The infamous Venice dress...

Certain items become ubiquitous in 'the blogosphere' and this Venice dress is one of them. I first saw this dress on Sarah and Blair and have been keeping my eye out for it ever since. I was shopping after my fish pedicure the other week and when I spotted it, I knew it was destined to join my wardrobe. The shape is just perfect for me and I absolutely adore the print and at half price there was no way I was leaving it behind!

Dress: New Look, belt: New Look, shoes: New Look, jacket: Principles, bag: ASOS.
I have been wanting to wear it ever since but I decided to keep it for after exams as a form of motivation. I'm glad I kept it to one side as it really brightened my day up and was the perfect outfit to wear whilst doing a bit of retail therapy ;) I am so glad that my exams are finally over although I can't quite believe it yet! There is so much that I want to do over the next couple of weeks and I really can't wait...


The colours in this dress are ones I normally avoid (yellowy colours are not my friend!) but I thought it would be perfect for my impending holiday in Italy and hopefully they will look even better if I manage to get a bit of a tan... I have been using my Body Shop gradual tanner for about 3 weeks and yet there's been very little noticeable difference so far, maybe I need to switch to another brand, do you have any recommendations? 


I treated myself to this gorgeous bracelet from Miss Selfridge as part of my retail therapy too. I normally avoid bracelets but the gorgeous turquoise colour really swayed it for me and I thought it matched the dress perfectly. Recently I have really been drawn to pretty jewellery and am determined to find some more to add to my collection. 

Do you have any gradual tanner recommendations? How do you celebrate finishing something? 

P.S. Thank you for your lovely comments on my last post, diabetes is such an important issue and I'm glad that I was able to raise awareness here on the blog. 

31 comments

Gem said...

I tried a johnsons gradual tan thing before and I was left orange and stripey :( been too scared to use one since.
I saw that you are going to the Midlands blogger meet up, yay!
Loving the blazer with this, I have one and I never wear it but you have inspired me to dig it out
xx

daisychain said...

I do love that dress so much. It's perfect on you! xo

Becca said...

I think Niveas gradual tanning lotion is really good, I am so pale so a lot just look really orange and streaky on me. Like Gem I thought Johnsons was awful xxx

Alice, Pretty Confused said...

I totally love that dress in you! I nearly bought a very similar skirt but had the same reservations about the colour. You totally pull it off though, very summery! I totally love the cropped blazer you paired it with.

I wish I could give you gradual tanner advice, but I never found one that worked for me, so this year I am jut gonna embrace the paleness.

Congrats on finishing all of your exams! xo

Abbie said...

That dress is gorge! I love Italy! Hope you have a wonderful time! xx

Dani said...

I love this whole outfit, the dress is beautiful and the blazer just makes it look perfect :) I use the Garnier Summerbody tanner in Fair, it's less orange than some but can go a bit streaky eventually... xxx

S and O said...

I see why you couldn't pass this up!
The dress is a knock out :D
Xoxo
Sarah

MJ said...

Fricking LOVE this - no wonder it's ubiquitous!

Ella said...

that dress suits you so well! pretty bracelet too xx
Ella @ Belle Vintage

Sherin said...

Yay for being done with exams. I love the dress. The yellow colour does look fantastic on you. And that bracelet is so pretty.

Lil said...

Congrats on finishing your exams! Yay for leisure time :D Im loving this dress, and as for gradual tanners, I know I'm not the brownest of them all but I used Garnier Summer Body all last spring and summer and really loved it. Xx

Michelle / Daisybutter said...

Gorgeous, gorgeous dress Maria. It looks so perfect with little loafers, and I also wanted that bracelet, it's so dainty and sweet! xx

Charlotte oxo said...

Lovely dress :) I also have pale skin similar to yours and a lot of gradual tanners look silly and streaky. But I have found Palmers Cocoa Butter Bronzing lotion is bloody great! Smells great and firms the skin leaving a brown sheen :) Hope that helps x

theoxfordcomma said...

I bought it in January, and the seams fell apart! Straight back to New Look! Although I do miss it terribly.

Chess said...

Such a lovely dress, you looked lovely today.
Thanks for all your help again.
xxx

itsnevertoolatetolearn said...

I love that dress, when it was full price I hummed and hawed over it and I'm so sorry I didn't go for it now... especially peeved now that I missed it at a reduction price....

P.s. I swear by the dove tanning moisturiser!!!! comes up in a day or two. lash it in. dont touch the johnsons version with a barge pole

Winnie said...

That dress is so gorgeous, the pattern is really sweet. No wonder you couldn't pass it up in the sale! Really cute outfit Maria :)

Emily said...

I can see why you had to get it, it's so pretty!
My favourite gradual tanners are Dove Summer Body and the Garnier ones- if you rub them in and then pat all over they never streak and you get colour in a day or two- would definitely recommend them xxx

Dreams That Glitter xoxo said...

Yay I got this dress too. I absolutely adore it, and it's now one of my faves!

xoxo

Intrinsically Florrie said...

That dress is absolutely gorgeous so I'm glad you got it :) The print is lovely and the cut looks great on you! Love how you've styled it too.
I'm not normally a yellow person either and yet my new Very dress seems to suit me really well! Must just be a few shades in the spectrum which work well on skin tones like ours.

Florrie x

Unknown said...

That dress is stunning! It fits you to a T, and I adore the pattern. Gosh I can see why it's so popular!

Eloise said...

I bet shops love it when bloggers start loving a certain dress! I really want THE lace topshop flippy dress in lace but the one in my town only stocks the cream and I'm so low on funds at the moment. Sigh(mon)

I use the dove gradual tan, think it's in light to medium and you can tell after 2 applications. You've got to moisturise loads before it though.

xx

jazmine rocks @ jazzabelle's diary said...

the shape of this dress really is perfect on you! i adore the lemon yellow colour and the print. you look lovely! x

Carina said...

I looove the print of that dress! and as for gradual tans i've been using garnier summer body :)

Gemx said...

Congrats on finishing your exams! The dress looks lovely on you and I love your bracelets :) xx

Unknown said...

i liked the dress !!

Dawniepants said...

Big congrats on the exam stress having passed. That is an absolute load off. I really like the dress it has a lovely 1950s look about it. I can imagine it with a massive sun hat on the pier just as easily.

Great!

daniela kate morosini said...

it's the barry m nail effects of dresses <3 looks brill on you - i finished my exams too, yay! xx

Helen said...

Woohoo for finishing your exams! That dress is great, I loved the latest New Look sale. I picked up 2 dresses for less than £30!

Hannah said...

Maria, this dress is so gorgeous on you, I simply adore it! Also, thanks for tagging me in the post too. Maybe this dress will be the next feature hehe except I don't own it =(


Bow Dream Nation xx

Chloe said...

You know when you see a dress. And it looks good on someone. Then it looks good on lots of people and you think, well it will probably work on me. Then you find it. Then you try it on. And instead of it looking fabulous like it does on every other person on the planet, it makes you look shorter, fatter, wider, broader, paler, than you ever actually are? That's this dress for me. I was gutted. Fortunately for you it looks fabulous on you, and I'm unfortunately quite envious.

Gradual tanners- Garnier Summer Body!