Vırginia Chadwyck-Healey What to wear... for a weekend away

Two female-led British brands have floaty dresses for free spirits of all ages and heights

The invitation has arrived via email. You’re off to stay with old friends. Leaving the off-duty style sanctuary of home means one thing... pull out all the stops! Except it’s just a weekend away. “All very low-key”, the invitation says. “Might change for dinner but really we’ll just be outside.” As with any invitation these days, there is a feeling of “Oh wow! This is happening. I am actually going out”. Then panic sets in. So I’ve chosen two dress brands that should provide you with a lot of ideas to mull over, but all with a quiet sensibility to them (she says, recommending a red dress... More later).

Presenting Mondo Corsini; a favourite discovery launched this year. Susan Corsini has created a lifestyle brand that can easily work for every day of the week, incorporating designs aimed at both town and country mice. Corsini is adamant her brand has no age limit: “I always dreamt of Mondo being worn by a 20-year-old or 70-year-old, tapping into that free spirit that is there in all of us, no matter what our age!” So many brands want to cater to all ages but the reality can be very different. Yet in Mondo Corsini there are sleeves (“Amen!” cry the bingo wings), there is a muted palette that feels timeless and a sensible choice of lengths depending on your height. There are also belts for those who love a silhouette, and more free-flowing styles for those who don’t. Do look at the waistcoats too.

This soft pink cotton dress (the Victorine style) is the kind of piece you can travel in to your intended weekend destination. You appear from the car, a basket brimming with thirsty peonies and melting Rococo chocolates. The look is “I just threw this on and voilà!” You ditch your overnight bag and head off for a full inspection of the new kitchen garden (“Harry created it in a Monty Don moment of lockdown boredom”), or the chicken coop (“Let’s collect the eggs for the morning”). So you’ll need neat trainers by the LA brand Clae. Do not buy a dress for “the arrival”. Instead buy a dress you feel great in at the weekend but that you can just as easily see yourself throwing on for Monday’s errands, too. Don’t forget that extra layer (in this case a knit by Sheep Inc) because there is nothing worse than