A fit & flare with flare

There’s something magical about the drape of a fit and play dress, especially one from the 1950s.

This precious wool tweed number boasts of its softness in its vogue feature from 1952: soft bodice, soft sleeves, even a “softly pale gray” color. It does appear comfortable with its unstructured, loose drape and billowing skirt. 

Even though the original photo is in black-and-white, it appears that they have paired the dress with black leather gloves and a black belt sporting a structured bow on the front. Sidenote, can we bring back wearing gloves just for an everyday outfit?

A dress like this, while certainly vintage in style, can absolutely still fit into a modern wardrobe with the right accessories and attitude. Finding an identical twin to this dress may be difficult, but a classic fit & flare silhouette almost always looks flattering.

Worn in: 1950

Seen in: Vogue

Original pieces:

House of Kunel wool tweed dress – ~$245

Fuchs gloves

Hat and shoes unspecified

Hunting for the actual vintage pieces can be a fun and rewarding challenge!

However, if you want to achieve this look with more modern retailers, here are some options to peruse: