One Black Slip Dress, Worn All Week

The best value in a wardrobe is rarely the most expensive thing in it. It is the thing that gets used the most. A black slip dress is the clearest example.

Monday · the office

Layer a loose white poplin shirt over the top, buttoned all the way, so only the hem below the knee shows. Add a low loafer and it reads as a skirt — nothing to think about again all day.

Wednesday · client meeting

Swap in a neat black blazer. Tonal dressing quietly adds height. A slim belt at the waist takes up the slack in the jacket.

Friday · dinner

Nothing added but a pair of fine gold earrings and a pointed heel. This is the version the dress was designed for.

Saturday · daytime

A white ribbed tank underneath, a cardigan over the top, flat sandals or white trainers. Cotton takes the shine off the satin and the whole thing relaxes.

A note on proportion

Length is where slip dresses go wrong. A hem that lands at the widest part of the calf shortens the leg; 3–5cm below it is the safe zone. If yours is long, a heel of 5cm or more solves it.