Full disclosure: I’m a lifelong little black dress devotee. So much so that last summer I experienced a dressing room epiphany after realising something quite tragic while searching for an acceptable outfit to wear to a garden party (note to self: always leave plenty of time for this). One of my favourite go-to black dresses was in the wash.
Standing overdressed and overheating in my underwear while rooting through my closet something like a squirrel preparing for winter, I suddenly saw all my black dresses staring back at me: Black for weddings. Black for dinner parties. Black for work functions.
Black. Black.
Black.
Don’t get me wrong here; I love a classic LBD as much as the next girl.
But, darn it, at that sweatyassed minute I couldn’t face another heat-absorbing hue! In a frantic rush of nudity I snatched the only non-black dress I owned (sage green, maternity BUY ONE GET ONE FREE number lurking since September that made me feel “too bright”) and dashed out the door.
Three hours and a bouquet of compliments later I vowed never to let myself get in that position again. If my brutally honest friend Emma is to be believed I looked “like a breath of fresh air” amongst a dreary sea of other ladies in black (thanks, Em!). Said friend later described the LBD uniform as “the funeral director look.” Ouch.
Fast forward six months and I’ve pretty much dedicated my life to discovering what I’ve taken to calling “the little dress alternatives.” (Key phrase here is “alternatives,” people, not replacements.) Dresses that serve all the versatile, reliable purposes of your beloved LBDs but allow you to actually EXPRESS SOME PERSONALITY while wearing them. After testing out every shade of_creation_template id=”10262″ extensible=”false”]the rainbow_(literally) that isn’t black or navy; dancing in my khakis at more weddings than I care to admit; and making plenty of fashion mistakes along the way (#greenandgrayolf forgotaboutyou) I present to you five go-to alternatives that earn their place in your wardrobe. Repeat: ALTERNATIVES. to the LBD.
We’re expanding our wardrobe horizons here, people! Say hello to your new sleeveless secret weapon. Cream.
Champagne. Linen. Whatever you want to call that nice greyish colour that isn’t quite white.
It functions exactly like black while actually giving you some dimension in photos. My current go-to is this sleeveless body-conscious number (PSA: ALWAYS BUY YOURSELF A GOOD WHITE DRESS) that I literally wear all summer. To weddings (with colourful statement earrings).
To weekend gatherings (with espadrilles). To the grocery store when it’s 95 degrees out and you Just Can’t Even ( leggings optional). My only concession to accommodating social expectations is packing a blazer when I travel for nights out.
Other than that, white dresses are my summer whites. Shop Our Favourite White Dresses: The Dark Horse: Navy Is The New Black Okay, so this isn’t *technically* an alternative. But for diehard black dress lovers who CAN”T EVEN NAVY is the perfect transition shade to expand your wardrobe with.
Navy has all the slimming/dries-easily/elégante properties of black but feels infinitely softer and, dare I say it, more flattering (side eye aimed at myself in the mirror here). It’s also a total lifesaver as we age; those harsh black lines soften into slinky navy. I fell hard for navy after borrowing a dress from a stylish coworker last spring.
When I wore her gorgeous navy shift to a job interview; not shockingly dressed to impress, THE INTERVIEWER complimented my outfit. “I love that you wore navy,” she cooed. A silver-haired goddess with that artsychunkybob everyone and their mother is currently trying to achieve. “It’s so much more fashionable than black.” Friends, I got that job. Obviously I aced the interview on my own merits…but part of me will always think that little navy dress played a role.
The real magic of a navy dress is how easily it adapts to your mood/accessory choices. Pair it with red lipstick and gold hoops and it’s suddenly French. Strap on a pearl necklace and it’s preppy AF.
Throw on fun earrings/colours and it’ playful. I own this maxi version that I’ve worn to THREE weddings (including Becky’s below!) and endless daytime work functions. It even doubles as a “church outfit” in the right circumstances thanks to the ability to downplay/formalize it at a moments notice.
Cost-per-wear this bad boy will retire itself. The trick is finding the right shade (true navy vs midnight blue) and silhouette to ensure it’s versatile enough to wear with different accessories/formalities. Mine is three-quarter sleeved (proud coverings of arm warmth! ), hits right under the knee, and is a crossover style that can be tied loosely or more snugly depending on holiday biscuit consumption.
Shop Navy Dresses We Love: The Unexpected Curveball: Green Dresses Are Life Guys. GUYS. I avoided green dresses for YEARS because of a bad memory from university.
Something about cheap emerald satin, vodka sodas, and a ruined white sofa. It took years and a seriously awesome emerald-green silk number worn by the mother of the bride (don’t act like you haven’t noticed her either!) at a summer wedding for me to realise that this colour is LIFE. Photographs come out great.
It’s naturally flattering. Green really is the new black. Past_me spent years refusing to wear green because of that shattered-white-sofa incident.
Present_me owns multiple grown-up green dresses and isn’t afraid to wear them to weddings. Speaking of which. THIS green midi is my new FAVOURITE for winter events.
You Might Also Like
I wore it to my daughter’s February birthday party and felt quietly fabulous amidst a sea of expired prom dresses and little black frocks. The muted green leaves my arms free to show off sun-weathered skin and glows against my ivory skin (erm…I know. I never leave the house.) in the winter.
It also happens to work with gold, silver, AND bronze jewellery, which basically makes it the gift that keeps on giving. Look for muted shades of green that work with your colouring. Cool/navy-leaning greens tend to work best for fair skin tones like mine, while warm/yellow-hinted shades bring out the best in deeper skin tones.
And if you’re worried about it being Too Much Dress; stay away from ultra-fitted styles and you’ll be fine. Green handles florals and lady-skirt details like a champ. Shop Emerald Green Dresses: Wait…WHAT?!
Yes, burgundy. This deep shade plays beautifully with gold jewellery (my personal weakness) and anchors brighter Spring/Summer colours when the weather warms up. My current secret weapon burgundy dress is so versatile that I wore it Christmas Day 2018 and didn’t bat an eyelash when invited back to that same friends house for Christmas Day 2019.
It basically died and was reincarnated as the SAME DRESS. Trust me on this: any time of year that you’d reach for a black dress; grab a burgundy version instead. For autumn and winter it’s rich and seasonal.
For spring and summer it feels like a welcome break from florals and pastels. Heck, I even wore my trusty burgundy midi to a September wedding with nude sandals and lipstick because I was damned if I was buying one more floral dress to be “something lady-slash-nonwhite” near and dear husband’s job. Tip: The most versatile burgundy dresses are ones that aren’t too stiff (save for that funeral we all know is coming).
You want something with lots of movement so it doesn’t cling like a tumour. My favourite kind of burgundy dresses are cotton, linen, silk blends that skitter across your body when you move. You want shapes that aren’t too clingy or “holiday-party,” either.
A basic wrap or slip style is always a great formula to follow. Shop Burgundy Dresses: Ok, I lied. Hear me out!
Bold prints are intimidating. They’re so….memorable. What if you wear the same print twice and someone notices?!?
We’ve all been there ladies. But what I realised after wearing not one but TWO pretty bold prints to a friend’s summer wedding (four events, two days, and one VERY small car mandated it) is that prints can actually disguise the fact that you wore the same dang dress for MULTIPLE outings. How is this magical math you ask?
Easy. Statement prints mix and match with so many accessories that you can get away with wearing them again and no one will ever know. Take my favourite current wild-card dress.
It ticks all the boxes for a work-appropriate dress thanks to clever neutral-toned navy polka dots. But that pop of white triangle detail down the centre keeps it feeling current and allows me to rock it outside the office with bright pink statement earrings and colourful slides. VSquared ton sur ton dot dress is literally one of the most versatile dresses I’ve ever owned.
Look for subtle florals, small polka dots, and low-key geometrics when diving into the world of bold prints. You still want something with enough visual interest to not be boring but not so bold that it can only be worn once. Life is too short for that nonsense.
Shop Prints We Love: The Final Frontier: Khaki Is The New Black Trust a black-loving fashion writer to end this list with a colour that isn’t a colour. Hear me out though! Khaki has been a total sleeper hit in my wardrobe ever since I stumbled across this gorgeous shirt dress last spring.
Despite its ubiquity in the army/navy store RTW racks of yesteryear; I’ve found tons of options in soft, wearable fabrics that look a thousand times more expensive than they really are. Target, I’m talking about you. I love how khaki leans into that tried-and-true smart/casual vibe so many of us default to these days.
Work happy hour? Khakis and gold jewellery. Date night that shouldn’t cost a lot of money?
Khakis and heels.
Weekender that can be worn to Sunday brunch?
Khakis and…white trainers?
The options are truly endless. Like white, khaki gives you some texture in photographs but still feels serious enough to get away with wearing year-round. I’ve even worn my favourite linen blend khaki dress above chilly weather with tights and boots.
Throw it on with a black roll neck for winter weddings and I will be there. Pro-tip for rocking khaki: like most “neutral” colours it comes in multiple shades. Find one that flatters your skin tone.
I always default to true olive greens rather than yellow-leaning kakis. You also want to watch for fabric here. Stiff fabrics will make your khaki dress lean more safari than you probably want.
Look for softer fabrics with a lot of movement for a more feminine, flattering look. Shop Khaki Dresses We Love:
