Everyone wants to wear a dress right now. They want to be pretty.
Camille Wright, owner of Style Consortium – an apparel showroom.
Ms. Wright is speaking about what we’re wearing as we ease out of our houses and back into the world. I think what we want is to be comfortable while still looking good. Dresses are one answer to that. They’re an instant upgrade and they can be easy to wear. Plus they are the cool choice for hot temps.
Also, dresses offer a lot a variety in silhouette and fabric. Just slip it on and the dress does all the style work. Add accessories or not, it’s that simple.
Dresses for weekends = easy. Dresses for work? Tricky. Tailored separates seem to be more appropriate for professional situations. But here is where fabric, color, and pattern choice make the difference. Light fabrics and floral prints are better for weekends, while solid colors and jersey fabrics are good choices for work. Top with a tailored jacket and become instantly office ready.
Because for me – always, but now more than ever – the human has to be at the center of the process. In these past decades, we’ve talked a lot about numbers – the first, the best. And in a way, this has created a kind of competition that I don’t think you really need. You can forget about creativity and the humanity because it’s all about money and marketing. And that’s not what fashion is for. Fashion is about dreaming, inspiring.
Since staying put at home, I started pulling out some of my vintage pieces that I would only wear to an event. Because they are delicate or not as easy to move around in on pubic transport or walking to and from destinations, much of my vintage wardrobe gets only the occasional outing. But earlier in the pandemic I was showing up once a week to my fashion history class in front of my laptop – no BART rides, no long walks – so why not sport some vintage?
