It started in April when I bought Hush’s brilliant Rosey leopard print shirt dress. I’d seen a similar designer one £750, but this one is darker in tone in brown and black and more flattering on my skin tone, not to mention is costs £120 (oh, and today it is £96, thanks to Hush having a 20% off sale.)
I first wore it to a party in April with ankle boots and a black leather jacket and that’s when the “where did you get that?” questions started, and then I knew: this is a dress to keep in my rotation.
As the weather warmed up, far from putting it away for the autumn as I assumed I would, the dress became even more useful. Worn with my Scholl sandals in the heatwave with the sleeves pushed up to the elbow, the bottom button of the skirt undone and a tangle of my favourite gold chains, it took on new life as a summer dress, and the question – “where did you get that?” just kept coming.
Which got me to thinking, if a few simple styling tweaks on animal print shirt dress can work its magic on me, it will work magic on you too. It’s thanks, I think, to the clever designers at Hush, founded in London by Mandy Watkins back in 2003, who infuses all her designs with such a laid back feeling, that even a “dressed up” dress like the Rosey can switch between seasons and events with a little flip of accessories, and a strategic use of buttons.
As my team will testify, once I get obsessed with a piece (see the Toast skirt) I will find as many ways to wear it as possible. My Rosey has been a work dress, worn at the office and for important meetings. It’s been a party dress and it’s also coming with me on a cruise to the arctic tonight – but I’ll be saving it for dinner with the captain, not the top deck. Knowing me, when I get home, I’ll buy the cornflower blue and black one too.
