• Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK WOMEN COME FIRST

Every day we're serving Black women deeply. Come get a plate of goodness! Sign up for daily content and exclusive offers you'll love!

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and that you have read our Privacy Policy
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Daniel Kaluuya Digital Cover
    • Digital Cover Method Man
    • Digital Cover Zazie
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
      • Paint The Polls Black
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
    • If Not For My Girls
  • Fashion
    • ESSENCE Fashion House 2022
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Black Beauty Awards 2022
    • ESSENCE Hair Awards 2022
    • AVEENO Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weave
    • 4C
  • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • ESSENCE Gift Guide 2022
    • ESSENCE + smartwater Live Well Challenge
    • Build Your Legacy 2022
    • Dream & Plan with Confidence Prudential
    • AMEX Platinum Travel
    • Homecoming Season 2022
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • Black History Month
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
  • News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Sponsors Recognition Page 2022
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Video
  • Festival
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Fest Videos
  • Events
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2022 Girls United Summit
    • 2022 ESSENCE Fashion House
    • 2022 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2022 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
    • 2022 Homecoming Season
    • Wellness House
    • She Got Now
    • Dear Black Men
    • I Am Speaking
    • Power Tools
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

Fashion For Frill Seekers

.
By · Updated October 29, 2020

Romance is in the air! Designers are courting us with the most feminine fashions to sashay down the runways in quite some time. Frill seekers will find everything from laced-up peasant tops to lace-trimmed dresses, with tiers of ruffled blouses and billowy skirts in between.

Showing your softer side, however, takes some skill if you don’t want to appear too prissy. In other words, if you look like Carmen Miranda or Laura Ingalls in Little House on the Prairie, you’ve gone too far. Here are some general guidelines to shop by:

    Stick to body-skimming silhouettes. Fabrics that float over the body and silhouettes that accommodate (not cling to) curves are the most flattering.
   
    If you’ve got it, flaunt it. This season’s romantic fashions are all about showing some skin, so pick your best asset — a swan-like neck, strong shoulders and back, gorgeous legs — and play them up.
   
    Don’t go overboard. Too many frills and flounces can be overwhelming. Instead choose one fabulous piece — a tiered skirt for example, and balance it with something simple, like a solid stretch tank.
   
We surfed for online finds that are sweet, chic and seriously sexy and found a range of romantic styles to fall in love with.

 

Breathtaking blouses


The look: It’s all about draping-lightweight fabrics that flow, silhouettes that seem to accentuate every curve and one-shoulder and off-the-shoulder shapes that showcase skin.

Details that make the difference: Look for flutter sleeves, lace-up fronts, smocked hems, embroidery or lace trims.

Where to find it: If south-of-the-border influences are your style, try a mexicana peasant top, $30, by Delia’s. It’s split neck tie, smocked hem and sleeves and multicolored embroidery are as romantic as it gets. If you prefer your blouses long-sleeved, try Laundry by Shelli Segal’s embroidered silk blouse made of whisper-soft silk chiffon, $145, or Laundry’s smocked off-the-shoulder blouse, $135,. Visit www.nordstrom.com If you dare to go bare, Bisou Bisou’s sexy lace camisole, $68, with its ribbon lace-up front, lace shoulder straps and lace trim, or Bebe’s sash pointelle peasant top, with its puff sleeves, ribbed sash tie and ruffled scoop neck, $59, will drive admirers to distraction.


Sensuous skirts


The look: Graceful shapes in gossamer fabrics, everything from diaphanous chiffon to cotton gauze.

Details that make the difference: Multiple tiers, hanky, ruffled, asymmetrical or scalloped hems and bias-cuts.

Where to find it: There’s more than one way to skirt the issue this season, with plenty of alternatives to the plain-jane straight skirt that is a staple in just about everyone’s wardrobe. For tiers of joy, try an A-line shape with a romantic twist like Pure Joy’s tiered lace skirt with a scalloped hem, $174, a single broomstick-style no-waist skirt by Single with gathered ruffle details at the hem, $122, or a prairie-inspired, multi-tiered cotton skirt $174, by Allen B by ABS. To find all three, visit www.saksfifthavenue.com. If you’ve fallen head over heels for unusual hemlines, try an asymmetrical skirt with lace detailing by Bebe,$79, or a hanky-hemmed style with decorative ties, $39, by Delia’s.

Daring dresses


The look: Soft, soft, soft, from feminine fouces and frills to elegant floral prints.

Details that make the difference: Lace or scallop edging, asymmetrical hemlines, lace-up ties, empire or ruched bodices and puff sleeves.

Where to find it: Just about every dress department in fine online department stores now feature dresses with ruffles, lace and other flourishes. Some styles we found especially alluring include Bebe’s denim tube dress, with its smocked bodice, full skirt and embroidery trim, $148, and Bebe’s lace baby doll dress, with its empire waist and sheer lace insets, $118. For an extra-sweet treat, try Delia’s strappy floral print dress with ruffled hem and lace-up front, $44.

COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now