14 Prairie Dresses That Are Far From Frumpy

We hope you got your fill of skin-baring outfits this summer because the pendulum is about to swing the other way for fall. Covering up will be in, a la Little House on the Prairie. That’s right, those vintage-looking, often high collar dresses that were once deemed prudish are suddenly stylish again.

You can blame the Fall 2018 runways for this return to modesty. There was an obvious Western theme at Dsquared2’s show punctuated by a fair share of prairie dresses. Since Raf Simons already delivered buttoned-up, two-tone shirts that would look right at home on the open range, it wasn’t surprising to see the Calvin Klein designer graduate to down-home, transparent dresses. Cinq à Sept went the ruffled route with a millennial pink take that wouldn’t look out of place on a red carpet.

Coach 1941 offered up moodier interpretations based in blacks and browns with floral patterns for a bit of flair. Etro’s patterned prairie dresses had a Southwest vibe that set them apart from more traditional versions. While Zimmermann leaned more Victorian with fussy yet fashionable options.

Despite their constrictive origins, prairie dresses translate well in modern day, especially with current twists like patchwork prints, smocked accents and plaid patterns. Channel your inner Laura Ingalls with one of these surprisingly stylish prairie dresses.

[ Next: Earthy Tones Are Set to Take Over Fall ]