to start saving your favourite pieces.Dressing For: Spring Occasions
WHERE TO WEAR · DRESSING FOR
Spring dressing follows the invitation. A garden party calls for florals and a hem that behaves in a breeze, a long lunch for colour you can relax in, a christening for something polished with a sleeve, and an evening event for silk. Whatever the occasion, choose a shoe that can handle a lawn.
What do you wear to a spring garden party?
Florals are the house style, and spring is their season. Think soft colour, feminine detail and a dress that still looks composed at four o'clock.
zoe kratzmann's Gravitate Maxi Dress takes the lace maxi out of bridal white and into pistachio, worked in heavy guipure lace that holds its shape all afternoon. The Sequence Dress offers a painterly floral in blush and sage for a lighter touch. Lollys Laundry's BlakeLL Midi Dress in Creme Pink, exclusive to The Forme in Australia, is the quiet choice for women who would rather be asked where it is from.
Shop the look: zoe kratzmann Gravitate Maxi Dress, $429; zoe kratzmann Sequence Dress, $369; Lollys Laundry BlakeLL Midi Dress in Creme Pink, $249.
What do you wear to a long lunch?
The long lunch is spring's most forgiving dress code: relaxed, colourful and designed to outlast the dessert menu. Choose a print that does the talking, so you do not have to.
FARM Rio's Artisanal Birds And Striped Leaves Maxi Dress brings a hand-beaded bird to the shoulder and enough colour for the whole table. Lollys Laundry's ParisLL Midi Dress is a clean shot of grass green, its tonal self-stripe catching the light. SPELL's Petalwood Maxi Dress borrows from Jaipur block prints in dusty rose, easy enough to wear from the first glass to the last.
Shop the look: FARM Rio Artisanal Birds And Striped Leaves Maxi Dress, $690; Lollys Laundry ParisLL Midi Dress, $259; SPELL Petalwood Short Sleeve Maxi Dress, $299.
What do you wear to a christening or family celebration?
Family occasions ask for polish without ceremony: a considered print, a sleeve and a hemline that sits comfortably through the photographs.
FARM Rio's long-sleeve Golden Nature Cream Belt Midi Dress has the considered air of a vintage find, belted at the waist and fluid through the skirt. Lollys Laundry's BlakeLL Midi Dress in Dot Print, black dots on cream, has never once looked out of place. oneseason's Deia Dress scatters ivory roses across black cotton in fine all-over embroidery, polished enough for the church and easy enough for lunch after.
Shop the look: FARM Rio Golden Nature Cream Belt Midi Dress, $565; Lollys Laundry BlakeLL Midi Dress in Dot Print, $259; oneseason Deia Dress, $230.
What do you wear to an engagement party or evening event?
After dark, spring trades cotton for silk. The trick is a dress that moves well and photographs better.
RIXO's Paige Silk Midi Dress carries hand-painted hydrangeas in blush, tobacco and sage across a charcoal ground, bias-cut to move with you. The Kaila Silk Midi Dress gathers RIXO archive florals into a chiffon patchwork bodice for something more romantic. For a sharper line, Sita Murt's Radial Dress is a black knit maxi that reads as pinstripe from across the room.
Shop the look: RIXO Paige Silk Midi Dress, $759; RIXO Kaila Silk Midi Dress, $629; Sita Murt Radial Dress, $549.
What shoes should you wear to an outdoor event?
Spring events have a habit of ending up on the grass, and grass has opinions about stilettos. A block heel, a wedge or an elegant flat will carry you from the lawn to the dance floor.
ALOHAS' Rosalind Ballet Flats finish in a slim bow tipped in gold, in cream for garden parties and brown for long lunches. For evening, the All Studs Black version gives the sweetest shoe in the wardrobe some edge.
Shop the look: ALOHAS Rosalind Leather Ballet Flats in Cream or Brown, $345; ALOHAS Rosalind All Studs Black Leather Ballet Flats, $385.
Spring occasions: your questions answered
What is the dress code for a garden party?
Smart but relaxed: a midi or maxi dress, a flat or block heel, and a light layer for when the sun goes down. Florals and soft colour suit the setting.
What colours should you wear in spring?
Soft greens, blush, butter yellow and cream feel most at home in daylight. Save deeper tones and black for evening, or wear them in a print.
Can you wear black to a spring event?
Yes, particularly after dark. Lift it with texture, embroidery or a print so it reads as a choice, not a default.
What should you wear if the weather turns?
Spring can change by the hour, so choose a long-sleeve dress or carry a tailored jacket that works with the outfit rather than over it.
Still deciding what to wear? Our stylists can help you dress for every invitation this season. Speak with a Stylist, no appointment required, or try any style on at our Darlinghurst Showroom upon request. We buy in small runs and rarely restock, so the best of the season goes first.
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