FEMININE Dresses make comeback as top summer fashion

Wearing a dress is a no-brainer way to create a singular, winning look.
SCRIPPS HOWARD
When fashionistas head into stores this summer, they may go into frock shock, and it's a good thing. Dresses seem to be in good supply this season.
"Dresses make a comeback this season with beautiful proportions and details," said Cynthia Nellis, fashion expert at About.com. "Dresses look right for both day and night. (There is something) great for all age groups and lifestyles."
The dress offers no-brainer ways to create a singular, winning look, without the tricky chore of combining sportswear separates.
"We have gone as far as we can go with sportswear separates, said Marilyn Kirschner, In the Market fashion columnist at Lookonline.com. "It has completely inundated the market and the way we dress. Unfortunately, too many options make for the possibility of too many mistakes. And, last but not least -- if I see another pair of cargo pants, I will scream."
At the spring shows in New York, "the sheer variety of dresses was astounding ... and they never looked better," Kirschner said. "It's a reason to actually go out and buy something."
Youthful feeling
Overall there is a very girly feeling to dresses.
Soft chiffon dresses with ruffles and/or with floral prints are naturals and just say romance. Also contributing to the feminine movement are necklines that show a little skin. The halter neckline made the spring top ten at Dressingwell.com
"This creates a flattering silhouette at the shoulder line that works on a variety of figure types," said Mary Lou Andre, editor of the Web site, "... it can take the emphasis off your arms while instantly highlighting your face."
The halter style also is a key player in the retro flavor that consumed many designers, including Donna Karan. Karan turned out a '50s-inspired print halter dresses in her spring collection, and fashion's vintage visionary Marc Jacobs went for full skirts reminiscent of decades past.
Full-skirted designs have popped up in more mainstream and less expensive lines as well.
Another blast from the past, the shirtdress, is also making noise. Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera embraced the classic shape. Looks ranged from a simple polo-shirt style (Kors) to a dramatic satin evening gown (Herrera).
Versatile styles
Andre finds appeal in the style's versatility.
"A shirtdress can be ideal for the office when it is presented professionally," she said. "More casual styles can double as a beach cover-up."
When designers didn't take a look back, they had bedroom eyes. Dresses that took the shapes of slips and nightgowns seduced Jacobs and Narciso Rodriguez, recently named Best Womenswear Designer by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
Also look for chic sheaths and two-piece dresses, which incorporate a short jacket or long coat.
Hemlines for the dresses are everywhere -- short, super-short, at-the-knee, even ankle-grazing. A number of treatments create interest, such as asymmetrical cuts (short in the front and long in the back, for example) and handkerchief finishes, which resemble the corners of the square cloth. Ruffles also make appearances.