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Image / Fashion

15 house dresses to wear when you want to feel dressed up in isolation


By Erin Lindsay
14th Apr 2020
15 house dresses to wear when you want to feel dressed up in isolation

The humble house dress is making a comeback, but its roots go further than you may think


When I say the words ‘house dress’, you may picture the equivalent of a house coat or house shoes — cosy, probably in some sort of fleece material, and with absolutely no semblance of style whatsoever. But the humble house dress does not have to be so beige — when it’s all you can wear, there are plenty of ways to jazz it up.

Some of you may not even be familiar with the idea of a house dress, so let me enlighten you. A house dress is a type of simple, easy-to-wear dress that is to be worn around the house or to do quick errands (does what it says on the tin, you might say). The idea of a house dress originated in the 19th century, designed for housewives who needed maximum accessibility and practicality in their wardrobes, but were still expected to maintain a certain standard of style.

Nowadays, there are no expectations on your personal style except the ones you enforce yourself — and when you’re just dressing for you, anything and everything goes. However, in the current Covid-19 climate, house dresses are enjoying a revival — daily tracksuit bottoms and the same t-shirt can drag your mood down surprisingly quickly, and making the (very slight) effort to put on a dress (large, billowing and comfortable, preferably) can bring it back up equally fast.

Interested in updating your wardrobe for your new normal schedule? House dresses await.

IMAGE loves…

Voluminous puff sleeve midi dress, €99 from & Other Stories

Anouki open-back pleated cotton shirt dress, €593 available from Farfetch

 

Embroidered dress, now €39.99 from Zara

Printed tiered chuck-on midi dress with matching scrunchie, now €26 from Topshop

 

ASOS DESIGN maxi dress with puff sleeves in satin astrological print, now €42.44 from ASOS

 

Saks Potts polka dot print maxi dress, €498 available from Farfetch

 

Printed poplin dress, now €19.99 from Zara

 

Fresh floral print midi dress, €38 from Topshop

 

ASOS DESIGN high neck organza check midi dress, €40.44 from ASOS

 

Alessandra Rich belted floral-print dress, €1095 from Farfetch

 

Poplin dress with voluminous sleeves, €29.99 from Zara

 

Green drop hem pinafore dress by Topshop Boutique,  €117 from Topshop

 

ASOS WHITE check u-neck midi dress, now €52.54 from ASOS

 

Ganni floral print shirt dress, €206 available from Farfetch

       

Rustic printed dress, now €29.99 from Zara