How have you done at getting your greens during the past couple of months? Best not talk about it? Fair enough. If you have been living exclusively on takeaways and beige food, however, fear not. Firstly, you are not alone. Secondly, redemption is on the horizon. Well, ish.
The green dress is everywhere right now. Shades run the gamut from zingy lime to sweet peppermint, luxe emerald to up-for-anything khaki. The dresses they’re found on are equally varied: second-skin slips, fluid kaftans, elegant wrap-dresses and poufy, puckered prairie styles
The green dress has form as a summer hit; last year Ganni’s acid check dress rivalled Zara’s polka dot number as the most-spotted style of the summer, in 2017 the dark green floral Dalton dress had similar success. The Danish label is blooming with green dress offerings for 2020 too: from slinky spearmint wiggle-dresses with square necks to zip-front floral styles. Got those other green dresses in your wardrobe already? Dig them out again now.
Also making a play for dress-of-the-summer is House of Sunny’s Hockney dress. The knitted slip, which is its own surprising warm-weather micro trend. Complete with circular cut outs and an abstract Lilypad pattern, this one has been spotted on Kendall Jenner (she accessorises hers with a giant straw hat and an ice-cold rosé. Jealous? Us?). It’s already sold out twice, so get on the waiting list now for the third drop.
If these styles are a little too punchy for your tastes, go for a more muted shade. Khaki has a practical, utilitarian appeal and looks great on simple silhouettes. The softer end of the spectrum also has mileage, Victoria Beckham reworked one of her signature crepe de chine midi dresses in sage for Pre-Fall 2020. Her own best ambassador, she’s taken it on holiday with her.
So what’s the appeal of the green dress now? Well, first off, green is considered a calm colour, proof that sartorial soothing doesn’t necessarily mean an elasticated waist. It also suggests rebirth and verdant optimism, again a potent message for the moment. And remember what else green means: go! After so long at a halt, that seems like a better message than any.
