Uncommon Nonsense: S/S’14

Step into the world of Uncommon Nonsense, where the enchanting adventures of Alice in Wonderland are packaged into majestic handmade dresses with a dose of style to match; where clothes can be altered in size as easily as Alice with her size-changing potion, and where your wardrobe can be transformed into a beauty only usually reserved for dreams.

Designed and stitched by Gemma McKeating Harris, each dress is lovingly handmade from scratch. The materials are locally sourced and adorned with a vintage lace, adding further luxury to the elegantly whimsical designs. Beginning Uncommon Nonsense at the start of 2013, this is the fourth collection for the brand, this time focusing on tones and prints perfect for the spring/summer season. This season is inspired by the secret gardens of Alice in Wonderland, with The Painted Roses, Flamingo, Bunny Hop and 6 Impossible Things dresses all being inspired by the Queen of Hearts scenes in the infamous Lewis Carroll tale.

The black and white gingham dress – A Game of Chess – does not just take inspiration from the book, but from her childhood, too. “The gingham dress is primarily a reflection of the gingham summer dresses we would wear at school in the summer months, I absolutely loved these dresses and felt like a princess in them!”, she explains.

Uncommon Nonsense have also introduced their first fabric design – using a mixture of the designer’s visions and the talents of Uncommon Nonsenses’ in-house illustrator Kate Newman – to create the unicorn fabric for Ellie is a Unicorn.

Mini skirts in an array of prints with faux leather panels as the signature look have also been tempting us into updating our summery wardrobes. The Explain Yourself! mini skirt has a tribal look perfect for the seasonal trends, while many of the dresses – like the Painted Rose, White Rabbit and A Game Of Chess – can also be bought in skirt form.

As well as dresses and skirts, a series of T-shirts and and pyjamas have been added to the Uncommon Nonsense shop. Pyjamas in Bananas are quirky pyjama bottom shorts, while the tees feature Uncommon Nonsense’s signature lace collars. The tees include The FlamingoTee, I’m Late I’m Late I’m Late, The Rabbit Tee, AHOY! Tee and the UNonsense UK tee by Kate Newman illustration.

With the dresses and skirts available in sizes 6-22, and a free bespoke service offered for those who require a specific fit, it’s hard not to fall in love with it all.

Isabella Stockwell

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