Plisse Halter Maxi Dress in Black and Gold Dots

Black with gold polka dots and pleated fine as paper folds, this maxi moves like a dress that costs more than it asks.

The plisse material is the point: those tight, permanent pleats give the dress an elegant drape that swings with each step and never needs pressing. Up top it is a classic halterneck, sleeveless, so the shoulders and arms stay open while the neckline holds the frame. There is no zip to fight — the dress simply pulls on — and it is unlined, which keeps it light for warm evenings.

Full length and lightly built, it suits summer weddings, rooftop dinners and holidays where the dress has to pack flat and still look deliberate. Metallic dots mean gold jewellery agrees with it; sandals keep it easy, heels dress it up. Hair away from the face lets the halterneck do its work.