Dresses

Whether it’s branded as the slow-fashion movement or the rise of made-to-order pieces, there’s no denying that conscious fashion brands offering bespoke services have become more and more prominent over the last few years. “In terms of sustainability, it’s the most responsible way of manufacturing,” one designer told me this week. And it’s true. Offering a made-to-order business model means that brands only create what they actually sell, minimising the possibility of waste and oversupply—one of the industry’s biggest contributors when it comes to impacting the environment negatively. Historically, the notion of made to order might’ve conjured up images of intricate wedding gowns or Savile Row–worthy suits. ...

Not all dresses are born equal in the design studio, which is why our editorial team and network of contributors is always on hand to sift the wheat from the chaff. Recently, assistant editor Elinor Block asked us to place dibs on the best dresses for summer 2021, and I selected a dark chocolate–coloured puff-sleeve open-back dress from & Other Stories among other more expensive options. On my digital travels researching for this request, I stumbled across the midi via the brand’s new-in section, and before I shared my top picks for the story, I became so enamoured with it that I freaked out about other people buying it first, the dress selling out and missing an opportunity to own such a “me” item. I often take days, weeks, months or even yea...

The overarching theme for the spring/summer 2021 collections is a desire for our clothes to be fun again and the styling is centred around an overwhelming feeling of optimism. Designers largely used colour to convey this mood, whether that was with a rainbow print or sunset hue. The most-used exuberant colour was bright pink, with the likes of Molly Goddard, Chloé and Cecilie Bahnsen creating magical dresses in punchy pinks. Whether weddings go ahead or not over the next few months, Net-a-Porter has seriously invested into occasionwear, buying over 3000 joyful dresses for S/S 21, and has over 10,000 dress options for the season. Scrolling through the new-in section, it seems like a high percentage of these are in bright pink, as many of the most spectacular dresses of 2021 h...

Last month, I did a deep dive into the dress trends and brands that we expect to hit the big time in 2021, with a mix of archival labels and up-and-comers making our shortlist. Well, after the amazing response to the story, we wanted to create an additional article dedicated to the products themselves, celebrating the beautiful design and innovation displayed by some of our favourite dress designers. After all, with summer just around the corner, there’s no better time to brush up on your brand knowledge. We’ve included a few brands that were in our original dress report alongside a handful of newbies that have recently caught our eye. We’ve got all the bases covered, from O Pioneers’ throwback prairie-dress styling and Tove’...

I have to confess I’m writing this story away from my desk, and under my duvet, because it is that cold this week. But with Easter behind us, we’re now into spring and one of the things I always love the most about this season is abandoning the many layers (so long, puffer!), and revisiting my dress wardrobe. New-in sections are helping me indulge in my dress daydreaming, as every day is bringing with it new summery items to scroll through. Floral tea dresses and check midi dresses are hardly groundbreaking, but these throw-on styles always sell out at record speed. Lots of the dresses around for spring 2021 have plenty of chuck-on appeal, meaning they are comfortable enough to wear at home or for daily laps of the park. There are five types of dresses in particu...

Fun fact: Who What Wear UK’s top-selling item from 2020 was a dress, but not only that—it was a dress from high-street fave H&M. Coming in a pop of pastel pink and featuring puffed sleeves and a loose, smock-like fit, this staple sold out every time it was restocked, and we couldn’t take a walk around the park without seeing someone wearing this fabulous frock. Well, if you missed out last year, it’s time to sit up because we just found 2021’s answer to that pink dress, and it’s even better than we’d hoped.  Though in spirit it has the same throw-on-and-go appeal, the pink dress 2.0 features some marked differences: First, the hue is deeper, less pastel and more fuchsia. Second, the smocking has been dropped and rep...

The secret to the style’s success lies in its “throw-on-and-go” appeal. Gone are the days of faffing around for hours in the morning, trying to match skirts with blouses and trousers with tops—these smock-like dresses are liberating us from the tyranny of our wardrobes. Plus, they look good with everything: both trainers and knee-high boots, chunky crewnecks and slim-fit roll-necks, smart tailored coats and leather bikers. Have we made ourselves clear enough? There are so many interpretations of this versatile dress trend, so you can feel safe in the knowledge that you’ll find the right one for you. There are knitted iterations, which would look so chic for work with heeled boots, leopard-print styles to pair with ch...

The way we dress is always reflective of our surroundings, which explains the urge most of us have to wear florals in spring—we’re channelling the flowers blossoming around us into our outfits. Brands, be they high-end or high street, are all too happy to cater to this sartorial mirroring. Right now, in any and every new-in section, you’re sure to find a plethora of petal-adorned pieces just waiting to sell out. Still, regardless of how pretty the motif may be, the saying “too much of a good thing” exists for a reason. When you’ve already got a closet full of floral prints (we know we have), you’d be forgiven for wanting to spend your money on something different. Perhaps the springtime picnics we’re planning are serving as inspiration, but ri...