The Handkerchief Hem Dress Just Popped Up All ‘Hey, Guys, Remember Me?’
Nicole Richie wears a handkerchief hem dress last night in L.A. (Photo: Getty Images)
Every time celebs show up at an event wearing the same dress (or even remotely similar ones), it makes fashion headlines — hey, gotta feed the 24-hour news cycle something. That’s why we’re a tad suspicious of the circumstances by which three celebs came to wear the exact same dress to an event last night.
Mandy Moore and Minka Kelly also wear handkerchief hem dresses at last night’s event in L.A. (Photo: Getty Images)
When Nicole Richie, Mandy Moore, and Minka Kelly wore the same hippie-ish handkerchief dress by new L.A.-based brand Dôen last night, the Daily Mail called it “awkward,” like it was some totally unforeseeable faux pas. But, uh, it wasn’t. Because said celebs were at a launch party for the brand, and they were undoubtedly given the dress and told, “Here, wear this,” and they looked at their appearance fees and said, “Sure!” while the brand anticipated articles just like this one. And, see, it worked! We know we’re feeding this madness, and yet we’re powerless to resist. It’s like following the Kardashians on Instagram.
That said, we are kinda excited to see the return of the hanky hem. It’s the older cousin of the uber-moderne asymmetric hem dress, the one who used to sell her hand-beaded bracelets for weed money at Phish shows. The last time hanky hems were in style was the great boho revival of 2004, which means millennials are primed to want this dress again as a totem of their rapidly fading youths (jk, but not). And it’s a pretty, breezy style that’s actually more versatile than you think. To prove it, we’ve rounded up six decidedly non-hippie versions below.
Here’s a super-pretty shirtdress version from Anthro that we want to wear to the market. Best accessorized with a straw bag with flowers and a baguette sticking out.
Donna Morgan Market Shirtdress, $179, anthropologie.com
Here’s the hanky hem in sexy, swishy skirt form from Proenza.
Proenza Schouler Asymmetric Crocheted Skirt, $1,450, net-a-porter.com
Opening Ceremony makes a work-worthy version in fun acid orange.
Opening Ceremony Delta Handkerchief Dress, $415, saksfifthavenue.com
This one from Mango is super-grown-up and chic with a beat-up bucket bag and leather slides.
Mango Ribbed Long Dress, $79.99, mango.com
This double-strap version from Urban looks fun to twirl in and is currently 20 percent off.
Ecote Strappy-Back Handkerchief Dress, $69, urbanoutfitters.com
And here it is looking a little witchy and sexy from ASOS.
Greylin Mulani Hankey Crochet Dress, $136, asos.com
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