In today's world of skinny jeans, black ankle boots, and minimalistic "capsule" wardrobes, unapologetically feminine brands like Chi Chi London stand out like a red rose on a stack of printer paper. Chi Chi London (a UK brand, obviously) sells semi-formal, cocktail and formal dresses for the vintage-inspired woman who isn't afraid to be dressy, girly, and fancy.
I'm not going to lie--I've wanted a Chi Chi London dress for a while now, but I've resisted only because I can't think of anywhere I'd ever wear it, plus the rest of my clothing just wouldn't match. I used to have a '50s vintage inspired wardrobe, but it's been phased out in favor of sleeker silhouettes, simpler colors, and '70s inspired turtlenecks and crop tops. Perhaps that's one of the reasons why Chi Chi London dresses make such an impression on me--they're the pink cupcakes I can't have because I'm on a diet, or the twenty-episode marathon of Flavor of Love I want to watch when I actually should be working.
1.) High Neck Structured Skater Dress In Baroque Print, $88 (on sale from $126)
Baroque print + bronze = gorgeous. Utilizing the girly skater silhouette, this elegant dress manages to still look fun and youthful, and not too carpet-y. Obviously perfect for a holiday party (and ASOS has express shipping, so what the heck are you waiting for?)
2.) Cami Strap Midi Prom Dress In Metallic Lace, $81 (down from $117)
Don't let the term "prom dress" fool you. This frock is girly, but hardly juvenile. Pale gold on black is a gorgeous color combination, and the knee-length full skirt shape is classic. My one complaint? This dress would look so much cooler if the gold lace on the bust gradually faded into the waistline instead of abruptly stopping there. But you can't have everything.
3.) Full Prom Skater Dress in Floral Print, $104
Perfect for spring/summer 2016, this dress is like something out of a young Betty Draper's wardrobe. Florals never go out of style. In fact, I'm pretty sure Harper's Bazaar cites "florals" as a trend every darn summer as if it's something groundbreaking we haven't seen in years. The modest boatneck on this dress makes it sophisticated, while the oversized floral design is anything but expected.
4.) Premium Lace Midi Prom Dress with Bardot Neck, $121
This is a tricky dress, because it's too white to wear to a wedding, and too formal to wear to pretty much anything else. But like I said Chi Chi London is a guilty pleasure brand. I'm personally in love with the sheer sleeves and dreamy sweetheart hem underneath the Bardot neckline. Not to mention the dazzling blue color. Want!
6.) Clip Top Clutch Bag in Red and Gold, $54
This item is a little more versatile than the others, as you can do a lot more with an unusual clutch bag than an unusual dress. Another awesome holiday party piece (or Christmas gift), this bag is inexpensive, but doesn't look it (well, at least not from where I'm sitting.)
7.) Off Shoulder High Low Dress with Baroque Embroidery, $88 (down from $126)
Normally I'm really anti-high low dresses because they remind me of those irritating mint green mullet hem dresses from 2013 (wow, I can hate on things so soon after I wear them.) But the heavy fabric and defined structure of this dress prevents it from conjuring up images of half-transparent Forever 21 maxi dresses with a chunk missing out of the front. Another great wedding guest dress.
8.) Plus Midi Tulle Prom Dress With Halter Back With Cross Back, $54 (down from $135)
I don't purport to know much about plus-size clothing, but this one really caught my eye. Chi Chi London has a plus size line featured prominently on ASOS, but not all of their plus size styles really hit the mark. This one, on the other hand, is a real slam dunk. It's flattering, feminine, and really captures the eye. A real "wow" dress. More plus size styles can be found on ASOS or on the Chi Chi London website.
9.) Lace Midi Prom Dress with Bardot Neck, $100 (down from $144)
Here's a color combo I never expected: rose gold and navy. And guess what? It's gorgeous. This may be my favorite of all the Chi Chi London dresses in this post, partially because of the color combination and partially because I can't imagine walking into a room wearing this and not having everyone compliment it.
I'm not going to lie--I've wanted a Chi Chi London dress for a while now, but I've resisted only because I can't think of anywhere I'd ever wear it, plus the rest of my clothing just wouldn't match. I used to have a '50s vintage inspired wardrobe, but it's been phased out in favor of sleeker silhouettes, simpler colors, and '70s inspired turtlenecks and crop tops. Perhaps that's one of the reasons why Chi Chi London dresses make such an impression on me--they're the pink cupcakes I can't have because I'm on a diet, or the twenty-episode marathon of Flavor of Love I want to watch when I actually should be working.
1.) High Neck Structured Skater Dress In Baroque Print, $88 (on sale from $126)
Baroque print + bronze = gorgeous. Utilizing the girly skater silhouette, this elegant dress manages to still look fun and youthful, and not too carpet-y. Obviously perfect for a holiday party (and ASOS has express shipping, so what the heck are you waiting for?)
2.) Cami Strap Midi Prom Dress In Metallic Lace, $81 (down from $117)
Don't let the term "prom dress" fool you. This frock is girly, but hardly juvenile. Pale gold on black is a gorgeous color combination, and the knee-length full skirt shape is classic. My one complaint? This dress would look so much cooler if the gold lace on the bust gradually faded into the waistline instead of abruptly stopping there. But you can't have everything.
3.) Full Prom Skater Dress in Floral Print, $104
Perfect for spring/summer 2016, this dress is like something out of a young Betty Draper's wardrobe. Florals never go out of style. In fact, I'm pretty sure Harper's Bazaar cites "florals" as a trend every darn summer as if it's something groundbreaking we haven't seen in years. The modest boatneck on this dress makes it sophisticated, while the oversized floral design is anything but expected.
4.) Premium Lace Midi Prom Dress with Bardot Neck, $121
Spring and summer is wedding season, so you should be prepared with a wedding guest dress that wows without taking away attention off the bride (let's not pull a Kelly from The Office and show up in a floor length white gown.) That's where a dress like this comes in. The pale blue is reminiscent of Pantone's color of the year, Serenity, and the lace adds a feminine and delicate touch to a structured and figure-flattering dress.
5.) Premium Lace Midi Prom Dress With Bardot Neck And 3/4 Sleeve, $100 (down from $144)
6.) Clip Top Clutch Bag in Red and Gold, $54
This item is a little more versatile than the others, as you can do a lot more with an unusual clutch bag than an unusual dress. Another awesome holiday party piece (or Christmas gift), this bag is inexpensive, but doesn't look it (well, at least not from where I'm sitting.)
7.) Off Shoulder High Low Dress with Baroque Embroidery, $88 (down from $126)
Normally I'm really anti-high low dresses because they remind me of those irritating mint green mullet hem dresses from 2013 (wow, I can hate on things so soon after I wear them.) But the heavy fabric and defined structure of this dress prevents it from conjuring up images of half-transparent Forever 21 maxi dresses with a chunk missing out of the front. Another great wedding guest dress.
8.) Plus Midi Tulle Prom Dress With Halter Back With Cross Back, $54 (down from $135)
I don't purport to know much about plus-size clothing, but this one really caught my eye. Chi Chi London has a plus size line featured prominently on ASOS, but not all of their plus size styles really hit the mark. This one, on the other hand, is a real slam dunk. It's flattering, feminine, and really captures the eye. A real "wow" dress. More plus size styles can be found on ASOS or on the Chi Chi London website.
9.) Lace Midi Prom Dress with Bardot Neck, $100 (down from $144)
Here's a color combo I never expected: rose gold and navy. And guess what? It's gorgeous. This may be my favorite of all the Chi Chi London dresses in this post, partially because of the color combination and partially because I can't imagine walking into a room wearing this and not having everyone compliment it.
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