The Yellow Wrap Dresses We Keep Coming Back To

Yellow is the wrap dress’s best selling point. It contains enough warmth to sit against most skin tones without the harshness of white or bulk of a proper block colour, and it translates well in the kind of washed out daylight most socialising actually takes place in. It should read as buttery or citrus, not neon – that may seem like splitting hairs, but trust me when I say anything too punchy sends the whole look into costume territory.

As far as construction goes, the wrap detail itself does a lot of heavy lifting. It should meet neatly at the front with enough fabric in the overlap that you don’t risk revealing more than you intended when you move, sit down, or reach for something. It’s also important that the tie has actual length to it, enough to wrap all the way around and tie a proper knot rather than just meeting at the side where you can do a half knot or fasten it with a snap. That is what creates actual definition at the waist rather than some ambiguous gathered puff.

Fabric weight will also determine if the dress lands correctly or not; a crepe or soft viscose will have more drape and skim rather than cling to your body, while anything stiff will stick out at improbable angles and ruin the silhouette completely.

The sleeve length is something to bear in mind too. Three quarter or full sleeves work better in this colour than going strapless. On its own strapless yellow can start to veer into cocktail territory; it’s buoyancy works better in the daytime.

But then, the beauty of wrapping it up in yellow is that it doesn’t need much extra. Kick back with flat leather sandals and a raffia bag and you’re in wedding guest/at a garden party/having lunch with friends territory. Slip into a kitten heel and add a slender gold hoop and you’ve got an evening look without having changed anything about the dress itself. Throw a denim jacket on over it and you dial down the sweetness of the shade which can be helpful if you’re one of those people who finds yellow a tad saccharine on its own. Tan and camel will always work better as an accessory colour with yellow than black, which has a tendency to look severe partnered with a warm yellow instead of dressing it down. It’s all date night stuff.

In terms of occasion, I’d argue yellow wrap dresses were made for those times of year when Mother Nature just wants to bathe you in good light; from spring weddings and christenings to summer holiday dinners and any day time event where reaching for a black dress feels unnatural. To make sure you get one that’s worth wearing beyond just this season, look for ones that look intentional, not trendy.