Fashion
Dec 20, 2019

The Dresses That Really Mattered in 2019

by Maxine Eggenberger

Being on the cusp of a new year always inspires reflection. Reflection on the 365 days gone by and the things that defined them. And, fashionably speaking, we can say without a shadow of a doubt that 2019 was defined by one particular item: dresses.

In fact, 2019 granted us more cult dresses than any previous year. Our frock fixation kicked off early—m.92's smock dresses was the first It dress to emerge—and things only progressed from there, taking us up to, well, right now, where Ghost's velvet dress continues to dominate our Instagram feeds.

In the spirit of reflection, we decided to honour the cult dresses of 2019 by bringing them together in this, one of our many end-of-year round-ups. Keep scrolling to see the most coveted dresses of the year. If anyone has collected them all, we want to hear from you!

ASOS

Photo:

@styleidealist

Frugal and fancy, it's little wonder ASOS's floor-grazing checked maxi took off in April (and continued to prove popular throughout the summer).

CECILIE BAHNSEN

Photo:

@maria_bernad

Easily one of the most desirable brands of 2019, too, Cecilie Bahnsen's oversized dresses sparked a new, incredibly comfortable dress trend, for which we're ever thankful.

FAITHFULL THE BRAND

Photo:

@lucywilliams02

You could barely go anywhere in London—or the globe—without seeing someone wearing a Faithfull dress this summer, with this blue offering becoming the brand's signature style.

GANNI

Photo:

@heartzeena

Ganni is no stranger to creating a cult-worthy dress, but this green checked maxi proved to be its most sought-after to date.

GHOST

Photo:

@nicoleocran

Ghost may be known for its beautiful bridesmaid dresses, but in 2019 its designs piqued when it came to this wine velvet creation.

GÜL HÜRGEL

Photo:

@hannahalmassi

With puff sleeves, a belted waist, a gorgeous pink hue and kitsch daisy print, this Gül Hürgel dress practically had the word "cult" written all over it.

RIXO

Photo:

@babbac

While this list could have been made up entirely of Rixo dresses, its multicolour polka-dot design had the most hype surrounding it.

M.92

Photo:

@charlottejacklin

Ah, the dress that started it all—a cotton floral frock from London start-up, m.92.

NANUSHKA

Photo:

@venswifestyle

Previously considered frumpy and dated, Nanushka (in particular, this dress) is single-handedly responsible for the jumper dress revival we've witnessed in 2019.

REJINA PYO

Photo:

@handinfire

Second only to perhaps its bags, Rejina Pyo's 2019 mark was made by this dreamy satin dress.

ROSETTA GETTY

Photo:

@monikh

Worn by both Monikh Dale and Lucy Williams, as well as a host of other sartorially blessed influencers, best commit the name Rosetta Getty to memory, as we have a feeling this brand is going to be just as prevalent in 2020.

ROTATE BIRGER CHRISTENSEN

Photo:

@emilisindlev

Co-founded by Instagram royalty Jeanette Madsen, it's little wonder Rotate Birger Christensen has enjoyed huge success in 2019. This dress, however, has a big part to play in that, too.

SELF-PORTRAIT