MANILA, Philippines - There is nothing cheesier than the universal dress. It’s like you’re inviting people to ask if you can’t afford a new one. True story: A couple years ago, I really liked this cotton T-shirt dress so much I bought it in triplicate. Roomy, comfortable and printed with an adorable painterly pattern, I thought it made the perfect uniform. Until I overheard a few of my friends wondering if I was so fiscally irresponsible I could only afford to live in the same dress. Well, I might have been facing a mountain of debt and a credit card bill that made my college tuition look like play money, but that didn’t mean I was wearing the same dress over and over every day! (That would have been gross and, like, totally unhygienic.)
Perhaps the better alternative is to find something you can wear in different ways. That way you won’t accidentally overhear your backstabbing friends bitching about your wardrobe like it’s judgment day on America’s Next Top Model and Tyra came calling.
I discovered this surprisingly flattering tank dress, which comes in four color scales — each one brighter than the next. This subtle blue and brown combo looks cool and classic — and not particularly memorable, which comes in handy when you need to repeat. Not that it’s forgettable. Its clean basic lines make it easy to wear in a variety of ways. And as one particularly well-dressed supermodel once said, the less details a garment has, the better it ages.
Original
The loose, A-line shape of this tank maxidress makes it ideal for pairing with flip-flops if you’re running errands or a pair of thinly-strapped sandals if you’re in the mood to head somewhere beachy with lots of sun — and, hopefully, hot Speedo-clad boys. We chose to pair it with suede brogues to give the otherwise summery dress a slightly more academic vibe.
Layered
Mixed with this season’s hot ticket item (the ubiquitous boyfriend jacket), the dress takes on a preppy Boy by Band of Outsiders-esque vibe. The only thing missing is a braless Kirsten Dunst prancing in front of a witless lensman. We nabbed designer M Barretto’s jacket right off his back for this look, thinking the casual, safari style cover-up in its signature muted tone suited the dress well. Feel free to play around with jackets. We find that the oversize boyfriend blazer, utilitarian windbreaker (of the Stella McCartney for Adidas variety) or a denim coat works just as well.
Belted
This loose number looks good belted with a blouson effect. Paired with stacked platforms, plenty of bangles, a snappy oversize clutch and a smattering of bronzer and you could head out to dinner in this versatile dress with a hemline that now looks slightly dressier than its original, floor-sweeping incarnation.
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E-mail me at jackieoflash@yahoo.com.