The
high street now has countless versions of flower festooned dresses.
The frocks have itsy, ditsy, floral dolly prints or big blousy cabbage rose blooms.
See how printed
fabrics have tiny pinhead flowers that look like they belong in
wild meadows, or compete swathes of fabric are covered in tropical
exotic blooms and jungle plants.
If you wear a floral print dress this summer you will have bought into
the latest floral fashion trend.
Fifty years ago flower prints like the vintage retro dresses shown here, became a fashionable fabric to wear again after a century
of plain materials. Floral fabrics found less favour after the
1830s, but floral print dresses were a big hit again from the 1950s.
Right - Vintage 1950s floral print dress, £60. From a selection
at Beyond Retro Vintage Store.
Left - Plümo Isobel Kaftan top. Sheer silk tunic with crystal
and sequin embroidered front panel and wide fluted sleeves. The
top is made of washable Silk/viscose mix - dry
clean or cold hand wash. Sizes length 65cm, £79.00 sizes 10 to
18.
Flower power is back again. If this is a trend that
frightens you, where better to start than the Kaftan top shown
above
left. So many fashion designers have embraced floral fabrics in their fashion designs, that floral approval is well and truly here.
Dries Van Noten, Kenzo, Dolce & Gabbana, Stella McCartney,
Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga, and of course Miuccia Prada
have all paid homage to florals. Once women regained
confidence after a decade of wearing trousers, floral fashion
looks have become approachable once more.
That drab, understated masculine look has been replaced by
femininity. Traditional vintage and other retro
floral fabrics are being used in every type of garment from
coats, dresses, blouses, skirts, and even footwear.
Left -
Debenhams Womenswear Summer 2008 - Cabbage Rose Floral
Print Dress.
Right - Flower print coat and dress all from Boden.
Coat - Silk linen coat £110,
Dress - Silk linen dress £95,
Bag - £55,
Shoes - £95.
You are reading an original article on floral print dresses by Pauline
Weston Thomas at www.fashion-era.com
Ditsy dolly prints like these always look terrific on dainty
petite women. Bolder patterns often look better on taller more
Amazonian figures. .
Left - Womenswear Spring/Summer 2008 - Red Herring chiffon
maxi dress £40/€62,
EB by Erickson Beamon tribal cut-out earrings £10/€15.50,
Spiral bead pendant necklace £18/€28,
Spiral stretch bead bracelet £20/€31,
Mood gold thin multi bangles £6/€9.50.
Centre - Spring/Summer 2008 Red Herring maxi dress
Spring/Summer 2008 Womenswear Debenhams.
Right - Frilly layered top - Debenhams Womenswear
Spring/Summer 2008 Red Herring multi colour ruffle cami £22/€34
Spring/Summer 2008.
The maxi patchwork dresses, tops and tunic dresses are directly influenced
by the type of prints and garment style used by D&G in their
last summer show. The mixed prints create a patchwork of
sheers and semi sheer fabrics that mix and blend to pretty
effect. Ruffles and bows are also an important trend feature of
many garments this Summer 2008.
Empire
styles are as popular as drop waisted dresses. Both styles and
can be worn as tunics with thick tights or jeans.
The model in the image left wears her summer dress with
opaque tights and T-bar shoes.
Left - Navy Ditsy Dress £24.99 Spring/Summer 2008 by Bay
Trading Company.
Left and Centre - River Island Clothing Co. Ltd floral
dresses. Both floral print dresses are from the Brighten Up SS08 range from
River Island Clothing Co. Ltd.
Far Right - Dorothy Perkins ditsy floral print dress.
This
summer, Oasis heralds a return to the feminine, fun and
colourful brand values synonymous with the high street leader.
The first collection under the guidance of new Creative Director
Nadia Jones will see Oasis come full circle with an exciting
take on the new season ahead.
Aware of the importance of florals,
the talented in-house design team
have created a modern take on femininity, full of print and
colour which perfectly embodies the spirit of the Oasis woman.
Oasis recognises the return of the dress as a key wardrobe staple
that will run
throughout the season ahead. They promise couture inspired
shapes echoing back to glamorous times. The focus is on full
skirts fifties style alongside delicate seventies
influenced maxi dresses, an essential for your summer wardrobe.
Left - Oasis
Belle Campaign Floral Dress.
Highlights include a chiffon tiered mini in Vintage Rose, a
crisp white cotton bandeau with delicate lace trim, or a dip dyed
crepe dress with a floral detailed strap.
In-house flower prints unique
to Oasis like those below, add a modern quirky accent to nostalgic glamour
looks.
Oasis
has introduced 'Floral Frocks' their beautiful collection of four
exclusive dresses based on original
vintage prints from the mid C20th. All are designed
with a modern contemporary feel. The collection was
inspired by the Floral Frocks exhibition at the Museum of
Fashion at Bath Spa.
The Summer 2008 collection epitomises this season’s trend
for all things floral. Oasis have given each 'Floral
Frocks' collection dress a name.
The first dress 'Poppy Parker Jones' (left) is charming.
Poppy is a day dress that embraces volume and
shape, which is belted at the waist. It is printed with bold cardinal red
poppies scattered across a background of pure white cotton.
With a net underskirt, it is fun and flirtatious and surprising
with the low back.
It embodies the spirit of the early 1960’s and
is a stylish modern interpretation. It is a very wearable
dress and should brighten up any summer day.
Left - Oasis 'Poppy Parker Jones' floral dress.
You are reading an original article on flower print dresses by Pauline
Weston Thomas at www.fashion-era.com
Oasis say 'Lily Lane' (right) is a strapless
summer frock with a sweetheart neckline in crisp cotton
flaunting a bold yellow and green lily print. Right - Lily Lane dress.
Layers of tulle
create a full underskirt and the bodice top is gathered around
the waist showing off a simple ruche detail.
A young lady of the 50’s would have found this
dress quite irresistible. So might a young woman of
2008.
The 'Violet Valentine' dress captures the feel of 1950’s daywear in all its
glory.
In the early
1950s rationing
had come to an end. There was a
renewed optimism among the
stylish
set. Sunny cheerfulness was in the air and vibrant cotton satin
prints were rich with the promise of greater exuberance in life.
Violet Valentine from Oasis is a delightful strappy sundress. It is adorned with sweet
violets in sugared shades, through a soft floral
border print with graduated small blossoms to larger full blooms.
Violet
Valentine is gathered at the waist so that the full
skirt falls
just below the knee. When worn with layers of petticoats and
matching tie belt it creates
an exaggerated
hourglass figure.
Finally comes 'Rose Riley' which is a striking tulip
shape dress, that takes its inspiration
from a vintage
‘gown of distinction’. The lush print
covering the crisp cotton fabric, is of rich cerise pink blossoms. The pretty oversized bow sits on a nipped-in waist.
This is a chic and sophisticated floral print dress, simply perfect for heady
summer
evenings.
Right - Oasis Rose Riley dress.
All the Floral frocks dresses are from mid
summer selections at
www.oasis-stores.co.uk.
For UK Stockist enquiries call 01865 881 986. Compare any
of them to the Beyond Retro dress at the top of this page and
you will see how Oasis Stores have captured the era. We are not
yet quite used to the skirt fullness of the original vintage
dress, but by Christmas full skirts will be a hot fashion.
Wardrobe Tip - think floral, think
fifties vintage looks.
At
Principles there is a softer romantic mood, which brings in a fresher and lighter feel
to the Summer 2008 season. The strong warrior woman aesthetic of last
winter, has given way to a gentler more sophisticated attitude.
Fabrics are either translucent with a diaphanous quality, or fluid to
envelope the body in sensual layers.
This summer's frocks bring modern romance to fashions using pretty tones of coral, lavender, blush and lemon. Their floral
prints look new, particularly with the graduated scale play that is so
important this season.
Frills, ruffles and layering add to the
romantic feel. Chiffons and organza add lightness to this
layering. Pretty blouses and couture shells
in levels of pale greys and apricot, stylised floral
and graphic spot prints, all add a modern touch.
Left - A maxi dress from Principles High summer 2008 Collection.
Right - This Principles blouse is from Principles Spring
Summer 2008 Petite Collection. Lilac frilly confetti
printed blouse £39/59 euros, Wide leg belted jeans £39/59 euros.
Principles Stockist number 0870 122 8802 and at
www.principles.co.uk.
Combine ruffles with florals and you have one of the main summer
fashion trend looks of 2008.
See also the main page on
Wardrobe
tips SS 2008 -
Colour Moodboards SS2008
Copyright use of images are courtesy Bay
Trading, Plumo, River Island,
Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Principles, Oasis, Beyond
Retro and Boden.
Header Image is from Oasis Stores. The dress is called Poppy
Parker Jones and is from the Floral Frocks Collection at Oasis.
My thanks to these
companies.
Fashion-Era.com looks at women's costume and fashion history and analyses the mood of an era. Changes in technology, leisure, work, cultural and moral values. Homelife and politics also
contribute to lifestyle trends, which in turn influence the clothes we wear. These are the changes that make any era of society special in relation to the study of the costume of a period.
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The
high street now has countless versions of flower festooned dresses.
The frocks have itsy, ditsy, floral dolly prints or big blousy cabbage rose blooms.
Dries Van Noten, Kenzo, Dolce & Gabbana, Stella McCartney,
Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga, and of course Miuccia Prada
have all paid homage to florals. Once women regained
confidence after a decade of wearing trousers, floral fashion
looks have become approachable once more.
Ditsy dolly prints like these always look terrific on dainty
petite women. Bolder patterns often look better on taller more
Amazonian figures. .
Empire
styles are as popular as drop waisted dresses. Both styles and
can be worn as tunics with thick tights or jeans.
This
summer, Oasis heralds a return to the feminine, fun and
colourful brand values synonymous with the high street leader.
The first collection under the guidance of new Creative Director
Nadia Jones will see Oasis come full circle with an exciting
take on the new season ahead.
At
Principles there is a softer romantic mood, which brings in a fresher and lighter feel
to the Summer 2008 season. The strong warrior woman aesthetic of last
winter, has given way to a gentler more sophisticated attitude.
