6 Black Dresses
I know Summer is over (*cries in seasonal depression) but my love for black dresses during the hotter months (and any time of the year to be honest) will never end. If you follow me on Instagram you may have stumbled upon this reel where I showed much love to my favourite black dresses by styling them in different ways.
I’ve had to figure out ways on maximising my closet as my shopping ban has forced me to learn how to ‘shop my own closet’ and figure out ways to get the most out of my existing wardrobe. It’s really helped me cut down on spending a small country’s GDP on clothes (I’m getting better!) and appreciate what I have without following any specific trends. We love a sustainable queen!
A little background as to why I own what feels like a ton of Zara items. I used to work in retail (Bershka specifically) and we used to get a discount on the items we bought. So at the time I thought I was doing myself a great service by buying most of my clothes from them because 1. it was convenient (the store was literally a 5 minute walk from where I worked), 2. because of the discount and 3. because I do actually like a lot of what Zara makes.
Now it does not go without saying that the brand is a fast fashion one and is on the list of brands to avoid if you’re trying to be sustainable. But with that being said, these dresses, despite being from Zara, I’ve owned for years now & have truly held up so well. I’m pretty sure (and hope) they’ll be good to go for a few more years to come. I heard someone say the other day that shopping really should be about buying pieces that are timeless, can be worn years from now and don’t follow any specific trends. And the thing that I’m learning how to do now is to buy smart by buying items that better quality (i.e. material wise) and are true to what I consider my style.
So here’s a rundown of each dress and where I got it from along with the accessories. And because I like you guys so much, I found similar styles which are currently in stock! Now I use the term ‘similar’ very loosely in this instance because some of them differ quite a lot as I could not find the EXACT same one (which is normal as I mentioned earlier, I bought all of these years ago). So instead I chose ones that could very well do the trick.
Dress: Zara (2 years old), Bag: Vintage bought at a street stall (5 years old), Sandals: Nomadic State of Mind (3 years old), Sunglasses: Monki (bought last year)
The dress on the left is by Free People and although it isn’t an exact replica of the one I’m wearing above, I love the shape and length. The cut is so flattering and I love that it falls just below the knee. The one on the right is a Zara number and one again it’s not an exact replica but I couldn’t not add it to the list because this dress is hot! It’s ‘business in the front and party in the back’ with a very flattering open back situation and that slit? Yes please!
Dress: Zara (bought last year), Bag: Amazon (bought this year), Sandals: Nomadic State of Mind (3 years old), Sunglasses : Meller (bought last year)
These two numbers by H&M are similar enough as they both feature ruffles, something I particularly liked when I bought the dress above. Something I could have done without is the extremely plunging neckline but that can easily be fixed with some boob tape, wearing it with nipple covers or adding a simple white t-shirt underneath. See how I styled it on my Tik Tok video here.
Dress: Zara (bought last year), Shoes: TEVA (2 years old), Leather Bag: Minelli (4 years old), Sunglasses: Monki (bought last year)
I found this dress by Mango on the left a couple of weeks ago and I’ve been dreaming about it ever since. It’s fluidity and cut are what make it dreamy and if I wasn’t on my shopping ban I’d snatch it right up! Run don’t walk because it’s down to its last sizes! The short number by Stradivarius on the right is cute and great for running everyday errands. I like the way they styled it here and you could even add a pair of sneakers or loafers to the look and you’d be good to go.
Dress: Zara (4 years old), Leather ‘dad’ sandals: Zara (bought last year), Leather Bag: Zara (bought 7 years ago), Glasses: MANGO (5 years old)
Now these two dresses right here! I think these are almost similar enough with a few variations to each dress but I would love to get me hand on both. The one on the right by Free People lives rent free in my head and has been for a while now. I’m surprised it’s still in stock to be honest. That neckline is to die for and the length is perfect. I featured the one on the left by Banana Republic on my September Edit (check it out here if you haven’t already) and love the little cut out detail at the front of the dress which gives it a little peek-a-boo moment. And the piece de resistance? It has pockets!! I don’t know about you but any dress with pockets is a must-have in my book!
Dress: Zara (5 years old), Bag: Kenyan kiondo seller near Village Market, Leather ‘dad’ sandals: Zara (bought last year), Sunglases: ASOS (bought last year)
Ok now I found these two gorgeous gorgeous girls by Mango & Massimo Dutti respectively and swiftly added them to my Wishlist. The one on the right is the perfect dress for the office, which can easily be layered with a blazer (which can be taken off for after office dinner and drinks) and the dress on the right, made from 100% cotton would look great with a pair of heels for a night out on the town.
Dress: Zara (5 years old), Shoes: Bershka (4 years old), Bag: vintage (15 years old), Sunglasses: Bershka (4 years old)
With these last two I wanted to find dresses that incorporated one of the elements found on the dress I wore above so for the Maje dress on the left, we have the knot detail which gives this dress a little something extra (love this print as well). For the Free People dress on the right, it was the baby doll shape that I liked which gave it easy breezy beautiful girl vibes.
And there you have it friends! And until next time. Happy (responsible) shopping!
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