Drop-waist dress

The drop-waist dress witnessed a revival following the release of The Great Gatsby last year and fashion icons including Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Lawrence have been spotted in this quintessentially fun style. Whether you choose to go monochrome à la Alexander Wang, printed with Christian Siriano or bright with Valentino, we show you two ways to layer this flattering silhouette.

Look 1

Pair the drop-waist dress with a crisp Oxford shirt to wear this flouncy style to work. Complete your look with metallic sandals and a sling bag – and put a spin on ‘business casual’.

Cotton shirt, Rs 7,500, Bodice by Ruchika Sachdeva. Silk and organza drop waist dress, Rs 23,400, Drashta. Leather slides, Rs 7,200, Aldo. Leather bag, Rs 53,000, Tod’s

Photographs: Raj Shetye; Styling: Neha Salvi; Make-up and hair: Vidhi Salecha; Model: Maria Cherniakovych/Anima Creative Management; Assisted by: Shubham Jain (styling)

Leather bag with hand slit, Rs 2,290, Zara

Plexiglass cuff with pearl, Rs 97,900, Chanel

Collared blouse, Rs 1,290, Mango

Metallic leather sandals, price on request, Marni

Look 2

Print-on-print is a trend that’s going to get bigger come fall, and it’s a favourite in the ELLE office. Wear a pair of patterned leggings to elevate your look. A statement choker, block heels and a document clutch in a muted colour make for just the right proportion of accessories to keep the look fun yet business-like. 

Silk and organza dropwaist dress, Rs 23,400, Drashta. Silk trousers (part of a set), price on request, Ashish N Soni. Leather block heels, Rs 3,000, DOLCIS at Koovs.com. ‘Diorigin’ necklace, price on request, Dior

Cork heel sandals, Rs 6,999, Charles & Keith

Polyurethane and wood clutch, Rs 1,799, Done by None at Koovs.com

Polka dot leggings, Rs 400, Forever 21

Gold-plated choker, Rs 7,500, Pretty Stoned