The Ballgown Skirt I Want to Wear Every Day

Editors' Picks are the Fashionista team's true (#notspon) fashion and beauty obsessions, handpicked by professionals who see it all.

When I attended Staud's Spring 2024 show back in September, it wasn't the ornate backdrop of the Plaza or the champagne-stocked seating that captured my attention, but rather one particular color that repeatedly danced its way down the runway.

See, I'm one of those so-called "purple people": The background of my email is lavender, my winter coat is lilac, even my dog's harness and leash are violet. So, when a dreamy pastel, almost periwinkle purple ballgown skirt appeared on the catwalk that day, my jaw quite literally fell to the floor.

It wasn't just the color that captivated my attention, but also the way the skirt moved. (Models were instructed to walk melodically as bouncy '80s rock music boomed from the sound system.) It brought a smile to my face.

I began fantasizing about the way the fabric swayed from side to side, imagining how wearing the skirt would make me feel like a cool '90s New York princess year-round, dressed all the way up with complementary sparkles and heels or casually down with a knotted crop top à la Claudia Schiffer (or, most recently, Brie Larson).

Five months after witnessing this magic in person, I saw it draping off a mannequin in a department store, as if it were calling my name explicitly.

The reunion not only reignited my love for the skirt, but also made me want to swap my everyday T-shirt and jeans for a T-shirt-and-ballgown-skirt pairing. I mean, why can't I simply dress like a modern-day Cinderella on the daily?

Staud Bellagio Gathered Taffeta Maxi Skirt, $895, available here (sizes XS-L)

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