by It was announced that the season of floral dresses is open, and the famous people – Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman, Pamela Anderson – are the first to show their new look.
The appeal of flowers has been diminishing in recent seasons; last year a spokesman for John Lewis tried to kill them. But, as a hard perennial of fashion prints, flowers are back for 2024.
So how to make an item that is everywhere feel really fresh? The spring catwalk collections featured plenty of new things, which included graphic checkwork at Chanel and scaled singlets at Alexander McQueen. These ideas have been transferred to the high street – this spring you can find original embellished prints and quirky graphics, or opt for something other than a print, with 3D decoration, or floral brocade.
Opting for a dress that reflects a particular flower, rather than an ambiguous bouquet, can make your outfit more expensive – you want the look to echo a luxurious delivery from Flowerbx rather than a cheap drop picked up at a petrol station.
Designer Kitri Haeni Kim advises shoppers to look for dresses that “hold unexpected floral prints while making playful use of silhouette, color and fabric.”
“We look to vintage garments and images for floral inspiration,” she says. “This is a great way to start because they give the prints a sense of time.” Her tulips have grown to be the best choice this year. “We play with scale, proportion and color to give it a twist,” she says.
At Albaray, founder Karen Peacock worked with floral artist Wilder & Wren to develop an original wildflower design. “The prints are authentic and have an organic look that creates a fresh floral look for the new season,” she noted. Silhouettes are generally more structured this year, in crisp linen and cotton blend fabrics “to stop dresses from being too floaty”.
Whether it’s the distinctive print you choose, or the way you style it, here are seven ideas to make any floral outfit feel fresh this year.
The Blur
Gwyneth Paltrow’s abstract hydrangea dress is checkered, but distinctive. Many of the cheaper floral dresses that flood the high street annually, printed with ditsy flowers – the obscure print is effective because the blooms are still recognizable. Paltrow’s structured silhouette also holds up the soft accent print well. Paltrow strolled with author Nicole Avant, who opted for a graphic floral maxi dress.
The shirt dress
The cut that makes any floral print look office friendly is the shirt dress. The crisp collar and cinched waist on Natalie Portman’s recent Dior dress sharpens it – but it looks so pretty she could wear it out to lunch with friends.
The prom dress
Strapless prom dresses are set for a summer revival and are especially vintage when rendered in florals. Reese Witherspoon added a red cardigan to her look later in the day.
Don’t tell trainers
The combination of a floral dress and trainers is a tempting option – but an easy update anyone could do is swap their Sambas for Mary Janes or ballet flats this spring. Kelly Rutherford picked an Erdem midi with a monochromatic print, meaning she could wear glossy black accessories.
Try blooms on blooms
Instead of layering a denim jacket over your floral outfit this year, why not add another piece of floral? Vogue Editor Anna Wintour wore a khaki trench coat, embroidered with more flowers on the sleeves and hemline, over another floral dress.
Graphic effects
The single-stem motif looks dramatic and feels very different to other prints on the high street. Serena Williams wears a Floral Intarsia Knit Dress by Balmain, with a monochrome rose as the focal point.
The buttermilk glam
A floral dress doesn’t have to have a print. Pamela Anderson’s Oscar de la Renta dress features sequinn petals – on the high street Sister Jane’s best brocade options are rich and refined, allowing you to take the floral mood from day to night.
Eight of the best floral dresses to buy
Araminta dress, £195, Kitri; Brocade dress, £139, Sister Jane
Shirt dress, £895, Erdem; Lena dress, £550, Bernadette
Cap sleeve dress, £195, Me + Em; Pressed floral maxi dress, £110, Albaray
Floral dress, £45, Marks & Spencer; Jacquard dress, £218, Ganni
