John Lewis’ ‘perfect’ under £50 summer dress with pockets

Dressing for a British summer can be a challenge, especially if you want to find an outfit that will work just as well for the office as it does your holiday adventures. But one of our fashion experts has found the ‘perfect’ dress on the high street that’s not only great for keeping cool, but looks the part, too.

The Solare Print Midi Dress at John Lewis is said to be ‘really lightweight’ with a ‘gorgeous print’, according to Liverpool Echo’s shopping writer, Emily Sleight. And it even comes in at less than £50.

After a visit to the John Lewis Liverpool ONE store, Emily tried on the stylish number, which is currently available in sizes 6 to 20 online. And if you ask us, it looks even better modelled on her than it does on the website.

READ MORE: Lydia Millen shares the secret behind her radiant ‘glowy’ skin and credits must-have beauty product

READ MORE: Frankie Bridge’s ‘simple but versatile’ designer dress that’s on sale at M&S and John Lewis

“If I’m being honest, the first thing that attracted me to this dress was its gorgeous print,” she said. “I’m a big fan of green, and the smock detail on this dress made it look extra comfortable which is essential in this sort of weather, which has left me feeling desperate to find a breezy and cool dress that I can just slip into.”

Easy to throw on, Emily noticed how ‘soft’ the bold, leafy-print dress was, adding that, despite having quite a lot of material, ‘it was still really lightweight’. She added: “I’ve often been put off by smock dresses in the past because they can feel quite heavy, especially considering I’m quite small at 5’3. The dress had an airy V-neck design and was really flowy, making it a great option for not only the office, but a hot holiday too.”

Emily said although the sleeves were long, the dress was still lovely and cool, commenting: “You could easily roll this dress up and team it up with some comfy trainers or sandals, like these White Leather-Look Woven 2 Part Sandals from New Look that come in three different shades.

“It hung beautifully, and the best part? It actually had pockets! I always love pockets on a dress, and feel like it’s such a practical feature for your phone or some lippy.”

And Emily isn’t the only one who loved the dress, with John Lewis shoppers raving about it on the retailer’s website . One said: “I bought this for a friend’s party / bbq. It was a great fit, good quality and nice length (mid calf). I had quite a few compliments at the party and people asked where I’d got it from. A great dress for the summer & easy to dress up or down.”

“Very pleased with this dress – easy to wear and could be dressed up if needs be,” wrote another. “A great dress to take on holiday, creases don’t matter! Fits true to size and good value.”

But a third complained about the creases, adding: “I have had comments how nice my dress is, even by staff in Phase 8. Yet it is so comfortable to wear. Only comment I would make as it was rather creased on the hanger, ran the iron over it and it looks much more expensive.”

Elsewhere, Roman is selling this Ivory Floral Print Button Down Sun Dress for £38 here, while the Green Floral Luna Midi Dress from the celeb-loved brand Nobody’s Child has just been reduced by 30 per cent and is perfect for sunny days. But if it’s the Solare Print Midi Dress from John Lewis that takes your fancy, you can find it for £48 here.