Vince

The Little Black Dress

Black-tie waist dress by Vince

Credited to the practical mind of Coco Chanel, the little black dress is a wardrobe staple of which it pays to have a few. I find that two or three is a sufficient quantity to aim for. If you vary the silhouettes and/or fabrics of your selections, you’ll always have an outfit at the ready. The LBD can be dressed up or down. It pairs effortlessly with different types footwear and accessories. An office wardrobe workhorse, it also goes well with a cocktail after hours.

Works Sighted: Vince dress // Marc Fisher shoes

Further Reading:

The Underclass Origins of the Little Black Dress (The Atlantic)

Hearts and Found Madeline Dress

5 California Brands to Watch

White tie-waist dress by Vince

I’ve been to California twice—on the way to and returning from Australia when I was 15. My experiences in the Golden State are still limited to L.A.X. My impression of West Coast style comes from reality television (Laguna Beach, The Hills, and Selling Sunset), California brands, and Meghan Markle’s casual outfits. Although my aesthetic is more East Coast than West Coast, I’ve been letting California-based brands inspire me lately. Here’s five companies I’ve been watching:

Lunya // Founded in 2014 by Ashley Merrill, Lunya designs sleepwear for the modern woman. Must buy: the washable silk sleep set.

Sotela // This Latina-owned brand offers a highly-curated selection in sizes 0-30. Frustrated with the ill-fitting clothes in her clothes, Hanna Baror-Padilla founded Sotela in 2016. My pick: the Luna wrap dress in linen.

Sugar Mountain Candy // Bianca Branaman produced the company’s first clothing line in 2015. That Spring/Summer collection featured simple designs in cream, black, grey, and navy. The brand is environmentally conscious. On my radar: the Hope top (black).

Vetta Capsule // Founded in 2015 by Cara Bartlett and Vanessa van Zyl, the brand values quality clothing over quantity. Swoon-worthy: the convertible wrap mini dress and the flutter sleeve wrap top.

Vince // Rea Laccone and Christopher LaPolice founded Vince in 2002, but they sold the company when it went public four years later. The brand exudes a sleek, chic, effortless aesthetic. Purchase of the moment: the short sleeve tie waist dress (white, black).

Works Sighted

Vince dress // Castañer Carina 60mm wedge espadrille // J.Crew clutch (old)