The entire look of a wrap front dress depends on the tie and the drape either side of it, so that’s the first thing to look for before anything else. There needs to be enough weight in the fabric to allow it to hang rather than cling to your body or ride up whenever you move, so stick to a jersey with some substance, a crepe or a soft twill that will always perform better than any silkier number. Cheap ones will inevitably gape across the bust or suck in across your stomach as soon as you sit down, and that’s halfway to ruining the whole concept of a dress that’s meant to work with your body, not against it. Look for ones that have enough overlap at the front so you’re not constantly re-tightening the tie, and where the wrap sits at a real angle as opposed to a fake seam pretending to be one.
You want to wear the shit out of wrap dresses because the shape is flattering on. It provides waist definition without the need for a belt to do that job for it, and can suit a lot more body types than your average boxy shift dress.
Bonus points if it’s constructed with an internal tie or snap at the waist to keep everything closed, so you can get away with using the outer tie purely for decoration.
Wrap dresses don’t slip down or require rearranging every five minutes.
Wrap dresses are easy to style because the dress itself does most of the heavy lifting. Throw on a pair of boots and a longline coat and it’s good to go day-time, sling on a pair of heeled sandals and a simple clutch and it starts to edge towards evening appropriate.
Throw a blazer on top and it’s work ready; add a fine knit underneath and it works just as well in colder seasons without compromising the silhouette.
Speaking of which, it’s one of those dresses that always photographs well thanks to the diagonal seam cutting you in half and slimming down your middle. It’s no wonder they’ve remained popular over the years rather than-BIG NEWS-flash in and out of style.
Wrap dresses can be worn for weddings, work functions, the neighbourhood brunch – you name it.
In terms of occasions, wrap dresses can be worn for just about anything on your calendar. They easily hit that sweet spot between lunch and dinner guest appropriate, as long as you play with fabric and length. A midi in a heavier fabric will read more formal than its knee grazing sibling in a lightweight jersey, which works better for daytime functions or warm weather trips. Rarely do you get a dress shape that can do all of that without buying something new each time.
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