The Lantern Lantern Sleeve Midi Dress, Green

The second dress on the site, and the second time the team refused to send a sample back. We mostly do umbrellas. This is what happens when something else makes the cut. The lantern sleeves are the part. Round neck, fitted through the bodice, hip-hugging from the waist down, sleeves that billow at the wrist and gather back at the cuff. It's the dress that goes to the meeting and the dinner after.

What it's like to wear

The bodice fits. The waist is high. The skirt hugs the hip and drops to mid-calf, where the hem hits at the narrowest part of the leg — that's the silhouette work, and it's the part that makes the dress read as elegant instead of just fitted. The sleeves are the part you keep noticing in the mirror. The lantern shape is full through the arm and gathered at the wrist with a band, so when you move your hands the fabric moves with them, not against them.

What it's like at the office

The fabric is a polyester knit with a heathered finish — the kind of knit that doesn't show the small things, that moves with you instead of holding the shape of the chair you sat in. The crew neck sits high enough to read as professional. The long sleeves cover the arms. The length hits at the right place for a meeting where the camera might pan down. It's the dress that works on a Monday and the dinner after.

What it's like to live with

• Polyester knit with heathered finish. 50-70% polyester, the rest spandex or similar. The knit has stretch without looking like a stretch fabric.
• Round neck, long lantern sleeves. Crew neck sits high. Sleeves billow through the arm and gather at the wrist with a band.
• Fitted bodice, hip-hugging skirt. Slim through the body, hugging through the hips, mid-length hem.
• High waist, mid-calf length. 109-114 cm / 43-45 in. Hits at the narrowest part of the leg on most heights.
• Machine washable. Cold water, lay flat or hang dry. The knit doesn't wrinkle the way woven dresses do.

The honest stuff

It's polyester. Not silk, not viscose, not anything that costs three times as much. The reason it's on the site is the fit and the sleeves — both of which read as more expensive than they are. We tried the alternatives. The price gap was real. The look gap wasn't.

The fit is fitted. The bodice is close to the body, the skirt is close to the hip. The size chart is the guide. If you're between sizes or want a looser fit, we recommend sizing up.

One color. Green. We list the color the supplier does well — this is the one we want to stand behind.

Shipping. Arrives in 7-10 days to US, UK, and AU. Tracking included. If it goes missing, we replace it.

Returns. 30 days, no restocking fee.

Sizing

Measurements in inches and centimeters. Find your row, then pick the size that matches your measurements.

Length: 43-45 in / 109-114 cm (mid-calf).

Sleeve length: 25-26 in / 63-65 cm (lantern sleeve, gathered at the wrist).

Fit: Fitted through the bodice and hips. If you're between sizes or prefer a looser fit, we recommend sizing up.

How to measure:

• Bust — measure around the fullest part of your chest, keeping the tape level.
• Waist — measure around your natural waistline at its narrowest point.
• Hips — measure around the fullest part of your hips, keeping the tape level.

When in doubt, choose by your measurements — the inches are your best guide.

Who it's for. The person who needed a dress that goes from a Monday meeting to the dinner after, looks like they tried, and doesn't need an iron.

— Marie Kiro