This £45 Marks & Spencer Bandeau Dress Looks So Expensive

last updated 18 December 2023

When it comes to dress shopping, finding something that's both classic and cool is a tall order—the two just aren't usually mutually exclusive. So, when you do come across a dress that feels on-trend but, somehow, also incredibly timeless, it's not the sort of thing you should let pass you by. Which is why I wanted to share this with you: a very chic dress option from Marks & Spencer which, yes, is a formidable combination of these two things.

I first spotted it on influencer Liv Madeline; a sleek, well-cut black bandeau dress I had to assume came from a high-end label. Minimal but impactful, it's clean lines mimic the types of dresses usually found at a higher price point. So, you can imagine my delight when I tapped my screen and a Marks & Spencer tag appeared.

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Heading straight to M&S's dress category on site, I hurriedly scrolled. Please don't tell me this dress—my dream dress!—is sold out. But would you believe, it's still in stock. Available in sizes 6-24 (and 6-16 in petite too!) and in a go-with-everything colourway, this might just be the most versatile party dress around—one you can dress up with sparkles and rhinestones, or take a low-key approach with velvet mary janes and fine jewellery. It's truly a blank canvas.

Emma Wells, a stylish influencer whose wardrobe reads like Net-a-Porter's brand directory, has also snapped up Marks & Spencer's bandeau dress. Coming in at £45 it's much more reasonable than other the party pieces currently saturating the market—you pay a premium for sequins, after all—but it's also simple enough that you'll genuinely get the wear of it year round. I'm already picturing wearing mine to a wedding I have in March with a chic cropped jacket and slingback heels. As for now, I'm opting for a crystal bag and the highest sandals I own.

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Safely ordered and with mine on the way, I just had to share this find with you before it inevitably sells out (as Marks & Spencer's dresses have a habit of doing). Scroll on to shop the trending Marks & Spencer bandeau dress and to browse other bandeau dresses on the market this season.

Shop Marks & Spencer's Black Bandeau Dress

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Maxine Eggenberger is Who What Wear UK’s deputy editor and has over thirteen years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and elevated style content specifically for Who What Wear UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, self-styled shopping stories and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, leads the editorial team in their SEO strategy and keyword planning, works closely with the beauty team on content initiatives, represents the brand at industry events, and regularly contributes to social media, including her own Who What Wear UK TikTok franchise, French Style Fridays. Previously, Maxine appeared on ITV's This Morning in her own fashion segment and has interviewed countless celebrities—everyone from Victoria Beckham to Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o.

Prior to Who What Wear UK, Maxine’s career began when, after completing her first-ever internship at Look magazine, she was offered a position on the brand's fashion desk. She accepted, leaving university a year early in the process. Her passion and natural talent for writing and styling meant she swiftly rose through the ranks to become the title's fashion news and commercial content editor, with a stint as InStyle.co.uk’s fashion and beauty writer along the way. She later served as Look’s acting Editor in Chief, overseeing both print and digital, before embarking on a successful freelance career, working with Grazia, The Pool, and Marie Claire amongst others. Maxine is based remotely from her countryside home near Edinburgh where she spends her downtime renovating her house, walking her dogs, hosting friends and trying to master the art of making Old Fashioned cocktails.