I confess when I buy something like a dress, I don't actually think how versatile it is. I don't do that "stop, think and does it go with a gazillion things in my wardrobe". No I buy it because I like it and I have at least one pair of flat shoes I can wear it with. The real seal on the deal is if I don't have to wear a cardi with it. #bingowings. But my latest dress from Whistles got me thinking because I could immediately see how easy it was to dress up and down.

Smart

I'm not saying that flats aren't great for work, they are, but I immediately think heels project a little something extra. And yes, I look grown up for a change. I almost don't recognise me.

• The Radley Bridgewater reminds me a lot of the Mulberry Araline bag I have in shape but looks to be a little larger and sturdier.  This is currently reduced at half price which makes it a bargain for a good leather bag. Looks like you could also fit your lunch in there ;)

• Topshop Jewel Shoes - pretty aren't they? They have an ankle strap and a block heel. Anything with a block heel gets the green light from me these days. They just give me that little bit of extra stability for pounding pavements.

• Michael Van Der Ham for M&S clutches. These look a little different from the standard clutches out there and of course I picked them out for the touches of blue in them to pick out the navy of the dress. You have to find a common denominator in your accessories somewhere.

• Mint Velvet Mandy Shoes. A beautiful pale shade of leather and see that panel on the front of the shoe? Perfect for holding your foot in. I don't know about you but the older I get, I find that shoes I can actually walk in count for a lot. The fact that I'm not flopping out of a court shoe makes my feet very happy. Oh yes, there's 20% off at the moment too.

• Hill & Friends Happy Bag. I bet there are a lot of you out there with a little leopard bag nestled in your wardrobes. They're perfect for adding a little oomph to an outfit.

• Made Bangle. I'm a bracelet rather than a necklace girl and I'm particularly fond of Made jewellery stocked at Whistles and Jigsaw.

• My H&M tan buckle sandals are one of favourite pair of shoes. They are fab for elongating my short legs and have helped make many an outfit. They were from a couple of years back but these Naturalizer ones are not dissimilar. A solid heel and a "fuller sandal" means you should be able to walk safely and comfortably in these. #oldage

This is much more my style. Casual with sandals and a shoulder bag. Or white trainers and a tote. Can't get much simpler and probably one of the ways I am most likely to wear it. 

Out there in online shopping world :

• The Skinnydip rucksack is modern and I just know it would go with so much already in my wardrobe as well as the dress. I like the weave on it.

• These two band leather sandals look way more expensive than they actually are. They'll take you from year to year with their simple styling.

• Simple white slip on pumps.  So basic and so simple. Wear them with everything!

• The H&M mustard yellow bag looks lovely and I like it's nod to Gucci with the bamboo handles. Karen from Mission Style has this bag and when I see it, I think to myself, "I need that bag". I don't really but I still want it.

• I love mixing navy and deep greens together. And I know that some people think that blue and green should never be seen but I think they are a fab combination.

• And lastly, a simple pair of black peep toe leather espadrilles. Because it's nice to set those toes free a little isn't it?

• Apologies if anything has disappeared or gone out of stock from the outfit montages. They disappear as I type sometimes.
• For reference I'm 5ft 1.5", I'm wearing a size 8 in this dress. I am normally a 10.

I've waited a while to wear this jacket. Why? The dratted weather hasn't been playing ball that's why! And besides which I rarely wear anything I buy straightaway. It's just the way I am. Now I overlooked this jacket originally in favour of the dress in the same print but when I tried the dress on, it was just plain hilarious on me. Let's just say it's not for shorties like me. But I loved the subtle floral print so I decided to take a look at the jacket instead. I tried it on and really really liked it. And then I walked away.

Two weeks later armed with an Elle discount code, I made the purchase. I bought it in a size 6, two sizes down. If you're taller, you can probably carry this off in just one size down but it is a roomy number. Little things which sold it to me - it's a perfect lightweight cover up for these weird weather days we're currently having. Not outright cold but you just need that something extra. It's a heavy drape fabric and I liked the tie details on the sleeve. I showed a friend the jacket and the first thing she remarked on was the sleeve ties - just a little bit of interest to take an item up a notch.

I've seen a few ladies with this on IG now and every one has worn it differently according to their styles - it's certainly a versatile little number. But you know me - a pair of jeans and a tee will suffice. Simply does it :)

Last year,  I bought the infamous &Other Stories Porcelain midi shirt dress. I loved the sharp blue colour with the white porcelain print and I also loved the relaxed shirt style. However, I didn't think it actually worked on me. The fit was okay and I know it was more maxi than midi on me but even with a couple of inches off the hem, I still had that niggle that it wouldn't be right but I couldn't put my finger on it. This is how it looked.

I dragged it out again recently with the intention of Ebaying it but I thought I'd try it once more just to make sure that I wanted to get rid. So I pinned up the hem by a couple of inches and looked in the mirror and thought - yup - it still doesn't look right. And then I thought I'd try something a little different and decided to pin it up by about another foot so it was above the knee and I found I liked it. Infact I liked it a lot lot more (infact I thought it had a touch of Sezane about it). Suddenly I wasn't overwhelmed by a mass of bright printed fabric for my frame so I took it to the dress alterer's and got it hemmed. 

So what do you think about my drastic cut? I know one thing, it's much easier to wear now and I've actually worn it.

• I never tie the drawstring tight - I find it uncomfortable and this way it kind of skims the natural contours of my gently undulating belly.

• I don't really like tie waist dresses where you have a removable belt. I much prefer a drawstring one where the tie is incorporated in to the dress as this stops the fabric shifting out of place (no tugging up and down). I can't do with the fiddling - life's too short.

• I don't run the risk of stepping on the front hem of the dress when I go upstairs now.