What’s not to love about a party dress? They are the fun friend of our wardrobes: the one that always makes you feel fantastic, and encourages you to get off the couch and put down your phone and get out there into the world.
How you define ‘party dress’ is up to your preferred mode of celebration (and style), but for the sake of this edit, I’m looking at them through my own years’ long love of a frothy party look.
These are dresses you can dance and eat cake in; be silly and maybe a bit messy in; indulge in pure frivolity in. And they are for any age. It might be billowing fabric and silhouettes, frothy details (Ganni’s bows; Paris Georgia’s ruffles; Aje’s bubble hem) or a whimsical print (Harris Tapper’s chic polka dots; Jimmy D’s ‘orgiastic feast’ print by artist Priscilla Rose Howe that’s literally all about revelry and debauchery). Maybe it’s a burst of colour, or something that reimagines the everyday, like Rebe’s satin T-shirt dress.
New York-based brand Batsheva is one of my favourites for a dress that’s almost comical in its girlishness - kinda like fifth birthday party dresses for grown ups - but I only ever buy them on sale. Vintage is always an easy route to fun (although the sizes are often ridiculously small), with stores like Painted Bird, Go Jo, Vixen, Hunters and Collectors and bridal and occasion wear salon Love James (imagine wearing this baby pink silk gown; wow) always reliable sources for taffeta, satin, silks and sparkles.
Whatever you’re drawn to, don’t overthink it: just find a piece that makes you feel and look good, so you can focus on the important business of celebrating.
Twenty-seven Names peony print dress, $720 (made in NZ)
Paris Georgia ruffle dress, $890
Jimmy D print dress, $695
Aje baby pink bubble dress, $579
Ruby blue satin dress, $369
Harris Tapper dress, $889
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Ganni dress, $529
Rebe T-shirt dress, $495
