Image:
Courtesy of Bottega Veneta; Courtesy of Tory Burch; Courtesy of Prada; Courtesy of Proenza Schouler
Although full skirts have been a staple since the 19th century, we often see this style at its most popular during this time. austerity period (ie, the Civil War, the Great Depression, and the 50s). And with the world in such a state of change, it only makes sense that we’ll see designers drawn to more massive silhouettes. But unlike previous iterations, these dresses are more contemporary in style possibly thanks to the tailoring and color blocking rather than ruffles.
At Bottega Veneta, leather trim is used as a bottom skirt to create a full silhouette, while pleats are used at Prada for the same value. In contrast, Proenza Schouler used color blocking and offset cropping to create the illusion of volume. And then (my personal favorite) is how Tory Burch combines a full lurex shirt with a contrast wrap to create a sharp, accent silhouette. Each iteration of this dress proves that while this trend may be “old” it never goes out of style (if done right).
