I have a theory that the best going-out clothes come from people who actually go out, and LIONESS fits it. Wendy Lin started the label in Sydney in 2009 and still runs it as founder and managing director. The brand's own story is about dressing a woman who knows herself, with a design team that wants to get ahead of trends instead of trailing them.

 

I like that. It does not try to put everyone in the same silhouette. It offers strong shapes with enough range for different moods, so there is a wink of downtown nightlife in the tops and minis, and then trousers, denim and skirts that can keep up with a Tuesday.

 

I read this edit as a wardrobe for someone who wants her clothes to say something without doing all the talking. Pick one silhouette you love, then decide how much drama the rest of the outfit needs.

The tops are where the moods split. The Bottega T-shirt is the quiet anchor for denim, the Bronx Long Sleeve Top gives you a bit more coverage when the night runs long, and the Safari Halter Top and Opulence Halter Top are for the days you want some bare shoulders. The Inizio Corset is the shape-led one, and I would let it carry a look with simple pants instead of piling on another focal point. I went deeper on a related idea in All My Love Tops and Pants: Where to Start.

 

Picture her in the Bronx Long Sleeve Top and an easy jean for a gallery afternoon, then in a ruffled top for a table booked after dark. My tip is to choose one point of interest, a ruffle or a close corset line, and keep everything else plain. What I would skip is the Uno Tie Top and a corset in the same outfit.

For the daytime half of the label, I see a few routes. The Aniston Pant is the clean choice for a day with meetings, while the Miami Vice Pant is the one I would reach for when I want a more relaxed line. The Bloom Cotton Wide Leg Pants sit somewhere in the middle, loose and easy.

 

Totti Jeans and Horseshoe Jeans are the denim counterpoint, with more personality than a plain blue jean. Picture her with a Sunday coffee in the Totti Jeans, then swapping to the Aniston Pant with the same top for a casual dinner. Pair a relaxed bottom with a fitted top, or keep the lines close on both sides if you want it sharper.

A hemline can change the whole mood, and these dresses prove it. The District Maxi Dress and Stars Align Midi Dress take the longer route, the Sweetheart Polka Dot Maxi Dress adds a little sweetness, and the Sweetheart Mini Dress, Wimbledon Mini Dress and Glory Mini Dress are the playful end. I would treat a maxi as my first choice for dinner, when one piece should set the tone, and save the minis for a warm night with shoes and a jacket to finish.

 

The Rhode Lace Trim Mini Slip Dress is the one I would layer, and the Dolce V Neck Slouchy Sweater is the soft thing to throw over it. A small tip: check where the hem lands against your shoes before you commit to an occasion, because a midi that ends in the wrong place can feel fussier than it needs to. Keep the accessories quiet and the dress will do the work.

Skirts are where the label plays with texture and color. The Shoreline Midi Skirt in Persian Jewel brings a strong print, the Constance Mini Skirt in burgundy keeps the short shape grounded, and the Enigmatic Maxi Skirt in leopard takes the pattern story all the way. The Hudson Maxi Skirt in silver is the shiny one, and I would keep it for the evening.

 

I would pair the boldest skirt with a plain fitted top rather than add a second print, then let the hemline pick the shoe. A midi keeps the day easy, while the mini and the long skirts push the energy toward after sunset.

What stays with me about LIONESS is the range inside one point of view. It can go from a corset and a mini to denim, trousers and skirts without pretending those clothes belong to different women, and I think that comes from Wendy Lin's Sydney start and a quick-moving eye.

 

Everyone will land somewhere different, one person leaning toward sharp silhouettes, another toward a quieter top or pant. I would build around the piece I was most excited to wear and keep the rest calm. Although I suspect the excited piece would be the corset.