Why is it that by the time you can actually wear a trend you are so sick to death of seeing it in the shops that you don’t want to be caught dead wearing it?

Yes I’m talking about the sweater dress.

Done to death by everyone from designers to chain stores alike, worn with leggings, skinny jeans or opaques. You can now even buy tracksuit versions to cover your behind when working out.

When does a trend go too far, and how do we know when its time to jump off the bandwagon before we become more Best & Less than just plain Best?

Like everyone else I was looking forward to spending winter covered in long lean knitwear, opaque stockings and ballet flats. I even envisioned throwing on a jaunty beret before leaving the house, grabbing a café latte, and wandering around in the crisp winter air - all in my sweater dress.

This was before it actually got so cold that the idea of not being in a car with my heated seats on high had actually sunk in. Sadly this realisation only came after I had gone out and purchased several versions of this theme.

There was the Sportsgirl white thick-weave knit with wooden buttons and tie front that I have since seen on the childrenswear racks at Country Road. There was the basic black Karen Walker v-neck knit, and the delux Cohen et Sabine chunky cardi to name but a few.

As I waited and waited for the weather to change, I saw the sweater dress on pregnant mums, on teeny boppers, on ankle biters, on shop girls.

For me at least, this trend was really on its way out before it really began. Sadly I am one of those mere mortals that would actually look pregnant if I was to don a long knit and wear over leggings. I had done the inevitable trend buy – I had succumbed to purchasing something so wrong for my body just because I had been overexposed to a hundred versions and thought my life would not be complete until I had one in my wardrobe.

As I now gaze eyes glazed over with frostbite at the store racks starting to load up on spring summer gear I wonder how long I can hold off buying the ankle length silk skirt seen on Kate Moss and soon to appear in a Westfield near you……………

Images courtesy of Coquette.com