Duster lust

I find it so difficult to dress in summer when it's not flat-out hot. When it's really hot I can just wear a summer dress and nowt else, but when it's just mild in the morning, then boiling on public transport, then chilly in the office, then hot at lunch and raining in the evening..... I need some kind of jacket. I don't like short jackets very much, and it's hard to find thin summer jackets, so the loose duster jacket trend has had me lusting for ages. I was bummed when the asos Curve duster came out and was black. I already have a lightweight black jacket, and besides, black is my least favourite colour in summer so I was a bit gutted (the standard version was a pale grey you see). Anyway anyway anyway, as loath as I am to keep buying highly patterned jackets that don't really go very well with my dresses even in a deliberate 'these clash on purpose' way, I just had to try the two Simply Be duster jackets when they went in the sale. P's, I look rough in these pictures, but I've accepted this fact!

I was gutted when I saw this jacket had sold out in a size 24. My upper arms don't do well in size 22 jackets as a rule, but I figured I'd try it in a size 26 since it looked like quite flowing fabric. Good job I think because I would guess that the size 24 would have been uncomfortably tight on my arms. This 26 is a nice loose fit on the body and fitted on the arms.

I really love this. I don't know how to describe this fabric really, but it's super thin (not lined) so it's perfect for warm weather. It has a sort of rough chiffon feel to it but there's a bit of give to it.... a tiny bit of stretch.

It has pockets (yey), although I have to say they are a bit far round the back which is odd!

I always try my hair up and down with jackets when I'm deciding what to buy, and this one is a keeper! I like that it has long sleeves - it gives me the option to wear them at any length I fancy!

The last thing to say is that although it's not lined it has a really nice finish inside as all the seams are covered in a deep peachy coloured fabric so everything looks very neat..... it reminds me of my unlined Anna Scholz dresses and it's nice to see that kind of detail in a high-street piece! Get it here!.

I also ordered the Look duster coat because I didn't know if the other one would fit (and it's only £20 in the sale!). I managed to get a size 24 in this one. The jacket above feels more like a duster coat than this one... this has more of a structured blazer sort of feel to it.

Another good lightweight jacket, it's thin and well made like the one above, but has no stretch and is a more silky / shiny fabric. Fit-wise this 24 is perfect. The 22 would be too small on my arms, but this one's about right.

There's more white on this than I had expected (thought it would be darker overall), but I like it better with more white patches! Get it here!

The thing is that I planned keep the top jacket and send this one back - because this doesn't have pockets, which is ridiculous in my opinion - but I like it too much to send it back just for a £20 refund, so it stays!. Typically it is now too hot to wear any form of jacket, but this is the UK so I'm sure it'll soon be a bit cooler and I can take them out for a spin!