Fashion Quintessential: This Ain’t Your Grandma’s Lace!

Kate Bosworth in Stella McCartney

There’s such a stigma to wearing lace. We tend to think of old ladies, and maybe even mothballs and other unpleasant items like stuffy lace doilies or outdated, tea-stained tablecloths. However, lace is making a comeback, and it’s high time we try on this prim-and-proper-gone-sassy look for size.

If you’re jonesing for a sweet 1950’s throwback, try a lovely white lace dress. Just be sure to keep it modern—this is an homage, not a costume—and add in some up-to-date accessories. Cameron Diaz totally nailed this look in her beautifully crafted white dress and candy apple red belt that she wore to her Hollywood Star unveiling. Her ensemble is definitely a tribute to June Cleaver, but stays millennial with the pop of color and modern, body skimming cut.

Evening is a great time to rock the lace look, too. Check out Kate Bosworth’s red-carpet look, which features a gorgeous lace overlay, three-quarter length sleeves, and enough charm to make Katherine Hepburn jealous. Paired with minimalist makeup and a retro hairstyle, this look is not only glamorous, but also definitely affordable for the average fashionista. You can find lace clothing in plenty of bargain department stores right now, and as a bonus, you can even transition these pieces across the seasons with bright springy sandals and a headband for warmer months or a fur coat with a just-fussy-enough  strand of pearls during the colder seasons.

If you do have a little more disposable income, check out the designers’ take on this resurrected fabric: Verrier teamed this super sumptuous material with an equally luxurious one, white hot satin, manifested in a pair of shorts that are perfect lounging after hours on the yacht.

For the upcoming Fourth of July weekend, I love the Oscar de la Renta satin turquoise sweetheart neckline dress innovatively covered in an almost-red blood orange lace layer. The look is festive and colorful, a far cry from matronly

So next time you’re looking for an alternative to the standard little black dress, try something racy and lacy. You can dress up this look with jewelry like lavalieres, brooches, or pearl earrings, but be sure to stay away from anything too modish, like Lucite or wood. It’s definitely a gamine look, but everyone from the Georgetown princess to the U Street hipster can pull off a lace dress.

Fashion Quintessential is written by Quin Woodward Pu,  a connaisseuse of all things social, but writing about fashion is her forte. She works in Public Relations and is new on the DC scene, but quickly making an impression with her witty, no-nonsense advice that marries style with sensibility. Follow Quin on Twitter @QuinWoodwardPu, or email her at quin.woodwardpu@gmail.com.