A Versatile Dress for a City Getaway

If there's one thing I lack in my wardrobe then it's smart, casual clothing. I seem to have plenty of casual items or dressy outfits but nothing in-between. I knew we had a trip to London coming up where I would need an outfit that I could wear all day but would also be suitable for afternoon tea and dinner in a nice hotel.

When it comes to getting clothes for myself, i've always preferred a visit to our town centre rather than shopping online. I hate the task of sending clothes back when they don't fit etc and then i'm left panicking when I haven't found anything. I much prefer wandering around the shops and trying things on there and then. I must have trawled every shop in Cardiff and I couldn't find anything suitable. I decided to pop into Marks and Spencer to grab some food but I found myself distracted by the clothes.

It's not a store that I shop in for myself. If i'm completely honest i've always thought it was a place my nan would buy her clothes. I buy clothes for my girls there as they have a fab children's range but I very rarely browse the women's section. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of things that caught my eye.

There was a section that really stood out for me. It reminded me of holiday's and I felt transported to France. It was full of nautical style with a palette of blue, white and red. A mix of casual and smart clothing but plenty of options for what I was looking for.

I can't even begin to tell you how many things I tried on and how many of those things I wanted to buy but this shirt style dress really stood out for me. I completely fell in love with it. Stripes are such a staple trend and never seem to go out of fashion. They are something that you can keep in your wardrobe and pull out year after year. 

The dress is a loose fit which is perfect for me as i'm not in the shape I would like to be at the minute. It has buttoned detailing at the front and a tie waist which you can wear loosely or tightly to alter the shape of the dress. The fabric is cool so it's ideal for a summer city break. For a more relaxed look you could pair it with trainers and then for an evening out evening you could simply add heels. 

It's a very recent purchase but unfortunately I can't seem to find it online so you'll have to pop in your local store to see if they stock it there.

I recently wore it to afternoon tea at Cardiff's newest luxury venue, The Exchange Hotel which is where all of the photographs in this post were taken

. The venue is stunning. The outside reminds me of being in a European city. It's beautiful. I am officially declaring it as the most instagrammable place in Cardiff at the moment so if you follow me over on instagram, i'm sure you'll be seeing more of the venue on my feed.

I'll definitely be packing the dress in my bag for our London trip. It's such a versatile piece that is perfect for a city getaway. It's something you can wear casually all day and also something to show off at dinner.