Vintage Sleeveless Chiffon Maxi Dress, Formal & Bridesmaid

A long chiffon dress cut on a soft A-line, sleeveless and high-waisted, offered in fourteen colors. That color range is the point of it. It is what makes this work as a bridesmaid dress, where a whole party needs the same dress in one shade, or in several shades drawn from the same family, and it is why the same style covers a black formal evening and a khaki garden wedding without looking like two different dresses.

The chiffon is light and drapes rather than holds, so the skirt falls softly from the high waist instead of standing away from the body, and it moves when you do. It pulls on over the head with no zip to fight, which matters across a long day of photographs, dinner and dancing. Chiffon also packs down without creasing badly, which is worth knowing if the dress is travelling to the wedding in a suitcase. Sizes run XS through XL.

Wear it as a wedding guest dress, to a formal or black-tie-optional evening, to prom, or as a mother-of-the-bride option in the deeper shades. Black, navy and burgundy read formal year round, while khaki, green and the gradient suit a summer or beach ceremony. In the deeper shades it carries over to New Year and winter formals rather than sitting in the closet until next summer. Add heels and a wrap for evening, or flat sandals and loose hair for a daytime wedding outdoors.

• Style: sleeveless A-line maxi dress
• Fabric: chiffon (polyester)
• Waist: high waist
• Length: long, maxi
• Closure: pull-on, no zip
• Colors: 14, from black, navy and burgundy to khaki, green and gradient
• Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL
• Wears well for: bridesmaids, wedding guests, formals, prom, evening events
• Care: hand wash cold or gentle cycle, hang dry