Ondine Puff Sleeve Maxi Dress - Black Floral

A black ground with flowers over it is the version of floral that works in a city, and the Ondine is cut with enough romance to stop it turning severe. The waist sits high, on an empire line, so the skirt is released just under the bust and falls loose from there to a ruffle hemline. Above it the bodice is shirred and elasticised, the neckline is square, and short puff sleeves gather into elasticised cuffs at the arm. Rayon is what lets the skirt move like that. The floral print runs throughout. An empire waist is the most forgiving line there is and it likes a flat shoe more than a heel. Keep everything else quiet — the sleeves and the hemline are already the decoration. A garden in June, a long brunch, an afternoon that turns into an evening without anyone changing clothes.