A Bumper Compendium of Friday Frocks: Part One - Week Ten

The wait is over - I've tested your patience long enough and now I've recovered from my illness I can, over the next 24 hours, bring you up to date with a double helping of Friday Frocks.

Let's start with 'ScifiSam' who looks elegant and fresh in this peacock-patterned maxi dress.  It's a great choice for her, it flatters her long legs and the top has sufficient construction to enhance and support her boobs.  The gladiator sandals add to the whole 'greek goddess' thing, too.

Edie says that she didn't feel very pretty, so this isn't a pretty dress.  Well it maybe not 'pretty' but - wow! When you have legs like this you don't need to worry about the vertical line being interrupted by the straps on these dynamite sandals, and the effect is just stunning.  Apparently she put on some lace leggings for the school run. I bet she was a sensation: fabulous!

Miss-Shelf had the day off, and therefore had the luxury of sporting two contrasting Friday frock looks. The red kaftan is glorious: dark hair means you can get away with such a bright display. Then the pretty pink summer dress with vintage-style cardigan adds up to a real sense of innocence... although perhaps an underskirt would be advised if one were really worried about modesty!

Rozi says this is her favourite skirt ever, and what the extra length does from my perspective is to emphasise her height. It's all down to those uninterrupted vertical blocks of colour.  I love the flower in her hair, too. It pulls in the red top and makes the look feel cohesive, but it's also fun.

The lovely, but shy 'Strumpet' has taken the plunge and sent us a photo of a rather gorgeous monochrome paisley patterned frock.  I love the structured empire line here: it defined the boobs and makes them look higher.

@Girl_In_A_Box went for my favourite: the dotty frock. It's really nicely tailored which flatters and emphasises her curves.  The little black cardigan makes it look smarter and more grown up - more businesslike: pale colours can look a little 'playtime'.

It seems to have been the week for fabulous pins. Nicola is showing off some very shapely legs in this sexy, tulip-hemmed wrap dress.  The way that line curves up the thighs is red hot - but the look is kept daytime and fun by those cute little round-toed shoes.

Maeve has summoned the spirit of the eighties with this black and pale pink colour combination.  The hair flower is old-world feminine, and that's why it works with the ladylike pearls.

Then she's married the two with these cute pale pink pumps with a pearlescent finish. Sometimes I wonder how much accessory storage Maeve must have... I'm so jealous!

It takes patience and dedication, but if you're uninspired by current trends, ebay is the place to track down bargainous, vintage pieces. It's also very sustainable, of course, to give existing clothes a new lease of life rather than consuming more and more brand new resources. This kingfisher blue sundress is just the thing for a warm summer day.

It's also the place to look for older vintage pieces, like wayward bob's gorgeous 1940s tea dress (which she's styled here with a hand knitted cardigan for authentic Blitz-era style). Bob wrote something about Friday frocks that I really loved, and with her permission I'm reproducing it here.

"I really think it isn't. it's about taking chances and wearing stuff that makes you happy. I realise lots of people might not feel happy out of a comfort zone of jeans, or get self-conscious about showing bits you'd rather not, but to me it's partly about pushing comfort zones and finding that maybe it's easier than you thought.

Last week I mentioned feeling self-conscious about the whole 40s thing, yet today I went to sainsbos in full forties (minus the hair), something I would never have done if I hadn't been doing the frock thing (if I take the pic I feel I have to wear the frock all day). I would have found it so much harder to get over the hurdle of wearing things that I feel might draw attention outside the house otherwise, maybe I would never have done it.

It's about spending a little time thinking about what makes you feel - for want of a better word - a little more "special" than usual, and ignoring the fact that you haven't got an occasion to go to, just for the sake of it."

Trudi is showing off her brand new pirate-print tea dress from Vivien of Holloway here. I love the way it takes the traditional shape of the garment and juxtaposes it with a modern, fun fabric.  She's wearing a blue belt as an accent colour here, which coordinates with her tattoo and the streaks in her hair - she's on the look out for some blue shoes in exactly the right shade, but in the meantime, nude will do.

It's a Friday frocks debut for 'weepiper' - and she treated us to two very glamorous looks (tights in July? Must be a Scottish Swelegant type). Both these dresses flatter her petite frame through their trim tailoring.

She's accessorised them with this gorgeous swallow necklace.  The swallow here is part of the same aesthetic as the recent trend in traditional tattoo art - which makes it both feminine and slightly arch.

@BeBelongy looks fabulously cool and breezy here in this strapless maxi dress.  The sexiness of the strapless bodice is somewhat softened by the neutral verdigris colour, and the lightweight fabric is given some grounding by the sold, chunky belt.

Mum and daughter here. We've seen 'foamy' before, and here she's showing off her simple black outfit with luxurious metallic sandals and an attractive necklace.  I have to say, though, that her mum is in danger of outshining her with this outfit: the white linen trousers are light and summery, and the rest of the outfit is beautifully colour coordinated.

Another beautifully coordinated outfit, this time from 'Queen of Goths'.  Grey is really big in the shops this summer, and will only become more prevalent as we move into Autumn/Winter. It coordinates perfectly with black, as we can see here - and those little pumps show that neutral colours can still be playful and cute.

Another look that's very popular in high street stores at the moment is what are called 'tribal' prints. This dress capitalises on that trend, and is in a lightweight summer fabric, but the more autumnal colour palette suits @hayleyjgreen's colouring and makes it easier to wear with dark trousers.

Amanda was concerned that she wasn't making enough effort for Friday frocks, but since I know that she wears trouser the rest of the week, this beautiful skirt is all the effort she needs to, hopefully, feel a bit special.  It's a lovely skirt - I adore the colours, and once again the darker background makes it ideal for combining with something dark - in this case a black top.

Finally, Friday frocks week ten was the last day of term at my school.  Clare celebrated in this gorgeous, military-style dress from Next (you may remember it from my recommendation a few weeks ago). The buttons accentuate her fabulous curves, without exposing any cleavage. Very swelegant.

 

My beautiful friend Dunni is leaving us to work in Dubai. She looked stylish on her last day in this simple but glam dress from Marks and Spencer, and picked up the metallic detailing on the shoulder with some subtle shimmering eyeshadow.Gorgeous.

Megan has a large collection of beautiful dresses, and this dotty green frock is one of my favourites. People avoid bright green, but this jade tone flatters most pale skins. And on top of which, you can't knock a dotty frock.  That's two so far this week...

What can I say?  I love this dress - and although it's really a bit too small at the moment, it still looks quite flattering.  Notice the little half-hive too. Well... it was the last day of term!