Real Weddings: Laura and Conor’s fairytale wedding in Bellingham Castle
Real Weddings: Laura and Conor’s fairytale wedding in Bellingham Castle

Shayna Sappington

An Irish rugmaker on the importance of personality and longevity when designing your interiors
An Irish rugmaker on the importance of personality and longevity when designing your interiors

IMAGE

‘When it comes to women’s health, you have to be your own best advocate’
‘When it comes to women’s health, you have to be your own best advocate’

IMAGE

Page Turners: ‘Burn After Reading’ author Catherine Ryan Howard
Page Turners: ‘Burn After Reading’ author Catherine Ryan Howard

Sarah Gill

The IMAGE staffers share the best blushes they’ve ever tried
The IMAGE staffers share the best blushes they’ve ever tried

Sarah Gill

How I found the one bikini I look forward to wearing
How I found the one bikini I look forward to wearing

Suzie Coen

Join us for The Motherload Live: Getting Your Spark Back
Join us for The Motherload Live: Getting Your Spark Back

IMAGE

Meet the sisters behind the hugely successful Nóinín in Kilkenny
Meet the sisters behind the hugely successful Nóinín in Kilkenny

Megan Burns

The Undecided: No wonder more of us are unsure about parenthood
The Undecided: No wonder more of us are unsure about parenthood

Sarah Macken

How to actually manifest according to an expert
How to actually manifest according to an expert

IMAGE

Image / Fashion

Five perfect dresses for understated dressers


By Marie Kelly
28th Feb 2019
Five perfect dresses for understated dressers

Understated dressers may be feeling a little left out right now. With the rise and rise of brands like Rixo and Ganni, sometimes it feels almost impossible to find a dress that doesn’t have a riot of pattern or a multitude of frills. But what if you’re a woman with a pared-back sense of style who wants to feel and look feminine but fears appearing girlish and frothy if you don a dress?

There are still brands that cater for a more restrained aesthetic. They may not be all over Instagram right now, but for me, that’s in their favour. Here are five dresses I think are an understated dresser’s dream.

With minimal detailing and a loose but not baggy silhouette, this shirtdress from Arket is perfect for women who like to keep this simple.

Lyocell nylon belted dress, €99 at arket.com

This dress has no frills or fuss, just a stunning colour and body-flattering shape. This gorgeous shade of green is proving a really popular colour this season. Cos is calling it Woodbine Green.

Long silk dress, €175 at Cos

Pointelle detailing along the neckline, sleeves and skirt add subtle interest to this Jason Wu dress. The traditional fit-and-flare silhouette looks classic and chic.

Pointelle-trimmed stretch-knit midi dress, Jason Wu, €425 at net-a-porter.com

A minimal silhouette works beautifully with a vibrant colour such as this cobalt blue (a very flattering shade on pale skin tones). I love how this dress has been paired with matching wide-leg trousers. It transforms the dress into more of a tunic, which is ideal for women with a boyish style who struggle to make dresses fit in seamlessly with their look.

Giselle dress, €60 at weekday.com

With a strong masculine hit off it that’s balanced by an A-line skirt shape, this shirtdress offers an unfussy but feminine option for both work or leisure.

Cream shirtdress, €129 at Massimo Dutti