NYFW Microtrend: The Prairie Dress Is The One Shape You Need To Know

With gingham, frills and body-obscuring dresses already fashionable it was only a matter of time before the prairie trend would emerge. Defined by its modest cut and genteel ruffles, it’s like a cross between Kate Moss and the Virgin Suicides: feminine and flouncy but with a melancholy tone.

Once upon a time, they would have called this look ‘boho’ or something similarly egregious, but this season it's less romanticized. In the hands of Raf Simons, Calvin Klein’s models stalked the popcorn-strewn runway in translucent gingham gowns that tugged at the tension between the Hollywood-y glamour of the US’ coastline and the sun-drenched Prairie heartland. Over at Coach, on a catwalk strewn with leaves, models in diaphanous floral dresses presented a darker take on the trend with charm necklaces and trinkets swinging from their necks. Again dramatising the pull of the city and the countryside in one ensemble, it was merciless in its critique of modern-day America.

With laced-up bib fronts and floral prints, they recalled the zenith of ‘70s fashion: Gunne Sax. Popular culture may have forgotten this label (FYI this means it’s still affordable on Etsy and eBay) but its idealized Victoriana touches suddenly feel very relevant again.

Meanwhile, Zimmerman brought a lighter touch to the look with a creamy lace interpretation that sexed-up its homespun sweetness. And simultaneously, Self-Portrait gave this Pioneer girl edge with the introduction of a waist-cinching belt and black lipstick. All in all, the frequency of this aesthetic throughout the New York Fashion Week shows means its hard to ignore.

This article originally appeared on The Debrief.