A Dress A Day

A dress.
Mostly every day.

September 09, 2006

Monsoon season


Monsoon Phoebe dress

Clare sent me the link to this lovely dress from the British high street chain Monsoon weeks and weeks ago, and I'm finally getting around to posting it. Thank goodness it still seems to be in stock.

As Clare instinctively understood, from her months of reading A Dress A Day, this one pushes every single button, like a four-year-old in an elevator. Orange and gr[a|e]y? Check. Midriff band? Check. Piping? Check. Surplice bodice? Check. Short kimono sleeves? Check. Large-scale print? Check. In fact, this dress is so "directional" (if A Dress A Day is the direction you're heading) that I'm wondering if someone at their design studio made a bet that they could get it featured here. (That would be egotistical of me, but really, really funny. Hey guys! You won!)

Of course, what was the ONE high street shop that I *didn't* have a chance to wander into when I was in the UK back in July? Yep, that's right, Monsoon. (I would have also liked this one. It has tucks!)

The Phoebe dress is £55, and comes in UK sizes 08-18. But Monsoon ships to the UK and the Republic of Ireland only ...

posted by Erin @ 7:18 AM  

14 Comments:

  • At Sep 9, 2006 9:42:00 AM, Anonymous Pencils said…

    Don't post links to dresses I can't have! Wah! There's so many nice things on the Monsoon site. I could probably figure out how to buy something and get it shipped here, through friends in England or britstore.com, but what if I had to return it because it didn't fit? I've never bought from Monsoon, unlike Topshop. Sigh. I love the fact that they have a "Smart Dresses" category. I need a smart dress, and a smart jacket to wear over it...

     

  • At Sep 9, 2006 10:05:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Yes, yes, I love the category of "smart" dresses! In fact, I think I'd like to divide my dresses that way: the "smart" ones, the frivolous intellectually-challenged ones, etc. And Erin, you have to do a secret history of a smart dress.

    I really loved this one, too:

    http://www.monsoon.co.uk/invt/85212202

     

  • At Sep 9, 2006 12:50:00 PM, Anonymous MinaW said…

    That Monsoon site really does have some inspirational styles, especially wrap and surplice types, my favorites. Luckily none I would be tempted to buy (not being UK). Mostly because I prefer ankle-length skirts. My favorite style is

    the Rama dress

    which is a wrap with wide cut-on sleeves. I'm going to see if I can talk one of the places which supply dyeable clothes into making a similar style with a long skirt.

    PS What is a smart dress?
    PPS Love your blog!

     

  • At Sep 9, 2006 12:59:00 PM, Anonymous nancy said…

    No pockets though? I guess nothing is ever 100% perfect.

     

  • At Sep 9, 2006 3:01:00 PM, Blogger Gidget Bananas said…

    Check out this dress at La Redoute. There's a similar one in a brighter floral print but I'm partial to the rust and black one, myself.

     

  • At Sep 9, 2006 4:21:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    so sad i can't buy one or more of these dresses! why aren't there lovely, affordable dresses available in the us? jcrew and banana republic and anthropologie are so expensive! does anyone know of a comparable store here?

     

  • At Sep 9, 2006 5:04:00 PM, Blogger Clare said…

    Wow, thanks for the mention, Erin. We must be in synch, because I'm wearing Dinah for the first time today, and will be wearing Phoebe tomorrow. I got several compliments, so it must be a Good Thing.

    I'm on a mission to get a neat little coral-coloured cardigan to help me take Dinah into autumn, and I'm going to raid my mother's jewels for some coral beads.

     

  • At Sep 9, 2006 7:51:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I've seen Monsoon stuff on ebay before. Maybe you could find it there.

    Myself, I can't have those dresses because they're too small for me. *sigh* I guess that's why I sew. Still, I'd like to be lazy sometimes.

     

  • At Sep 9, 2006 9:21:00 PM, Blogger Joules *Dances with Haddock* Taylor said…

    Hmmmm... was that a subtle hint to your British readers?

     

  • At Sep 10, 2006 7:18:00 AM, Anonymous breezevintage said…

    Take a look on eBay UK - there are usually tons of Monsoon dresses up for auction... you might get lucky!

     

  • At Sep 10, 2006 9:50:00 PM, Blogger Wicked Knitter said…

    There used to be a Monsoon store in the Natick Mall (in Massachusetts). It was my favorite place to splurge on a great piece (it was a bit pricy). But it closed. When I went looking online for another location, I realized that it was the ONLY ONE in the USA! That was a sad, sad day.

     

  • At Sep 11, 2006 11:29:00 AM, Anonymous jenny said…

    Would anybody in the U.K. like to adopt a foster child from the U.S.? She's a bit...um...on the older end of the "foster child" spectrum; but just think of the warmth and joy that a mature, skilled former housewife could bring to your home. And it wouldn't cost you a thing! That is, apart from the "unlimited free shipping to the U.S." clause...

     

  • At Sep 11, 2006 11:29:00 AM, Anonymous jenny said…

    Anybody? Helen?

     

  • At Dec 9, 2006 4:03:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Monsoon are great! Use ebay there are always loads on there...choose someone who ofeers refunds and international postage. How about www.glamourousgowns.co.uk, they have loads of gorgeous Monsoon items.

     

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