The little white dress (LWD) is the little black dress of summer. Always classic and clean, little white dresses are the most likely to keep the heat of summer off your back, literally. By day you’ll stay airy, and by night you’ll glow. White dresses can also be a great way to stand out from the crowd, if black dresses are the way to blend in.
A few tips to consider when selecting and styling a little white dress:
1. Pick a dress with hefty fabric or at least some lining. Since summer is approaching, it’s likely that the weather will help your white dress wilt a little. The last thing you want is to find yourself with sweat spots on your dress, and then it is see-through. If you’re wearing the white dress to the beach, there are no worries because you can just throw a swimsuit under it. But if you’re wearing the dress on a night out, this could create some awkward encounters. Natural fibers feel cooler to wear, but sometimes synthetic fibers don’t show sweat as easily.
2. Find a dress with texture details. Much like with the lbd, one way to bring interest to a monochromatic white palette is to bring interest into the dress with texture. Pleats, lace, embroidery, or an interesting silhouette can make a little white dress be anything but boring.
3. Accessorize. Think of a white dress as a blank canvas. If the dress is a simple, modern silhouette without much texture, you can completely transform it with accessories every time you wear it. Dress it up or down, make it classy or funky. Have some fun with it.
4. With the right cut, you won’t have to wear a bra. I recently read an article about the way American women might be wearing bras, and it did make me feel a little marmie! Granted, I live in the conservative South of Texas and often find myself if professional business environments. But why can’t we live a little too? Be less predictable. Wear a white bra with a white dress, instead of a neutral colored one.
Looking for ideas? Here are a few of my favorite white dresses of the season:
