After posting about my Regina dress the other day and discovering they had yet another amazing sale on, I was tempted to feature Collectif here again today, but after I had a mini splurge and bought another two dresses – which I almost certainly won’t get to wear until next year thanks to their pretty, summery, white & blue prints – I thought I’d better not tempt fate by browsing again. So instead, I’m playing it safe and bringing your attention to that fact that Chi Chi London have currently got a veritable feast of gorgeous gowns on sale right now. Not that I’m not also tempted to splurge there too, you understand – I’m about to show you frocks that literally get my heart all a-flutter – but the thing about Chi Chi dresses is that they can only be described as party frocks, and well, let’s face it, I don’t have a huge amount of parties to go to right now, so as alluring as they are, I’m managing to keep my credit card in my purse for now. Even I understand it’s a crime to own a dress this pretty and not wear it!
I still remember the first time I saw a Chi Chi dress. It was a cobalt blue version of this one, and was found hanging in one of my favourite boutique stores, Aspire in Solihull. While I was extremely enamoured with the pretty lace detailing and the girly, full skirt, it was a little too short for my tastes, so it ended up back on the rack. It was a couple of years before Chi Chi hit my radar again, but when it did a couple of Christmases ago, I found it had done some growing up, and I can happily say it would be my first port of call if I was looking for a glamorous gown for a special occasion. It was the first place I looked when I started Bridesmaids dress shopping for my friend’s upcoming nuptials, for example. It’s not hard to see why. Lately the brand has become synonymous with styles like Rhiannon and Suki, all intricate lace overlays and frothy tulle skirts, which we all know are right up my street, but there is also a vast array of equally pretty styles on offer – sleek pencil dresses, dipped hems, glamourous maxi’s and flirty short numbers for the braver amongst us. Obviously my favourite styles are those which offer a nod to the 50’s prom dress, but some of their more modern offerings, like Elle or Hattie with their pretty laser cut details are equally enticing! The last two summers they have also produced a range of simply stunning floral prints in sumptuous fabrics that probably would have found their way into my collection if only I could have chosen between them!
My favourite thing about Chi Chi is that they repeat a lot of the main features of their styles, so if you find yourself loving one in particular wishing it had a sleeves or a different neckline, there is a good chance you’ll find exactly that a few pages later! They also tend to repeat the same dress season after season in a vast array of different colours, so if you’re a creature of habit this should make you very happy indeed! The only thing I don’t love quite so much is the price – Chi Chi is by no means expensive, it’s extremely affordable for the quality you get in my opinion, but being the bargainista I am, anything that starts hitting the £70 mark quickly becomes ‘special treat’ territory. Luckily though, they hold sales like this one fairly often!
The moment I started this post I knew I was going to have trouble whittling down the contenders to get my favourite picks – there are just so many to choose from – so I’ve decided to stick to a theme. Firstly, since it will soon be time for the dreaded Autumn/Winter collections with all their black, brown and grey to start hitting the shops, I thought I’d have one last celebration of all things Summer and pick out my favourite pastel numbers. The best thing they all have in common though, is that every one of them comes in at under £50, so you won’t have to feel guilty if you treat yourself to something a little frivolous! I’m already regretting being so sure I wouldn’t be tempted at the start of this post….
Get on over there quick! Don’t let these beauties get away!
Love,
Picking the Day 