180: The other Kaitlin Phillips gift guide, pt II
Holiday dresses. Feat. Rory Satran, Heidi Bivens, Kate Bowman, Taylore Scarabelli, Delilah Parillo, and Georgia Ford.
A trice after the first installation of Kaitlin Phillips’ fashion-geared gift guide for Magasin, which published yesterday and presented objects and accessories recommended by the likes of Lorde, Haley Wollens, Coco Baudelle, and Kaitlin’s husband (left unnamed in copy)—you can find it here—comes part two of her shopping opus.
With only five nightfalls until Christmas Day and eleven ‘til New Year’s Eve, the idea is to act fast to get your hands on any of the below contents in time for an around-the-tree photo or one holding a sparkler. (But even if it is moot, in the spirit of Kaitlin’s words from pt. I, “I personally love a gift guide where nothing can be purchased right now.”)
Alongside the precious cargo of dressing recommendations from enviably embedded fashion types comes the only holiday editorial that matters anymore, shot by Kaitlin, Georgia Ford, and Kate Bowman out of Los Angeles. There’s also a crucial curated list of dress links at the end of the email as a final reward to scrollers.
Apart from The Birthday Party Dress, Christmas and New Year’s are the most important and advantageous dress holidays of the year: Practically speaking, winter dresses offer the majority of people the opportunity to look hot. Anyone can look good in the cold. It’s a rare opportunity, in your 30s, to “have fun with it.” The Christmas Party Dress in particular is an opportunity to be “on theme.” I genuinely thought about buying the tulle Bode Christmas Tree Dress, which typified this idea best this year, but I don’t spend $4,000 on jokes. (For what it’s worth, I went to the store to look at it, and it’d already sold out. But they have size small online.) A cursory Google search reveals that Forever21 does an OK job with shitty “tree dresses.” Silly, stupid, festive.
With any holiday dress, it’s appropriate to wear a crown, fur heels, or…even a party bib. My dear friend Susie Lopez, Joceyan and the world’s biggest Simone Rocha fan, gave me this pilgrim collar and this teardrop beaded bib from the brand. I must say, they can really feminize a dumpy ass sweater; with a skimpy dress, you can wear it like a fallen tucker, and emphasize the bosom.
Which is all to say, if I had to narrow it down to one, I’d say the ultimate winter dress right now is the see-through cobweb dress from Annie’s Ibiza ($2,388), paired with a tailored feathery-seeming fur coat. I first spotted the cobweb dress when Tish Weinstock—so goth she had a Halloween wedding—wore a custom version.
I asked Kate Bowman, the founder of the see-through brand Kitten—and her own best model, that’s her on the homepage—to try on holiday dresses from SSENSE, selected by Georgia Ford, who I personally consider the best clothing shopper in the world, and myself. Kate’s favorite? This Kika Varga strapless dress that renders a girl into a saucy Christmas ball ornament and Paco Rabanne’s lacy acid mint slip dress. (The silver shoes she’s wearing are Giuseppe Zanotti, Georgia’s own, good luck finding them.) Buyer Jesse Hudnutt and stylist Clare Byrne had both recommended Fidan Novruzova’s faux fur strapless minidress. “Very Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe,” said Byrne. She likes likes the matching Bolero. There’s nothing lux about this joke: It’s 100% polyester. And I noticed that, though a photographer’s dream, in real life Kate styled this dumpy number by routinely pulling it up to flash her underwear. (Speaking of polyester, I was very tempted by this Anna Sui eskimo princess number.) A better joke, perhaps? This trashy/stretchy Gaultier minidress. I had Kate bring over my favorite looks from Kitten, starting with this sheer polkadot dress. Now, I’ll be frank: Kitten has the look of being designed by and for an Instagram girl, and while this is true, it also has potential for mass appeal i.e. not just for Gen Z. I highly recommend this tiered lace skirt, which I literally bought off Kate’s body. It’s a great way to make a fat-looking Christmas tight look sexy, but, more importantly, it’s a summer staple.
If you need something fast, stylist Ian Bradley says go to Necessary Clothing in Soho for a slutty dress (442 Broadway). Nice to have one budget option on the list! “With the right accessories, it can translate to a classic International party girl look.”
I asked Vogue’s Lilah Ramzi, who probably wears more party dresses a year than a celebrity, to do a party dress edit. “Each season, I nominate a dress as best dressed. (Spring was Prada's torn paper floral dresses, if you're curious.) This season, hands-down, it's this crinkly metallic Proenza Schouler midi—the brand found a fresh way to do metallic draping and this pieces feels classic and forward-thinking at the same time.” She recommends checking out the brand Rachel Gilbert. “A not-so-new name to know. I keep returning to her cool girl takes on cocktail attire.” The Antwerp-based Bernadette is one of her go-to’s. She wore it to a wedding in Provence over the summer. “I love the lightweight silk taffeta fabric of their dresses.” This “off-the-shoulder gown is so elegant and easy.” If you have “a black-tie event somewhere near the equator, this look is for you! Polished but breezy.” She likes this midnight green silk taffeta party dress from Oscar de la Renta. (“What's more divine than an LBD by ODLR?”) And for Taylor Swift fans: “Emulate the singer’s birthdate in this astronomical mini dress.”
NYT Style reporter Jessica Testa says the best party dress right now is this Barbarella Cyborg Ferragamo dress. (Honestly, I saw… the aged Mera Rubell wearing it during Basel and, it slapped???)
I’m going to quote in full Interview magazine’s Taylore Scarabelli, not just because she was born on Christmas: “This week, I will be doing a little outfit repeat on a severe-shouldered YSL jacket and Wolford hood combo for a gallery dinner (I pair it with mini shorts and tights but you can currently buy the full skirt suit on The Real Real). I'm also thinking of pulling out one of my new latex pieces from Miaou for Madonna's Celebration Tour (the corsets come in a nice cherry red color, if you're trying to stay on-theme). I'm also trying to plan an impromptu birthday-something before I go back home for the holidays, but I can't do anything unless I find the perfect party dress. I already made the mistake of going to the Miu Miu store a couple of weeks ago and leaving with some very expensive sunglasses and an obsession with sparkly holiday looks like this gold lamé skirt and matching polo (thankfully I own a similar set from D&G already). But if you're really rich and feel like donating a gift to a desperate editor I have my eye on this little crystal number that I would love to wear without a bra because my head is currently shaved and I could totally get away with it. For the scene queens: I've been fawning over Fancí Club, a Vietnamese-based e-brand I never paid much attention to until I saw some of their swimwear-inspired pieces hanging in the Interview fashion closet after our Kylie Jenner cover shoot. If you're shopping for a Capricorn who doesn't mind bearing their belly I would suggest the Snow White Bloomers Shorts and bow-breasted Innocent Era Top (the shorts would also look great with All-In’s gift wrapper bandeau). I’m also loving The White Apple Cocktail Dress and Unvanished Truth Gown (both sheer), but if you want to get really nasty I would suggest going for some of their extra-festive red items. Lastly, If you’re shopping for a diva and have money to spare, you could skip the e-tailers altogether and book her an appointment for a custom couture fitting with Miss Claire Sullivan. I’m not sure how much this costs but I do know it would be fabulous to have an outfit handmade for you by a New York it-girl, regardless of whether you have a wedding on the horizon.”
Rory Satran, the executive fashion director and chief columnist for WSJ Magazine, says she just bought this Prada nylon nightgown “after coveting it for a while.” Both the “perfect party dress” and an option on “a winter trip, layered over a turtleneck.” She says “Pieter Mulier makes dazzling party dresses for Alaia, like this navy-blue sequined turtleneck dress.” (Editor’s note! This dress was recommended by several people I trust.) She suggests checking out the brand P. Johnson Femme. She says her old boss, the “great stylist Suzanne Koller,” inspired her “to start collecting vintage ankle-length printed Marimekko dresses. Perfect for outdoor Christmas parties in L.A. A lot of them are hideous, so you really have to hunt on Etsy and Ebay—it's not for the faint of heart.” For children, she buys “the very traditional baby grails from The Beaufort Bonnet Company, like this navy blue velvet tunic set which can be monogrammed.” She says “vintage Yves Saint Laurent pieces with heart motifs feel very holiday to me, like this, this and this. YSL used to draw beautiful New Years "Love" card-posters every year.”
Professional hot girl Delilah Parillo wrote me to say that, as vintage goes, she relies on googling “80s vintage YSL,” looking in particular for “velvet wrapped in a taffeta bow, big sleeves, and ruffles. When else can I look like a cute present wrapped under a tree?” She admits it’s “not the most flattering kind of dress, but worth going for.” Speaking of, “romantic” is a great genre of dress, and nothing evokes it more than the petal top by Elizabeth Shevelev. (I saw it on Jo Rosenthal, who must have modeled for the campaign.) She did a Christmas collaboration on children’s clothes with Mon Petit Jo: Huge velvet bows.
Emily Sundberg, who writes the only business substack I’ll read, says “if you haven't gone to Outline on Atlantic yet, I urge you to. They have these sets from Super Yaya that I couldn't stop touching. They're definitely a splurge but nobody else will be wearing them. You should also go to Consignment Brooklyn, next door, where I just got a sheer Dolce and Gabbana dress.” She’s “big on vintage Burberry plaid for the holidays. You can find a ton on eBay, and then pair with a structured corset (LPA makes some good ones) or oversized button up.” Sundberg just did an AMA where she revealed that Ramon Tailor Shop is her favorite tailor downtown. He makes custom trousers. I remember when this article came out on him, a lot of regulars were upset. (A good sign.)
Nadia Lee Cohen, who I do not know, turned me onto New Arrivals: The brand uses her instagrams as sponsored ads. (The dress Nadia’s wearing is here.) This dress really is the slutty version of Nicole Kidman’s custom Galliano ball gown in Eyes Wide Shut.
Chanel It Girl Coco Baudelle says “one of my favorite sights is on a sunny morning following a heavy snowfall, when everything is covered with a plush, sparkling blanket of snow… To me, this is what this sublime Khaite sequin dress evokes!” She says this set by Gimaguas reminders her of “classic silver garlands.” If you’ve got great boobs and an even better stomach she recommends that Beaufille dress I’ve been seeing online. And for Christmas morning, this delicate slip.
Heidi Bivens, the costume designer for Inland Empire, recommends this burgundy velvet Alaia mini dress (60% off), and this delicate see-through number from Prada.
From the most important influencer in the shoe space, Lars LaLa: No more big brand designer shoes from genocidal, Israel-supporting conglomerates—Gen z designers exclusively cuz even through capitalism, we can make good choices. I wanna Bangkok toe heels. First reason: the name. Second reason: toes are sexy. Big toes = BIG sexy.
Poulaines from theodosias inferno. Why the long face? Don’t say that anymore. Say why the long foot. Poulaines, which originally trended in Poland in the mid 14th century, are impossible to walk in and I love that. They are also handmade in Mississippi, which is also something to appreciate.
Fire clogs by Ruth Neubauer. I grew up wearing wooden clogs. But unlike the Dutch, the Danish version only has wooden soles while the top is leather. They are healthy. But, again, instead of supporting a brand that rhymes with firken fuck, buy them from Ruth Neubauer, who makes them from upcycled tires, amongst other fun materials.
Invasive modification knee highs. The 60s had the best vision of the future—purely aesthetically speaking. That’s exactly what I’m reminded of when I look at any of the knee high, kitten heeled boots from invasive modification. They are a sweet overlap of now vs. then.
A shoe gag by anyone on Etsy or yours truly. You can find shoe gags all over Etsy and I’m obsessed. So many people really need to just be quiet. Completely quiet. But in a visually pleasing way, of course. This is the best way. Hell, I’ll make you one if you have the $ and send me a dm 🥰
Extra intel: Georgia Ford, aforementioned shopping genius, says her favorite vintage stores are Happy Isles; The Grotesque; The Pretty Box for vintage tees and leather looks; Replika Vintage in LA “is the go to for museum level designer goods, by appointment only and without a website, this place is a hidden gem. Only those with Danny’s number get to shop here: 323-251-7613.” She says if you’re lucky, you can grab a lovely shell glass from Centa before they sell out; and if you want to spend all your money on skincare, here you go. Best incense; best underwear; best new restaurant.
Here are her dress selects:
Miaou Burgundy Shiloh Minidress, $245
Saks Potts Red Ira Leather Midi Dress, $488 $750
Commission Red Layered Midi Dress, $673 $1,295
Fancì Club Red 'The Thieves' Maxi Dress, $265
Fancì Club Red 'The Red Horse' Midi Dress, $310
Fancì Club White 'The Crime' Midi Dress, $310
POST ARCHIVE FACTION (PAF) Gray Hooded Maxi Dress, $257 $475
Ann Demeulemeester Beige Xenia Long Sleeve T-Shirt, $432 $830
Kika Vargas SSENSE Exclusive Red Crie Minidress, $387 $645
Saint Laurent Strapless Pencil Velvet Dress in Black, $4,440
Dolce & Gabbana Lurex Mesh Midi Dress in Gold, $2,560
Saint Laurent Floral Velvet Dress in Black, $2,202 $5,505
Rave Review Marilyn Maxi Dress in Grey, $468
Isa Boulder Pillow Dress in Beige, $286 $680
David Koma Flower Mini Dress, $2,105
16Arlington Salina Gown, $3,359
Marine Serre Puffy Knit Dress, $573 $955
Anna October Aurora Maxi Dress, $719
Magda Butrym Rosette Jersey Tank Dress, $1,019 $1,699
Nina Ricci Polka Dot Mini Dress, $1,097 $1,829
Nensi Dojaka Keyhole Mini Dress, $1,899
Anna October Meg Dress, $1,219
Aleksandre Akhalkatsishvili Faux-Fur Ruched Dress, $585 $975
Isa Boulder Gloved Knit Dress, $404 $809
Wolford N°21 Monica Lace Mini Dress, $889
Quira Strapless Dress, $1,359
Nensi Dojaka Keyhole Asymmetric Lace Dress, $1,845
16Arlington Feather Blaise Mini Dress, $1,027 $2,055
Vivienne Westwood Ginnie Pencil Dress, $544 $1,089
Katya Zelentsova Handkerchief Skirt, £295
Katya Zelentsova Medal Longsleeve, £265
Nicole Saldaña Isabel / baby blue moire, $295 $415
Antique French Bun Cover from Provence, $200
1700s Style Quilted Jacket, $450
1880s French Sunbonnet, $202 $270
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"If you’ve got great boobs and an even better stomach she recommends that Beaufille dress I’ve been seeing online"
I'm sure this wasn't intentional, but the vibe here is just a little bit body-shame-y. Like if your boobs/stomach are not 'great' by normative standards, you can't wear the dress? Ok, I get that it's up to you to decide whether your own body is great, and in that sense anyone could wear the dress... but realistically a lot of people are still assessing their self-worth according to a particular physical metric. Not trying to be a d*ck here, but it felt off.