A Quilted Dress

 
A few years ago I bought a Crewcuts skirt for a friend’s daughter: a quilted, cotton-nylon miniskirt. It was so cute I wanted it for myself, but stopped short of testing the girls’ size 14.
 

 
 
 
My restraint was rewarded at the end of last winter, when I found this dress at Muleh on 14th Street:
Patience rewarded
Good things come to those who wait

 
Ski jacket
Must. Touch. This.
 
 
Come closer and see the fabric.
 
It’s sort of like a cross between a down jacket and a roll of bubble-wrap, right? What could be cozier? More squeezable?

But when you think about it for a minute, a quilted dress is really a padded dress . . . and who looks her best wearing a layer of padding under her clothes?
 
The ingenious designer foresaw that question, and cleverly used the quilted fabric for the front and a matte jersey for the back. Brilliant!
 
Obverse and reverse
Obverse and reverse
Pig Will Pig Won't
Pig Will Pig Won’t

Since this fabric is heavily textured and the lines of the dress are very elegant, I thought a necklace would detract. I did tuck a scarf (one of my vintage Liberty scarves) in the neckline for my commute, which I thought complemented the dress very well.
 
 
 
I love this time of year (fall in Washington D.C.) because it’s cool enough to wear boots and more substantial fabrics, but warm enough to still wear a sleeveless dress. It’s a very small window of time.
 
I do wonder about who wears sleeveless dresses cut from really heavy fabrics. People rich enough to create personalized micro-climates?
 
I make the weather
I make the weather

 
Sadly, Muleh seems to have closed, which is a loss. They only carried a few designers, but the inventory was well-selected: 3.1 Phillip Lim, Vivienne Westwood Anglomania, Autumn Cashmere, Hache, Ter et Bantine, Ports 1961.
 
Dress: Hache from YOOX; Scarf: Liberty; Boots: Kenneth Cole; Watch: Michele CSX

11 thoughts on “A Quilted Dress”

  1. Honestly, your pecking around in small shops paid off with that dress which like LBD’s can take a jacket statement or do without. Glam for evening will take the usefulness quotient even higher. Great job selecting to say nothing of how pretty it is on you. Kate

    Reply
    • Thank you! And here is a lesson for cat owners. I coveted this rug (Color Reform from ABC Home & Carpet) for some time before purchasing it. I was punished for that covetousness when Posy, who had never lifted a paw against the upholstered furniture, attacked the rug the day I rolled it out and hasn’t let up since. Naughty Paws! Because Color Reform rugs are bleached and the dyed post-weaving — the color is not through-and-through. When tufts of the rug are pulled up/out, they are white underneath, so snags and pulls are highly visible.

      Reply
    • Muleh’s closure did seem abrupt and I swear it moved a few doors south on 14th Street before it closed entirely — but I may be mistaken. I love the Proper Topper and am planning a visit for my post on winter hats! You are correct that the clothing inventory is small, but beautifully composed.

      Reply
  2. Did the Directrice change her haircut ever so slightly, or did she just style her hair differently? Either way, the whole ensemble — hair and dress — are lovely!

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