Cool crinkle dressing for a long hot summer
My adult children do many things differently to my generation, as you’d expect. And one of the changes that gets my full approval is that they don’t iron. I’ve never enjoyed it, and except for the linens, I have pretty well followed suit.
I do get that some people get a great deal of satisfaction from a neat pile of freshly ironed clothes.
But perhaps not so much when it’s hot, or you’ve got other things to do. And it can be tough to open up your suitcase on the first day of your holiday to find a pile of creases when you’d actually packed beautifully pressed shirts and dresses.
That’s one of the reasons why I’m pleased to have found the Jasmine Harman Collection available via Cotton Traders. Jasmine Harman has presented television programme such as ‘A Place in the Sun. Home or Away?’ for several years, so she knows a great deal about packing for travelling. This collection features crinkle fabrics that don’t mind not being ironed – in fact they’d probably prefer it!
I will admit that even before I broke up with my iron, I have liked crinkle fabrics. They’re comfortable and forgiving while still being pretty. And if you’re away from home then rinse and dry could be enough to make an item wearable several times over – saving on important packing space.
Another aspect of the dress collection that works for me is that you can work the fit by choosing panels, pleats, shirring or stretch waists. I know there are people out there who would rather eat safety pins than opt for an elasticated waist, but it’s a lucky person who measures up as the standard sizes for top, bottom and middle. This approach just makes life that bit easier.
With all that in mind, I picked out a few items from the Jasmine Harman clothing and accessory range to try on review. Here’s some thoughts.
First to arrive was the Floral Crinkle Midi Dress in blue £35, sizes 6/8 to 26/28). Because the crinkle stretches from the bodice to the hips, this did look a little odd straight out of the bag, but it was great once on. Jasmine wears it with a belt on the Cotton Traders web site, but it’s really not necessary if that’s not your thing (and it’s certainly not mine).
As it happened I was going to spend a warm summer’s evening in a pub with friends for a meal. My first choice was another pretty Cotton Traders dress, the Fleur Crinkle Midi Shirt Dress, but I didn’t fancy long sleeves in the heat. The Floral Crinkle Midi Dress, however, was just the right choice. Three people commented on how pretty it was – including the OH!
There is a downside – no pockets – but otherwise this dress made me feel good, even after topping off my dinner with a banoffee banana sundae.
Next day washed and line dried with no problem at all. Love this dress.
I teamed the dress with another new arrival. The Jasmin Harman collection also includes one of my favourite accessories – canvas laceup pumps (£19 sizes 4-8). The white, blue or grey styles in the collection pair easily with the dresses or trousers. I’ve gone for white as the most versatile, while recognising I may have to pay more attention to keeping them clean. I usually choose a size larger than I need just to accommodate my broader than the average feet, but that wasn’t really necessary here, and a smaller size would have worked.
Highlight for me are the dresses and the choices you can make. Not everyone can carry today’s popular maxi dresses because they’re just too short for them. So I was pleased to see that the Printed Crinkle Dress (£40 sizes 8-48) is available in both short and maxi lengths. This is on order for review and I’m looking forward to cool and easy wear throughout what could be another long, hot summer here in the south of England. Made from 100% viscose, the dress is machine washable, and absolutely packable.
Images by stockking on FreepikPhoto, Madeline Tallman on Unsplash, my Android phone, and from Cotton Traders.
