All summer long, there has been one striped dress dominating my social media feeds. I’ve seen fashion influencers styling it casually for trips to Greece, friends wearing it to weddings in the British countryside and editors‘ pairing it with oversized blazers and ’70s glasses in the Condé Nast offices. I umm-ed and ahh-ed about whether to invest, but inevitably waited too long and it sold out. A few weeks passed, and the dress came back into stock, this time with a new flurry of fans who had fallen into the same – perhaps cleverly orchestrated – trap as me.
The dress I’m raving about is by Réalisation Par – a brand well-versed in creating pieces that cut through the zeitgeist and offering them at an affordable price. Back in 2022, I spotted three stylish women at the same wedding wearing the then-famous ‘The Gia’ maxi dress, with its bell sleeves and boat neckline, and now in 2026, the Cora dress in mirage has become the piece to see and be seen in.
It’s cut from 100% silk with a cowl neck, an asymmetric hem and a 90s fit that is flattering on most people. As a UK size 16, the brand’s largest size is the one I opted for (XXL), and it fits perfectly. The stripes are positioned in a way that follows the natural lines of the body, and I feel great wearing it.
What really sold this dress to me is its versatility. I’ve worn it to an engagement party; I’ve packed it for three days in Croatia; I’ve styled it for the office, and I’m already planning how to layer it with a chunky knit in Autumn as I don’t feel quite ready to say goodbye for the year, yet. Here’s how I’d style it for a destination wedding, in autumn in the UK, for a hop-and-a-skip to Italy, and even to the office.