How to Tie a Wrap Dress: 6 Style Tips for Wrap Dresses

A wrap dress, also known as a tie-waist dress, is a dress without buttons or zipper enclosures. Instead, the wearer wraps the dress around the body and fastens it with strings or sashes, creating a V-neckline and an A-line silhouette. The front of a wrap dress is open and features two side panels with strings. One of the two attached strings is longer than the other, so the side panels of the dress can overlap. A wrap dress also features a small hole on one side to thread the longer string through. Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg popularized the wrap dress style in the 1970s, and took inspiration from 1930s robe-style house dresses colloquially known as “Hooverettes.”

Wrap dresses and kimonos are both clothing items that wrap to close. Unlike a kimono, which requires a broad sash or obi to close, a wrap dress features thin strings or straps. Wrap dresses can have short or long sleeves. A defining feature of a kimono is the sleeves, which are generally wide and have a uniform circumference. (Chinese kimono sleeves are one piece with the garment’s bodice and not sewn on separately. For a Japanese kimono, the sleeves are usually sewn separately.)

Follow these tips to learn how to tie wrap dresses with attached strings:

1. 1. Find the small hole on the side of the dress. On most wrap dresses, the hole will be on the right side, around the waistline.
2. 2. Thread the string through the hole. Thread the longer string, typically on the left panel of the dress, through the hole on the right side of the dress. Pull the string until the left half of the dress covers most of your chest.
3. 3. Pull the string around your back. Wrap the string behind toward the left side of your body.
4. 4. Wrap the right panel around the front of your body. Wrap the right panel, so it covers the left panel slightly. Ensure the dress closes entirely in the front.
5. 5. Tie the strings together. Tie the two strings together, with the right string meeting the longer left string, pulling both strings tight, so they cinch your waist. Tie the strings into a firm bow on the left side of the dress.

A wrap dress can be a great daytime or evening look. Consider the following ways to wear and style a wrap dress:

1. 1. Add a cardigan. Layer a cardigan over a short-sleeve wrap dress for a comfortable look appropriate for the office.
2. 2. Dress it up or down with shoes. Pair a wrap dress with flats for a casual daytime look. You can dress up a wrap dress by adding heels.
3. 3. Elevate your look with jewelry. Short necklaces pair well with the V-neckline of a wrap dress. You can also wear bracelets or statement earrings to dress up your outfit.
4. 4. Fasten with a safety pin. If the V-neck is too low, you can close it further using a safety pin. You can wear a tank top under your wrap dress for more coverage.
5. 5. Go formal. A midi or maxi wrap dress and heels can be a perfect outfit for a formal event, especially with some eye-catching jewelry.
6. 6. Play with color. You can wear wrap dresses in all seasons. Opt for dark-color wrap dresses made with knits in fall and winter and bright-color cotton dresses for spring and summer looks.

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