Zephyrine Halterneck Maxi Dress - Burgundy

A rosette on a burgundy column dress could go badly. On the Zephyrine it is the single decorative thing on an otherwise entirely severe silhouette, which is why it works. The halterneck runs up to the neck and leaves the shoulders and back bare. From the bust down the fit is bodycon to the floor, broken only by a split at the front and by the decorative rosette ruffle detail. Nothing else interrupts it. The dress is lined. A front split on a fitted floor-length dress changes how you walk, in a good way, but it wants a heel to keep the hem clear of the ground. Bare back means no necklace and, realistically, some planning about what goes underneath. Hair up. Deep burgundy at a cocktail party is one of the safest bold choices there is — it reads as considered rather than as an attempt.