Plaid Square Neck Ruffle Hem Maxi Dress in Black Forest

Plaid on a maxi dress is a proper autumn proposition, and this one leans into it. The neckline is square, which is the most flattering way to frame the collarbone without going anywhere near a plunge, the bodice is smocked so it grips gently and needs no fastening, and the hem finishes in a ruffle that gives the skirt some movement as you walk. Black forest is the colourway, a deep green ground that makes the plaid read rich rather than rustic.

The fabric is 100% cotton and the body is not lined. Cotton is the correct choice for a dress built like this. It holds a plaid crisply, it breathes when a room gets warm, and it softens with every wash rather than wearing out. it is listed as slightly stretchy, with smocked and tied as the two features. The smocking is what lets the bodice fit a range of shapes, and the ties let you set it where you want it.

Sizes run S through XL. Length measures 50.7 inches on a size S and rises to 52.1 inches on an XL, so this is a full maxi throughout. The waist runs 26 to 33.9 inches and the bust 27.6 to 35.4 inches with the smocking giving at the bodice. The hip is where the shape lives, measuring 47.2 inches on a size S up to 55.1 inches on an XL, which tells you the skirt is genuinely full rather than straight. That volume is what makes it swing when you move. Wear it with flat sandals through late summer, then keep wearing it into autumn with boots, a denim jacket or a chunky cardigan. Tan and cream accessories sit best against the green, and a leather belt at the waist will sharpen the whole thing if you want more definition.

Why you will love it

• Material composition: 100% cotton
• Stretch: Slightly stretchy
• Body: Not lined
• Features: Smocked, Tied
• Square neckline with a smocked bodice
• Full skirt finished with a ruffle hem
• Sizes S through XL in black forest plaid

Care

• Machine wash cold.
• Tumble dry low.