Just one year of love is better than a lifetime alone.

one | two | three | four | five 

six | seven | eight | nine | ten | eleven 

twelve | thirteen | fourteen | fifteen | sixteen | seventeen

eighteen | nineteen | twenty | twenty one | twenty two | twenty three

Not too many people realise that when I started Friday Frocks, my blog's only regular feature, it was actually a challenge. I'd counted my dresses, you see, and realised that I had just over 50. 'Hmmm,' I thought. 'That's enough dresses to wear a different one every week for a year.'

So I set myself the rules - feature a different dress (from my own wardrobe) every Friday for a year. (There was one exception - the 80s ensemble that Amy loaned me. To make up for this, I did a double bill on my birthday. Yep, I can be a bit OCD about these things.)

It was quite funny, going back and compiling this post, remembering the weeks where I wasn't in a great mood, or the times when I felt a bit silly or hyper when I was taking the photos. A lot's changed in that year, especially in my blog, which has had a huge impact on my life. It's funny - the first dress I featured was what I wore to my very first blogging event, and now I consider some of the girls I met there to be really good friends. Aw.

A year in dresses has made me a lot more aware of what's in my wardrobe - I stopped being so reliant on the same gang of old faithfuls and started delving into the back of the wardrobe a bit more. Aaand it's made me realise that, damn, I have a lot of dresses.

twenty four | twenty five | twenty six | twenty seven | twenty eight | twenty nine

thirty | thirty one | thirty two | thirty three | thirty four 

thirty five | thirty six | thirty seven | thirty eight | thirty nine | forty

 forty one | forty two | forty three | forty four | forty five | forty six
forty seven | forty eight | forty nine | fifty | fifty one 


fifty two.

I wanted to do something hugely fitting and amazing for tonight’s Friday Frock. I mean, it’s a YEAR OF DRESSES. Number 52 should be a pretty big deal, right? But it was hard to find something appropriately incredible. I know what I had in mind, but I don’t own any gowns or couture (even though I SHOULD, right?). Plus, I like my dresses to be occasion appropriate – it’s really rare for me to get dressed up for the sake of taking a photograph, I’ve normally worn the outfit in question that day (or am about to head out).

So in the end, I went with a classic. A GOOD classic. What I love about LBDs is how different they all are. I’ve featured them a couple of times before, but this one is nothing like them. Definitely a party dress. And, well... am I allowed to admit that I feel really quite foxy in this dress?

Because I DO.

Damn you, weird lighting.

It’s so ridiculously flattering. I’ve had it for at least two years, but I constantly forget about it because it looks so unremarkable on the hanger. It’s really thin and light and when I ordered it from Topshop initially, I really didn’t expect to want to keep it. But then I put it on, and was just like ‘...oh!’ It makes me feel like a 16 year old again, back when the fashion was to wear what were basically slips, and damnit, we pulled them off. I just... love it. I love how well designed it is – the waist is fitted, but skimming, meaning it never feels too tight, and doesn’t have to stay in the ‘when you lose half a stone’ section of my wardrobe. The bodice is incredibly supportive, but the sweetheart style neck would flatter any figure. And the skirt hides a multitude of sins. It’s FABULOUS.

I wore it out for my friend Sarah’s birthday – drinks in a quiet pub then dancing at Madam JoJo’s. It made me really want to go to swing dancing lessons. I’d quite like to learn how to do it without feeling like I’m going to fall over at any second.

Dress - Topshop

Bag - Primark

Shoes - New Look

Necklace - GoGo Philip

Nails - Models Own Raspberry Crush

And there you go. I did what I set out to do. A dress a week for a year. But where to now? I always assumed I’d stop after a year, but I've really enjoyed Friday Frocks. It’s given me an excuse to talk about my favourite item of clothing on a weekly basis, and it’s always seems to be what people remember about my blog. And I wish I could say I was running out of dresses, but honestly? I still have loads I haven’t shown you guys yet.

So. What do you think? Shall we all meet back here in a year's time, or should I quit while I’m ahead? Votes, please...