Holly Willoughby Just Wore the Zara Trend That Is Dividing Opinion

This Morning TV star Holly Willoughby wore one of Zara's most divisive trends of 2019 so far: lilac tweed. Holly wore a £50 pencil skirt in a vibrant violet shade, with a frayed hem, a slit on the front and decorative silver buttons along the front. She paired it with a lilac crew-neck jumper by Pure Collection and a pair of her trusty nude suede pumps. 

This country knows a thing or two about divided opinions, and in a poll, the dress version of this skirt would currently probably reach a 51.9% yes to a 48.1% no. Zara's lilac tweed midi dress with a square neckline and vintage-style buttons down the front has been a firm favourite with the fashion crowd. However, one of our editors has never received such a divided reaction to an item she suggested.

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(Image credit: Holly Willoughby)

Shop Holly's Outfit

"When I first saw this dress in the Zara store here in NYC, I was immediately drawn to it," says Lauren Eggertsen. "I loved the colour, the texture, and of course, the buttons. I tried it on and posted a photo to my Instagram story to gauge how my followers felt about it (less so for me and more so for the column I write where my best friend and I try on Zara pieces and review them). The reactions were so mixed about this dress: People truly either loved it or absolutely hated it. I haven't experienced such a polarizing response to something as simple as a Zara dress in quite some time."

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(Image credit: Lauren eGG)

"But if you ask me, I think the dress is perfect for weddings, summertime events, and even a vacation cocktail moment," says Lauren. And lots of fashion insiders agree—Penny Goldstone, digital fashion editor of Marie Claire, wore hers on holiday with white strappy sandals, while Natalia Barbieri, founder of Bionda Castana, wore the £80 dress for her Who What Wear Best Wardrobes in Britain shoot.

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(Image credit: Penny Goldstone)

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(Image credit: Phill Taylor)

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(Image credit: Natalie Hughes)

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Next up, see our guide to the key trends for spring/summer 2019.

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Emma Spedding
Freelance Fashion Editor

Emma is a freelance fashion editor with over 15 years experience in industry, having worked at The Telegraph, Grazia and, most recently, British Vogue. Emma was part of the founding team of Who What Wear UK, where she worked for six years as Deputy Editor and then Editor—helping shape the team into what it is today is one of the biggest privileges of her career and she will always see herself as a Who What Wear girl, contributing to both the US and UK sites. Whether she's writing about runway trends or spotlighting emerging brands, she aims to write about fashion in a way that is democratic and doesn't promote over consumption.