Black scuba mini dress with ruched sleeves

A black mini dress in scuba knit, the thick, smooth jersey that holds a shape and forgets creases. The neckline is a plain round, the sleeves are raglan and full, ruched along a drawstring from the elbow to the wrist so they balloon and then stop. The body is fitted; the skirt is built from flat panels that overlap and fall away at the sides, so the hem is short at the front and longer where the panels fall.

It works harder than a plain black dress and asks less. Wear it with a pointed flat for the day or a sock boot at night, no tights while the weather allows, a leather jacket on the shoulders when it does not. Spring and autumn, daytime meetings that run into drinks.

I stood in the light because the dress asked. It was the only one asking.