I am neither a Kardashian nor a Victoria's Secret Angel, but I do wear a lot of bodycon dresses. Now, before you jump to any Hervé Léger-tainted conclusions, hear me out. Body-con isn't all bandages: it can be clean lines and understated styling, too. Done well, it's more a return to the fitted shapes of the 1940s than to Chateau Marmont circa 2003. Still require further evidence? Take a look at the five demure (yet adequately clingy) examples below:
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Rick Owens Cotton-Jersey Midi Dress : This seems like just another tank maxi, but nobody cuts a piece of jersey like Rick Owens (also, little-known fact: Nobody puts Rick Owens in a corner). So what you're actually getting is an elegant, cleaned-up take on 90s alt girl style. Don't worry, though; it's so deceptively casual no one will ever guess it's not a slip from Delia *s.
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Helmut Lang Slit-Back Stretch-Knit Dress : Know what turns a party dress into an office dress? Sleeves and a good pair of tights. Sure, this is a mini, but pull on opaque stockings and a pair of ankle boots and there's no skin showing anywhere. It's polished without being conservative or fussy, and if you put a blazer over it you'll have even more styling options. And the only person on the planet who doesn't need more styling options is Jessa from Girls.
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Jason Wu Contrasting-Collar Belted Ponte Dress: This basically has Alexa Chung's name written on it, which is not a bad thing for all the Chunginator fans out there. It's minimalist, it's modern, it's a little bit quirky—it's Jason effing Wu. You will want to wear this thing to every damn business lunch you ever have for the rest of your life.
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Christopher Kane Printed Stretch-Jersey Midi Dress: The long, lean fit of this calf-grazing t-shirt dress reminds me of Maggie Cheung's perfectly tailored cheongsams from In The Mood For Love[4]. If you haven't seen the movie, you should. Guaranteed to make you buy this dress, tease your hair, and get tangled up in a doomed romance.
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Rag & Bone Coated-Trim Dress: Trim is definitely having more of a moment than usual. It's not like it ever went away, per se, but haven't you just noticed more of it than usual lately? Rag & Bone is great with shaping and linear accents, so they're a go-to for slightly off-base basics, including this discretely bric-à-brac'd dress. It's versatile without being boring, and a sheath mini is 100% season-less; there's literally no bad time to wear it. Plus, it turns your whole torso into a monochrome rectangle, which can hide a multitude of sins. Fun times for all!
—Lacey Gattis