A Delightful 50s Surprise

I saw this dress in one of the weekend supplements and I think it is just the thing. I love me a nice 50s dress but the real deal, in good condition and in my size, are hard to find. Modern '5os' dresses are often too... froufy is prob the right word, or they are covered in some garish print or are almost inevitably strapless. This shirt-dress from Joules is none of those things. It is instead fab and would presumably fit and not need to be stitched back together after every wear! I think it is wonderfully Mad Men-y without being costume-y. I love the brown and the belt and the ice cream skirt - chocolate, walls vanilla, strawberry, pistachio, blue... Ok, slightly ran out of ice cream options there. I can't decide whether I want to see it on Betty or Joan - it isn't quite sexy enough for Joan but maybe it isn't girly enough for Betty. Thoughts? I can't help but feel that it would look particularly good on a red-head such as *cough cough* yours truly.

I don't know/do Joules as a brand. I have always avoided them because of their jolly hockey-sticks image and because I have no interest in polo tops and rugby shirts. Maybe they are going for a slightly rebranding or maybe I have just never penetrated beyond the polo shirts but they have had a couple of cute dresses recently. A friend was looking for a dress for a wedding this summer and after months of fruitlessly searching Topshop, Urban Outfitters, Zara etc. (the standard high street shops) she came out with two sweet, flattering and appropriate dresses from Joules. Admittedly they went back and she ended up wearing a really beautiful dress from Hobbes, another surprise shop, but they were an insight nonetheless.

(Joules)

I doubt that I am going to start regularly popping into Joules but I will definitely start keeping half an eye on their internet offerings. Or at least I will if I can. If hayfever ever lets me. Damn you pollen! Damn you for not letting me breathe or see!

Grr...

Chuck x