At 64, I Still Want a Dress with a Little Colour in It

I usually start by looking for simple colours, because they're easy to wear. But a lovely print can be just as easy when it does the styling for you.

Isabella has a pale blue background, with sweeping warm gold, rust and brown designs woven through the look. The bigger patterns sit low on the dress and around the sleeves, with smaller details nearer the front.

What I like is that you wouldn't need much else. A pair of plain sandals, perhaps a little bag, and the dress already feels like an outfit.

The collar and button front give it a familiar shirt-dress shape, which stops the colourful design from feeling too formal.

I'd still look carefully at the print in ordinary daylight, rather than relying only on a polished photograph. The shades and pattern placement are part of what you'd be choosing.

I think there's a habit we get into of saving our pretty clothes for later. The nice dress waits for a birthday. The good shoes wait for a dinner. And meanwhile another week has passed.

I'd rather have things I could picture wearing more often: for lunch with friends, a Sunday outing or a little time away by the coast.

Isabella's longer chiffon skirt looks fluid in the photographs, while the collared neckline and rolled sleeves keep the top half familiar and relaxed.

A dress like that could work with flat sandals and a simple bag, without needing a whole new set of accessories.

I can't promise how the chiffon will feel in different weather, but the listing describes it as lightweight and breezy. I'd still check the fabric and care details for myself.

Sometimes just having a dress that feels a little different from the safe ones in the wardrobe is reason enough to take another look.

One. The length. Isabella is described as a maxi dress. I'd compare the actual length with something I already own, because it can sit very differently depending on height.

Two. The neckline and sleeves. It has a soft collar, buttons down the front and sleeves that can be turned up. I'd think about how much coverage I prefer and how I'd want to wear the neckline.

Three. The shape. The product listing describes a relaxed, easy fit. I'd still use the size guide, particularly around the bust and hips, rather than assuming my usual letter size would be right.

The listing offers Blue in sizes S through 3XL. That's useful to know, but measurements tell you much more than a size label.

I don't believe in saying a dress suits everyone. The sensible thing is to look at the details, check the measurements and choose what would make you feel comfortable.

I'll be straightforward about the price, because that's always the next thing I check.

Isabella is currently listed at A$114.95. The linked product page shows the live price and the available sizes.

For me, I'd want to imagine wearing it more than once. Could it work for a lovely lunch, a weekend away or an afternoon when I simply feel like looking a little more put together?

That's what I like about a long shirt-dress shape. The print is the interesting part, while the styling can stay very simple.

I'd check the size guide, the delivery information and the return conditions before ordering. A pretty photograph isn't a reason to skip the practical questions.

And I'd think about whether this particular blue and warm-toned print feels like me. That's much more important than whether it's fashionable this month.

If you told me you were tired of choosing between comfortable clothes and something a little more interesting, I'd understand completely.

I'd say don't start by wondering whether you're too old for colour. Start by looking at what you genuinely enjoy wearing.

Isabella caught my eye because it has a cheerful, artistic print on a familiar long shirt-dress shape. A collar, rolled sleeves and a button front make it easier to imagine as an everyday outfit than a formal evening gown.

I haven't tried the dress on, so I'd never promise it will fit exactly as you'd hope. I'd look carefully at the photographs, compare the measurements and decide whether the length suits me.

But I wouldn't dismiss it just because the print is bolder than what I usually wear. Sometimes it's nice to be reminded that ordinary days can have a little colour too.

At sixty-four, I still want to enjoy getting dressed. I don't think that's asking too much.