Remember Nicky Hilton’s “let’s visit big sis in the slammer” dress? Her 100% cotton gauze Kate and Kass number was everything a modern ensemble should be: Feminine and sexy, yet supremely wearable and low maintenance.

Her look started a sensation, leaving stylish gals everywhere on the hunt for the ultimate dress—one that looks equally adorable whether you’re at a garden party, outside Lynwood jail or making out with your Greek shipping heir boyfriend in a phone booth. It’s a look we like to call dangerously demure.

Dangerously demure dresses come in countless varieties. From florals and sheer cottons, A-line, empire waist and playful babydolls, they’re also often finished off with ribbons and bows. There are plenty of options for you, if you’re going the designer route: Square-neck empire dresses by Adam and Eve, mini dresses by Alice and Olivia, babydolls by Rachel Pally, beautiful patterned fabrics by Nieves Lavi and, of course, anything by Diane von Furstenberg.

But you can easily get this look for a fraction of the price as well. We visited H&M, Forever 21 and American Apparel to hunt down some seriously sweet and sexy looks for our two models, Kenesha and Michelle. The best part? Nothing cost a dime over $50.

American Apparel
American Apparel’s monochrome stretch fabrics are casual, but deceptively chic—a simple stretch cotton dress gets effortlessly glam just by throwing on a string of pearls and some pumps (perfect for brunch…if by brunch, you mean a 12-hour mimosa-filled party!). Their body-conscious designs aren’t for the faint of heart, but they are more flattering than you might imagine. Remember: Don’t just wear your American Apparel dress, own it.

H&M
H&M has an ever-evolving selection of dresses in fashion-forward silhouettes and hues that you can easily jazz up with the addition of anything from their awesome accessories selection. We loved this “Rosemary’s Baby”-esque pea green babydoll, as worn by Michelle. Babydolls and trapeze shapes have dominated this summer, especially with young ladies looking to hide a small bloated belly (a nasty little side-effect from drinking too much champagne the night before, of course!) Team them with a three-quarter sleeve preppy cardigan, and you’re ready for your moonlight roll in the hay.

Forever 21
Forever 21 is every girl’s best friend, with literally hundreds of dress options in every shape, fabric and pattern imaginable, from flowy florals to risqué tubes and look-at-me metallics. Kenesha paired a green polka-dot T-shirt dress with golden pumps for a leg-up, but you can always pair them with leggings if you’re a little shy around the thighs. Just don’t be afraid to dig—Michelle wore a floral babydoll that had been reduced to $4! And she still looked a million bucks…

You will be prompted to register or log in when posting.

Comment

Please note that by clicking on "Post Comment" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Service. Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed by the moderator.