Everything on this page is STAUD, so the only real question is which dress to order and at what price. The range runs from Craftsman Sweater Dress at $103 to Piazza Dress at $172, across 20 pieces. If you are buying one thing, start at the bottom of the range and only move up when the fabric and finishing genuinely changes.

Order your usual size and check the shoulder and the waist first. Hems are cheap to fix and shoulders are not. The jump from $103 to $172 buys fabric and finishing, not a different idea, so decide how often you will actually wear it before you pay the top of the range. Lidia Silk Dress moves and drapes on the body, which is the version to buy if you want it to feel worn in rather than new.

Buy Lois Dress at $148. It sits in the middle of the range, and the middle is where you stop noticing any improvement in fabric and finishing. Craftsman Sweater Dress at $103 is the sensible first purchase if you have never owned one and are not sure how often you will wear it. Piazza Dress at $172 is the one to skip unless you already know the brand suits you, because at that price it spends most of its life on a hanger. Order your usual size and judge it on the shoulder and the waist. A hem is a cheap fix and a shoulder is not.