A gingham dress has one of fashion's great origin stories, because the V&A identifies Dorothy's blue and white gingham pinafore as an Adrian design for The Wizard of Oz in 1939. AnOther reports that a 1964 Daily Mirror feature on Barbara Hulanicki's pink gingham Biba dress drew 17,000 orders. Here is how to wear a gingham dress that feels fresh and not folksy.
Gingham Dress: Dorothy, Biba and 17,000 Orders
A check with a movie career
The V&A identifies Dorothy's blue and white gingham pinafore as an Adrian design for The Wizard of Oz in 1939. AnOther reports that fashion writer and curator Shonagh Marshall records a 1964 Daily Mirror feature on Barbara Hulanicki's pink gingham Biba dress that drew 17,000 orders within days. The magazine also traces gingham in English to a striped fabric from India in the seventeenth century, and says Manchester mills made it checked by the mid-eighteenth century. A gingham dress is a very democratic pattern.
The size of the check
A small gingham looks classic and almost like a solid. A medium check is the picnic standard. A large check is graphic and modern. Colors matter: navy and white are sharp, red and white are friendly, black and white are chic, and pastel checks feel spring-like. Choose the scale you would be happy to see in a photograph.
Cut matters more than color
A gingham dress works best with a clean cut. A fit-and-flare, a shirtdress or a square-neck sundress each make the pattern look intentional. Picture her in a navy gingham midi with a straw tote, on a train out of the city for the weekend. Make sure the check lines up at the center seam and the pockets.
Styling the check
Let the dress be the pattern and keep everything else solid. A denim jacket and white sneakers keep it casual. A pointed flat and a gold earring dress it up. A cardigan in a color from the check, such as navy or red, ties the look together.
What I would skip
I would skip a gingham dress with a frilly cut and too many ribbons. The pattern is already a lot of personality. A clean line keeps it adult.
