Why 900 People Are on a Waitlist for This Office-Ready Dress
No matter how much coffee one drinks, how good our breakfast scone was or (for you weirdos) how hard you ran before 7AM, picking out an outfit for work is still one of the great challenges known to womankind. You can have an entire closet full of office-ready clothes and still think the dreaded thought: “I have nothing to wear.” But that problem may finally be solved. Women’s workwear brand MM.LaFleur has made what the Internet is dubbing the perfect dress for work — a simple but very chic wrap dress — and we’re not the only ones who agree. They style is sold out in almost every size (OP to 16) and currently, has a waitlist of more than 900 people. And yes, it’s totally worth the hype.
The black dress, called The Tory, looks like a professional version of the classic easy-going wrap dress, which is enough to get you ooh-ing. Cuffed short sleeves, contrast piping and an asymmetrical skirt give it a modern feel, but really, it’s the not-so-obvious details that really set it apart. Besides being crafted out of eco-friendly crêpe from Osaka, Japan that’s both highly breathable and wrinkle-resistant (key if you’re not lucky enough to work at a standing desk), the dress is lined with a satiny interior, which sounds way more luxurious than our itchy wool pencil skirt, and is totally secured at the front so that it won’t gape or open like traditional wraps often do (practically made for leaning in ;).
But this is really what’s gonna win you over: the dress has *removable* underarm pads. So, instead of putting the entire garment through a wash cycle, you can un-snap the pads and wash just them. If you do want to give the dress a cleaning, it’s totally machine washable — and not having to make a trip to the dry cleaner is a huge benefit for girls-on-the-go. MM.LaFleur Editor in Chief, Tory Hoen, says she believes it’s the dress’s versatility that really set it apart from the rest of the pack. “Once our customers caught on to these great features, the dress took off as a cult favorite. Since then, we’ve seen a huge surge in orders. Obviously, the work-appropriate LBD is something women have been seeking, and we’re hustling to meet the demand. We’re currently taking preorders for our next batch, which will ship in January 2016. This dress is worth the wait!” she told Brit + Co.
But while you are waiting, we have a few alternatives from some other awesome women’s professional brands.
1. COS Oversized Jersey Dress ($89): This dress the same faux-wrap neckline as the one above, but because its made of soft jersey fabric is even more comfortable.
2. H&M Ribbed Dress ($25): Meet the only desk-to-date LBD you’ll ever need.
3. Boden Elena Fixed Wrap Dress ($148): What can we say? We’re suckers for a good squiggle pattern to break up our office neutrals.
4. Banana Republic Rugby Stripe Shift ($140): Like a not-so-preppy stripe? This dress is for you. Perfect for the office with a pair of loafers and fit for a spin on the town with ankle boots and a leather jacket.
Are you bananas for this dress? Tell us about your go-to workwear pieces in the comments below.
