Off-the-shoulder blue dress: Is this Zara’s most popular dress ever?
You can't escape the dress
Forget that coat, the cult clothing item of the summer is an off-the-shoulder blue dress from Zara.
The denim-effect dress has been inescapable in recent months, so much so that there is now even a website dedicated to sightings of it.
The Blue Off The Shoulder Zara Dress Tumblr blog makes clear just how popular the dress is across the world, with people sending in pictures from the US and Europe.
The dress was originally part of Zara’s AW16 collection so Krause first noticed it last summer, but it was re-stocked for this year which is when sightings really took off.
Many other high street brands have launched copycat versions too.
Krause launched her blog with the photos she’d taken the previous summer for her own amusement, but it wasn't long before people were sending in their own - she says she has another 80 ready to be uploaded to the site.
“At this point, I probably get an average of eight or nine photos from friends every week,” Krause explained to Refinery29.
“These include sightings in Vancouver, Greece, Spain, a lot from Italy, and across the United States.”
With its loose, boho style, the dress looks like a comfortable way to remain cool in summer.
But Krause says that when she tried the dress, she found it “remarkably constricting.”
“I’d say you lose around 80 per cent of your mobility in it,” she said. “Your arms can’t go above 45 degrees without compromising the intended shape of the garment. It’s impossible to hail a cab or wave violently (my two favourite past-times).”
She admits, however, that the dress is “a relatively flattering shape” and “easy to wear.”
The dress was put in the sale for £18 by Zara and is no longer available, but if it’s anything like the coat that just won’t die, it may make a reappearance.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies