What To Buy Now: A Sweater Dress

Sienna Miller reignited my interest in the sweater dress last year. Remember the striped?C?line dress she?wore on The Tonight Show? That dress marked her sartorial second coming (along with that haircut of course).

I, alongside every other fashion lover, oohed and aahed over the simple but utterly statement-making piece, which Miller paired with a pair of Pierre Hardy sandals. She made her outfit look like the holy grail of fashion ??completely comfortable and utterly chic. I was convinced. I wanted a sweater dress too.

But in the absence of an income that allows for experimental C?line?purchases, I wondered could a high street copy make me feel how Miller looked ??the epitome of easy chic. After a lengthy search, a few months ago I came across?a monochrome striped version in Savida at Dunnes Stores (only because I happened to be rushing through?to the grocery department). I grabbed?a size up (clingy is never chic) and half-heartedly went?to the changing rooms to try?on the midi-length dress half convinced that it would be a waste of time (surely I wasn’t going to find the sweater dress of my dreams in Savida?). To my surprise (shock even), it looked terrific. It skimmed my body creating a neat but shapely silhouette, and?the length was ideal ?’mid-calf so perfect for wearing with flats or ankle boots.

I bought the dress at the bargain price of €15 (it?was reduced from €40), and since then I’ve worn it with white trainers and a hooded cardigan for a low-key Athleisure look, and dressed it up with cut-out boots and a chunky necklace for smart daywear. I’ve machine-washed it and it hasn’t shrunk or stretched, nor has it become misshapen. And what’s more, the first time I wore it a friend told me it was “very C?line”. A total triumph then.

And to add to my utter euphoria, sweater dresses are big news for AW16. I’m visualising something in a loose polo-neck style, perhaps worn with slouchy knee-high boots and an oversized clutch. Victoria Beckham, Derek Lam and Stella McCartney are my inspiration. But where I’ll be buying is anyone’s guess.