Five dresses that will wow you… from labels you think you’re over

The one thing I’ve learned about shopping on the high street is never to write off any retailer. Like most women, I have moments when I think I’m “over” a particular store, but inevitably I wind up eating my words and finding something spectacular there a few months later. So today I did a little virtual digging and found five fabulous dresses from stores I admit I’ve written off in the past. Silly me…

When I first saw this dress, I thought it was one of & Other Stories’ boho beauties. In fact, this delicate sundress in this gorgeous shade of aquamarine is from New Look. I love the gentle print, which climbs up from the hemline and falls from the neckline. This is a really elegant summer dress that looks much more expensive than it is.

Floral border print mid, €39.99 at New Look

This beautiful maxi dress looks like an English (or Irish for that matter) country garden. The print is a little bit dreamy, while the silhouette is beautifully fluid without being shapeless. It reminds me of some of Dries Van Noten and Erdem’s exquisite catwalk prints. This dress, though, can be snapped up from Benetton.

Long floral dress with lace band, €45 (was €89.95) at Benetton

This dress is a great summer throw-on, worn on its own or as a tunic over jeans. The drape is beautiful, while the deep V-neck gives it a hint of sex appeal. I found it at Sisley, which is a store I’ve neglected for a long time. This piece has put it back on my radar.

Flowy printed dress at Sisley

These marshmallow colours are so pretty, yet the halter-neck style is super sexy, which makes for a cool contrast. I found this dress on urbanoutfitters.com, somewhere I haven’t visited in years. It has several standout dresses, but check out the denim pieces also, which are absolutely fabulous.

Betsey mermaid striped dress, €80 at Urban Outfitters

This is one of the prettiest dresses I’ve seen in a while. It’s fun and flirty, but it doesn’t look cheap or brash because the high neckline and long sleeves balance the short hemline perfectly. This is a gorgeous summer piece and not at all what I expected to find at Gap.

Long sleeve ruffle dress, €47.99 (was €59.95) at Gap