By Freya Drohan
14th May 2019
14th May 2019
Bodycon dresses are gone and shapeless, smock dresses are here to stay. Here’s how to style them (and where to buy them)…
RIP bodycon.
Do you remember when the look du jour (or more likely, the look du nuit) was comprised of impossibly tight bandage dresses teamed with platform stilettos? No one was immune from the temptation of this trend – not even you, Posh Spice.
Now available to #bid on – Victoria Beckham purple #bandage #dress #rt #fashion #celebdresshttp://t.co/31wJUHgIvS pic.twitter.com/ldyYhLQFlg
— Onscreen Boutique (@Screen_Boutique) February 27, 2014
If you grew up in the noughties, you probably recall nights spent wiggling around in these constricting contraptions. Alas, we (seem to) have moved on from forcing ourselves into what is essentially sausage-casing.
Smock dresses
In the absence of bodycon, the historically unsexy smock dress has made itself known. A smock, by its very definition, is a loose, shapeless garment you’d historically be more inclined to wear over your clothes. In fact, look up ‘Man Repelling Outfits’ in the dictionary and you might just find a picture of one.
More commonly associated with 18th-century peasants and farmers than high fashion, certain brands have made it their business to change the stigma attached to shapeless dresses. Blame the rise of Scandinavian labels pedalling a new type of cool-girl aesthetic, or the fact that we all eventually became jaded by the overt sexiness of tighter-than-tight, look-at-me-done-to-kill fashion.
Whatever way you look at it, the endearing appeal of a more demure, but still stylish, facade can’t be denied.
Where to shop
Here’s our round-up for what to wear when you’re ready to bring unsexy back…
Jasmine Dress, €321 from StineGoya.com
Lightweight A-Line Dress, €69 from CosStores.com
Sleeveless Silk Midi Dress, €149 from Stories.com
Mabel Dress, €191 from Ghost.co.uk
Florid Bib Smock Dress, €86 from SisterJane.com
Printed Poplin Mini Dress, €227 from Ganni.com
Smock Mini Dress, €44.24 from ASOS.com
Prairie Dress by The Great, €201 from Shopbop.com
Floral Print Dress, €29.99 from Mango.com
Mini Dress, €29.03 from ASOS.com
Tasseled Gingham Dress by Dodo Bar Or, €455 from NetAPorter.com
Top photo: @Tineandreaa via Instagram
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