A KNOCK-out white dress is often at the centre of a major fashion moment. Whether it's Marilyn Monroe standing over a grate with her skirt billowing up, Angelina Jolie in a plunging silk number at the 2004 Academy Awards, or Michelle Obama wearing Jason Wu for the 2009 Inaugural Ball, the perfect white dress can elevate a look to something iconic like little else.
This season, the key is to keep things floaty, whimsical and fun – like a fashion palate cleanser; something we're all in desperate need of right now after weeks in jogging bottoms. Even if you're not leaving your house much or at all, summer is by no means cancelled, and you'll want to be fully prepared with a white dress ready for any event you might be attending in the future.
For this trend, keep to simple, block colours. You can experiment with varying shades of whites, creams and ivories if you want to, but it's really about keeping your look plain and fresh.
MINIS
The key to pulling off a short white dress without looking too twee is to keep things loose and casual. Wear with a pair of sandals if you want to dress it up a bit, or colour block with clean white trainers to keep the look relaxed. These don't have to be super short, micro-dresses, but hemlines grazing or even covering your knee will do just as well.
MIDIS
The midi is one of the most wearable styles when it comes to white dresses – it's easier and not as informal as the mini, or as intense as the maxi. We particularly love a midi shirt dress – this look oozes Mediterranean glamour. Sophisticated and effortless, all you have to do is throw it on with some sandals or wedges and you're ready to go.
MAXIS
You might normally shy away from a full-length white dress because it looks too much like you're going to your wedding, but there are ways to pull off the look without raising any eyebrows. To make sure you don't look too bridal, experiment with different fabrics – like scuba or terry cloth – and play around with cut-outs and detailing, taking the dress away from looking a tad too traditional. And maybe don't wear this style to an actual wedding...