While flowing summer dresses and gorgeous evening gowns have always been linked with femininity, there is one outfit in particular that has played a significant role in feminist history: the wrap dress. The wrap dress and its graceful silhouette have stood the test of time as one of the most famous designs of all time, despite the fashion fads that have come and gone in today’s fast fashion industry.
Aside from its practicality, the wrap dress was instrumental in establishing a liberated fashion movement for women all over the world. It’s a fashion garment that celebrates a woman’s various sides in a single wrap, bridging the gap between confident seduction and proud modesty.
How It All Started
While the wrap dress is commonly associated with Belgian fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, it actually dates back to the 1930s, when it was already popular among American designers. Elsa Schiaparelli, an Italian designer, was one of the first to invent the wrap dress, drawing influence from aprons to create a flattering and flexible form for all body types. Early versions of her creations were waist-tied, fashioned of silk, and may have even contained buttons.
Charles James, who was known for his very sensuous designs and cuts that further highlighted the form, was another important designer who helped kick off the wrap dress trend. His first version of the dress had a “spiral” shape around the body, with a clasp at the hip or a zipper across the length of the torso. Because he wanted to design a dress that “a woman might slide into-or out of-in the back of a cab,” James named his invention the “Taxi Dress.”
Then came Claire McCardell’s breakthrough “Popover Dress” in 1942, which was designed as a fashionable reaction to the busy lifestyles of average housewives – both inside and outside the home. The objective was to create a dress that could be worn at home while cooking and cleaning, as a bathing suit cover-up, or as a cocktail party dress. It immediately became the archetypal “American Look,” earning the American Fashion Critics Association’s citation as well as the Coty Award in 1943.
The (r)evolution of the Wrap Dress
The rebirth of the dress began in the 1970s, and Diane von Furstenberg is largely responsible for this. She created a reputation for herself and revived the famous gown that we know and love four years after arriving in New York with a suitcase full of her handmade jersey dresses.
Her designs featured collars, medium-to-long sleeves, and a knee-length dress that wrapped around the torso, highlighting the body’s curves. Other elements included a figure-hugging stretch jersey with a sash knotted around the waist and no buttons or zips because, as she famously said, “zips are a nightmare if you’re trying to slip out without awakening a sleeping partner.” This progression provided an effortless sex appeal and work-to-play versatility that appealed to both conservative and boyish women, expressing a woman who wanted to feel comfortable and beautiful – while also enjoying her own sexual freedom.
In the 1970s, the dress became a symbol of women’s independence, and von herself claimed that her divorce influenced her interpretation. Gone are the days of stiff, stuffy clothing and carefully done-up hair, and in their place comes a new era of youth and freedom.
Von has sold millions of dresses since then, and the style has stayed immensely current despite the different shifts in fashion that occurred over the subsequent decades. From Alexander McQueen and Christian Dior to Proenza Schouler and Michael Kors, it inspired other designers and companies to make their own versions of the flattering piece.
Bringing Things to A Close
Wrap dresses are now a must-have in every woman’s wardrobe, and Goddiva is creating its own versions. Classic designs and styles from United Kingdom manufacturers are especially easy to come by, as these dresses have become synonymous with the carefree “U.K. Girl” appearance.
The wrap dress has remained a fashion staple that epitomizes effortless and confident femininity, designed for a lady who is at ease in her own flesh. While we might speculate on where it will go and how it will change in the future, it remains one of the most ageless female fashion icons of all time.
