultural events. Thanks so much for those kind birthday wishes, Darby. Very best 🙂
Oh, I do love dresses and skirts! In fact, I’m always drawn to skirts when I know I wear dresses better! I love that yellow/black/white dress. The pattern is so striking and so you! Of course, the black/white check is fabulous…the glory of it is you can wear so many other colors underneath! I would love an artists Open House like that. I’m so nosy…I on Realtor.com just to look inside people’s houses. Sometimes, I’ll pick a random city and just see what’s for sale (like I could afford any of it) and have a peek around! But, an artist’s home would be so wonderful…so artsy and unusual I would expect.
As for weather, we were having just glorious days of sun and low humidity. That, of course, has now changed to days with highs in the 90s (32C) and lows in the 60s (16C) and more humidity. On top of that, we have been having air alert days…duh…they just ran the Indy 500! With all the spectators not to mention the race cars themselves, there’s no question the air will be more polluted for a few days. Thank goodness for air conditioning though our house seems to stay cool for most of the day with the AC only turning on later in the afternoon and part of the evening. Unfortunately, that also means I have to do more watering as the heat just wilts everything. And, since our plants are all babies, they have to be babied.
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Open Houses actually began in Brighton about 30-40 years ago with one artist opening his house, it’s a phenomena that’s just grown and grown. In Brighton there are hundreds of houses open, and this is now done all over England. Of course, it’s mostly done in cities and towns where we can pretty much walk to every one of these houses so it’s very enjoyable event usually held btw, weekends in one month, Brighton has it in May and Lewes holds there’s in September. I also love looking at people’s gardens as artists often put artefacts in their back gardens. Tea and cakes are often on offer as well. Yes, it is so enjoyable!
Oh wow, your temperatures! Today it’s going to be around 16-17C so it’s time to layer, I think. We do have blue skies though even with this cold wind, but not all that keen on the lack of rain as like you I have to water my little south-facing strip and I rely on my water butts and they will need topping up if we don’t get any rain – none is forecast.
Thanks Marsha 🙂
I love every single one of these dresses! It’s really getting hot here in Chicago and dresses are perfect for it. I like how you layered with the first dress!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com