My personal blog
I Was Sure a Floral Dress Wasn't for a Woman My Age. Now It's the One I Reach for First
A soft A-line that skims my waist and hips instead of clinging. What started as a little hesitation turned into my favourite dress.
Most mornings start the same way. I open the wardrobe, see a row of navy and black, and pick whatever won't cling to my middle.
Somewhere along the way, pretty dresses started to feel like they were made for someone else. Too fitted, too short, too much.
When the Emma dress came up on Scott and Daughters, with its navy background and white tulips, my first thought was: at my age?
Still, I was curious enough to look.
What caught my eye
It's navy, which I already wear, but covered in delicate white and green tulips. The print moves with the dress rather than shouting over it.
The short sheer sleeves made me hesitate. I usually hide my arms. I decided to give it a try anyway.
Unboxing my Scott and Daughters parcel
The parcel came on a Thursday, and I tried the dress on in front of the bedroom mirror straight away.
I expected it to cling. It didn't. The bodice is neat, and from the waist the soft A-line skirt skims my waist and hips and flares out to just below the knee.
First outing: a garden party on a warm day
I wore it to a friend's garden party on one of those warm spring afternoons. It's light, so I stayed comfortable from lunch until the sun went down.
And the sheer sleeves I'd doubted turned out to be my favourite part: just enough over the arms, without any extra warmth.
From Sunday brunch to a wedding
The following weekend I wore it to brunch with flat sandals. A month later, with heels and my pearl earrings, I wore it to a wedding.
Same dress, and it felt right both times. That's when I realised I'd reach for it far more than I expected.
The New Chapter Sale
When I went back to the site, I saw it was part of the New Chapter Sale. Julie, who started Scott and Daughters, is handing the shop over to her daughters Emily and Charlotte.
If you're curious, have a look at the sizes while the sale is on.
My summer dresses next to the Emma
I've worn it more times this spring than any other dress I own, and it goes in the machine on cold and hangs up to dry. I can't speak for everyone, only for what I saw in the mirror.
How long do I have?
I paid $74.95 AUD for mine. The page shows $244.95 AUD as the earlier price. It's part of the New Chapter Sale, and I don't know how long that runs, so I wouldn't wait too long if your size is still in.
$244.95 AUD$74.95 AUD
New Chapter Sale · Save 70%
- Navy midi dress with white and green tulips
- Light enough for a whole warm day
- Neat bodice, soft A-line skirt that skims, never clings
- Sizes S to 3XL · between sizes? Size up
- %price% now
- Free shipping with Australia Post · 30-day money-back guarantee
I'm still the woman who opens her wardrobe and sees a lot of navy. Only now, one of those navy dresses has tulips on it, and it's the one I reach for first.
Megan
This is a personal story by Megan Clark, 54, one of Scott and Daughters' longest-standing customers. She agreed to share her experience with this dress.