Winter at Wolf & Whistle

Have I raved about the AW15 collection at Wolf & Whistle yet? It’s full of stunning separates and beautiful dresses that are, as is usually the case with this brand, smart enough to impress at work or an event whilst keeping a sense of quirky individuality. The prints are their best yet, with big bold roses and multi-coloured beetles on dark backgrounds. The fabrics are beautifully draping satins, crepes and chiffons. The embellished party pieces feature beading and sequins in a way that makes the garments look more expensive than they are. You can even get their gorgeous prints on silk scarves now, which is great if you can’t decide which garment you want it on!

I’ve been on the look out for a dress as eye catching and flattering as their original shape tea dress for a while now. It’s so awesome that I have three – one with a rose print, another with a blossom print and a plain black one with lace trim – and wear them year-round to many compliments. When I saw the floral border placement print dress in the new Wolf & Whistle collection, I loved it but never thought for a minute that it would be a potential contender for the Best Dress In My Wardrobe crown. Now that I own one I can safely say that it is my new favourite!

It’s made from the same silky floaty fabric as the tea dresses that I love, with flattering 3/4 length sleeves and a lining so that the skirt doesn’t cling to my tights. The slight puff to the top of the sleeves gives a slight power dressing edge, the flat front to the pleated skirt is super flattering to those of us with a tummy, and the bold print is just stunning. Also, the waist sits high on tall people (like their models) and at the natural waist on shorter people (like me) but it magically looks perfect on both. So far I’ve worn this dress to attend a panel discussion on women leaders in fashion and to present at an academic fashion conference, and can report that it made me feel comfortable, confident and put-together both times. Here’s a couple of photos of me in the dress (for reference, it’s a size 16 and I’m 5′ 4″ tall).

I have the stunning classic bow front blouse too, which will be ideal now the weather’s starting to get colder. I need to move the buttons on the cuffs (as I have short arms and the cuffs currently hang over my hands), but other than that it’s utterly perfect. The crepe fabric is soft and doesn’t crease, plus it’s heavy enough that the bow always looks amazing. This is definitely one of those wardrobe staples that I always hear a lot about but then usually fail to acquire. I’ve realised that this is exactly why I love Wolf & Whistle… they’ve put the fun back into dressing like a grown up.