Woman in a navy ruffle-front blazer dress and black chunky chelsea boots crossing a sunny old-town street

Dark tailoring · Spring · Summer

Navy ruffle-front blazer dress with chunky chelsea boots

A double-breasted navy blazer dress with a cascading ruffle front and handkerchief hem, worn with black lug-sole chelsea boots on an old-town street.

A navy blazer dress in cotton twill, double-breasted with two buttons, a notched lapel and a cascade of ruffles running down the front edge and into the hem. Below the waist it splits into handkerchief points that move when she does; the sleeves are long and plain so the ruffle has no competition.

Summer in a southern city asks for one piece you can throw on and forget. This is that piece, with boots instead of sandals: black leather chelsea boots with a chunky lug sole, mid-calf, worn with no tights. The contrast of a stiff, almost military sole under a dress this fluid is the whole idea. Spring and summer; in autumn, add opaque tights and a longer coat and nothing else changes.

The tourists were photographing the cathedral. Most of them.

the pieces

  • Navy double-breasted ruffle-front blazer dressmini dress · cotton · navy
  • Black chunky chelsea bootsboots · leather · black

similar pieces

Links may earn a commission. Dahlia's clothes don't exist; these are the closest things that do.

styling notes

  • Boots, not sandals; the stiff sole is the point
  • A plain black bodysuit underneath if you want coverage
  • Opaque tights and a long coat turn it into autumn

palette

Navy#2F3F7A Black#131313 Charcoal#3A3937

details

Dark tailoringSpringSummerDaytimeCoffeeTravelPlayfulSharpLeatherCottonMini dressBootsStreetRuffleAsymmetricFitted

wearabilitycloser to street

get looks like this once a month

more like this

Woman in a navy, charcoal and rust colour-block blazer and handkerchief skirt with black platform boots in a living roomColour-block satin and wool blazer with a handkerchief skirtDark tailoringWoman with long black hair in a navy wrap blazer dress, black tights and ankle boots leaning on a stone arcade pillarNavy wrap blazer dress with oversized lapelsDark tailoringWoman in a black blazer dress with pleated balloon sleeves, wide embossed belt and combat boots on a rocky shorePleated-sleeve blazer dress with embossed leather beltDark tailoringWoman in a navy wool jacket with silver metallic panels, a denim cargo mini skirt and black chelsea boots in a warehouseNavy wool jacket with silver panels and a denim cargo skirtCasual and denimWoman in a cobalt shantung wrap blazer dress with puff shoulders, black tights and platform boots standing in a caféCobalt shantung wrap blazer dress with puff shouldersDark tailoringWoman in a cobalt pleated sleeveless top and textured cobalt bubble skirt standing in a sunny street marketCobalt pleated sleeveless top with a cloqué bubble skirtDark tailoring