A letter from Ellis
Most of the dresses in a woman's closet were bought for one afternoon. This one is for the other three hundred.
On the six things I looked for before the Arielle came into the shop, how it compares to the usual maxi, and why it is $69.95 in our Autumn Sale.
Think of the dresses you own. Most of them were bought for one afternoon: a wedding, a christening, a dinner someone else organised. They come out once or twice, and then they wait.
The rest of your year is made of ordinary days. A lunch with a friend. Church on Sunday. A drive to see the grandchildren. Those days deserve something pretty too, and what the shops offer for them comes in two kinds: fitted and young, or shapeless and grey.
I do not think that is a real choice. I think it is a gap.
I am Ellis, and I started Ellis & Rose on one belief: that beautiful style is not defined by age, trends or rules. I have one rule of my own as well. I will not sell a woman a dress she has to keep tugging at.
The Arielle is the dress that rule produced. There were six things I looked for.
A high, draped collar that covers the neck without choking it
The collar stands high and falls in soft folds, then crosses the chest in a slanted panel. It covers the neck and the neckline completely, and because it drapes instead of gripping, you do not feel closed in.
A plain band at the neck either gapes or pulls, and you end up adjusting it all day. This one sits where it was put. She does not need a scarf to feel finished.
“I absolutely love how the collar sits around my neck. It feels elegant and gives me plenty of coverage without feeling tight or restrictive. I usually find high necklines uncomfortable, but this one drapes so nicely and stays in place all day. I don’t even feel like I need a scarf or necklace to finish the look.”
Long sleeves, so the cardigan can stay in the closet
The sleeves are narrow and run all the way to the wrist, with a little gathering at the forearm.
A woman should not need a cardigan over her dress to feel comfortable at the table, and she should not have to apologise for wanting her arms covered. A sleeve cut too short rides up the moment you reach for the salt. These are cut to the wrist.
“I really appreciate the sleeves on this dress. They actually reach my wrists and stay there, even when I’m moving around. I love having my arms covered without needing to add a cardigan or jacket. It feels comfortable and still looks feminine and put together.”
A diagonal drape that moves when you do
A slanted panel runs from the chest down across the skirt, and the folds follow it. The eye travels along the diagonal instead of stopping at the middle.
Most long dresses are either one straight sack or one tight tube. The drape is what keeps this one from being either.
If you are still heading into an office each morning, the collar does the work a blazer or a scarf would. You can leave both at home.
“I was pleasantly surprised by how flattering the draping is on this dress. The diagonal detail gives it such a beautiful shape without feeling tight or clingy. I’ve even worn it to the office and didn’t feel the need to add a blazer or scarf.”
Pockets in the side seams
I look for pockets in every dress I would wear myself. These sit in the side seams, one on each side, for your keys, a tissue, your hands.
A dress without pockets sends you back to a handbag for every small thing. Many long dresses leave them out because they are fiddly to sew. And with a hand resting in a pocket, you look relaxed standing in a doorway or waiting for the car.
“The pockets are honestly one of my favorite things about this dress. They’re deep enough for my keys and phone, and they don’t make the dress look bulky. I love being able to slip my hands into the pockets when I’m standing around or waiting for the car. It’s such a simple detail, but it makes the dress feel so much more practical.”
Soft fabric that falls instead of clinging
The fabric is soft and it falls. It does not grab at the middle, it does not climb at the back, and it does not ask you to stand a certain way.
Thin, shiny dresses cling to every movement and show every seam. The Arielle drapes in long, quiet folds, the way a good winter coat hangs.
“I was immediately impressed by the quality of the fabric. It drapes beautifully without clinging to my body or riding up when I walk or sit. I feel comfortable and put together without having to constantly adjust it.”
Five deep colors, chosen for the cold months
Purple is a deep plum. Navy Blue is the navy of a winter evening. Green is the green of a holiday table. Brown is the brown of a well-worn leather bag. Black is the one for the good restaurant.
None of them has a print to tire of, and all five go with the shoes you already own. From October through March, this is the dress for church, Thanksgiving, holiday dinners, and birthday lunches.
““I love how easy this dress is to wear throughout the colder months. I chose the deep purple, and it feels so elegant without being too dressy. I can see myself wearing it for Thanksgiving, dinner with friends, church, or even a birthday lunch. It’s one of those dresses that makes getting dressed feel simple because it already works with the shoes and accessories I have.””
The Arielle, against the usual maxi
| The usual maxi | The Arielle | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Drags on the steps, or stops at an awkward point | Full length, with a hem that moves as you walk |
| Neckline | A plain band that gapes or pulls | A high collar that drapes |
| Sleeves | Short, or wide and in the way | Narrow, to the wrist |
| Pockets | Left out | In both side seams |
| Shape | One straight sack, or one tight tube | Long, soft folds that follow the diagonal |
| Price | $169.95 | $69.95 in the Autumn Sale |
I would rather sell fewer dresses than sell one that a woman spends the day adjusting. That is why the Arielle is in the shop.
Why it's on sale now
The Arielle normally sells for $169.95. It is a dress for the cold months, so this is the time of year it belongs on a woman's coat hook, not in our stockroom.
For the Autumn Sale it is $69.95. There are only so many of each size in each color, and when one goes, it goes.
$169.95$69.95
Autumn Sale
- High, draped collar and long sleeves: covered from neck to wrist
- A diagonal drape in long, soft folds
- Pockets in the side seams
- Five deep colors · Purple, Black, Brown, Navy Blue, Green
- Sizes S through 3XL
- Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee
Five colors · while sizes last
Most of the dresses in your closet were bought for one afternoon.
This one is for the other days: the lunch with a friend, the Sunday service, the long table at Thanksgiving, the drive to see the grandchildren.
You should not have to tug at it, or put a cardigan over it, or save it for best.
Go and have a look at the Arielle.
— Ellis · Ellis & Rose
This is a personal letter from the founder of Ellis & Rose. Customer reviews are quoted as written. · Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee.