Styling · The Evening Edit
Night Moves
The restraint is the whole trick. Ruched silk, lace, corsetry and asymmetric hems — sexy, and never obvious about it.
The restraint is the whole trick. Ruched silk, lace, corsetry and asymmetric hems — sexy, and never obvious about it.
Dark romance is how the evening gets dressed this season. Not sweet, not sparkly, nothing that reads as a party dress — and not severe either. Sexy, and never obvious about it.
It came out of March in two houses after the same thing. At Alexander McQueen, feathered high-necked boleros over corsets and lace. At Ann Demeulemeester, Stefano Gallici's silk and chiffon bodice dresses. Saint Laurent went the other way — Anthony Vaccarello leaning all the way into jewel-toned lace, minis and separates rather than gowns.
The mistake is treating it as an occasion. Adding a second statement to a dress that's already making one, and turning tension into theme. One idea per outfit, and the rest of you should be very quiet.
Because the restraint is the point. A lace dress that covers more than it reveals is far more interesting than one that doesn't. There's tension in it, and a plain black dress never has that. Four things are doing the work — ruched silk that catches the light, lace in black and jewel tones rather than white, corsetry holding the waist, and asymmetric hems that fall longer on one side. You only need one of them.
This isn't for the woman who wants to be congratulated at the door. It's for the one they remember afterwards — the ruched silk, the corset dress, the corset top, the lace maxi, the lace midi and the silk dress.
Mine is the Alessandra Rich lace and silk georgette bustier dress. Bold and chic at once, which almost nothing manages — most things that make an entrance can't also sit down to dinner.— K.W., Editor-in-Chief
Corset top, the black trouser you already own, a jacket you take off at the table. Not a gown on a weeknight.
Lace midi, nothing else competing. Add a second statement and you've lost the tension.
Ruched silk in oxblood, a gold watch, a naked shoe. Colour as the only decoration.
Every piece in the edit — tap to shop.
Ruching is what makes silk look like it cost something. Keep the length at midi — a mini turns it into a night out. Khaite, Victoria Beckham, Rodarte, Alessandra Rich and Christopher Esber.
It's doing the structural work this season. Wear it once as a dress, or find the version you get more than one night from. Rachel Gilbert, Magda Butrym, Alessandra Rich, Zimmermann and Vivienne Westwood.
Tap any piece below to shop the whole edit.
With a long skirt or a wide trouser, this is the half you'll wear more than once a year. Wiederhoeft, Alexander McQueen and Givenchy.
Black first, then burgundy, deep green and oxblood. White is not this edit. Chloé, Isabel Marant, Zimmermann, MONTSAND, SIR and Helsa.
Shorter, sharper, and the half that actually gets worn. Dolce & Gabbana, Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, Rodarte and Alessandra Rich.
No lace, no boning — just cut, which is the hardest version to get right. Saint Laurent, Khaite, Ann Demeulemeester and Alessandra Rich.
Every piece in this edit, by the houses behind it. Explore them all.
Wear it in black and let the room work it out. The best evening dress isn't the one people compliment — it's the one they remember afterwards.— ESVRA