Tanner Fletcher Dresses: What I'd Actually Buy

Tanner Fletcher is the rare label that makes me think in rooms instead of racks. Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasell met as college freshmen and turned that friendship into a Brooklyn label in 2020. Kasell studied fashion merchandising and buying, and Richie came from interior design, which goes a long way toward explaining why a wardrobe here feels a bit like a sitting room.

Soft bows and ruffles sit next to tailoring, upholstery references and nostalgic prints. Their own About page talks about vintage discovery, eclectic dressing and gender-inclusive design, and I like that it shows up in the clothes and not only in the styling. The shapes stay open to different bodies, so a silk slip and a playful knit can live in the same story.

What keeps me here is the mix of sweetness and oddness. Nothing has to choose between looking polished and having a sense of humor.

These dresses soften an occasion without making it precious. The yellow Irene Lace Trim Midi Dress is silk chiffon and semi-sheer, so the lace reads as part of the texture and not a last flourish. The ivory Patsy Pointelle Midi Dress answers with a soft knit, a mock neck and a bow at the front, and it wants a tonal slip underneath.

In my fashion dreams, she wears Patsy to a garden lunch over that slip, then changes into Irene for a late dinner and leaves the lace to do the talking. Helene Sequin Toile Mini Dress, Helene Mini Dress and Kit Keyhole Mini Dress are the shorter, giddier cousins, and Darlene Off The Shoulder Gown is for the night you want to be looked at. Plan the underlayer for either midi before you plan anything else.

Here I would keep the rest of the outfit clean and let one playful detail lead. Rufus Pom Pom Sweater is chocolate brown with an off-white scalloped collar and a bow-tied neckline finished with pom-poms, which is more fun than it has any right to be. Eddie Pleated Wool Trouser gives that short-sleeve knit a sharper counterpoint, and Kennedy Hotfix Tie Track Jacket puts sport and formal dressing in the same outfit.

Picture her in Rufus and Eddie for an afternoon of vintage browsing, then throwing Kennedy on when the plans turn casual. Martin Removable Collar Sweater and Wellington Poodle Zip-up Sweater are the quieter knits, and Sid Lace Loop Straight Leg Jeans, Kennedy Lace Trim Track Pant and Myrtle Layered Cape finish the cast. My rule is to choose the pom-poms or the tie as the focal point and keep the rest plain.

The more I look, the more this feels like dressing for a particular kind of day. Pippin Polkadot Ruffle Mini Dress puts a lively print on a short shape, while Colette Cottage Placket Midi Dress and Frances Lace Layer Tee Dress are two relaxed ways to wear a dress without fuss. I would keep shoes simple with the Pippin and let the lace layer of Frances peek out from under a light jacket. Emmeline Strapless Trellis Gown is a very different commitment, one for a specific occasion and not an impulse.

I especially like the tops as outfit starters. Simone Polkadot Pussybow Blouse, Hattie Edwardian Blouse, Pippa Ruffle Collar Button Down Shirt and Pauline Sleeveless Bow Top each bring their own neckline to the party. Wilma Plaid Flannel Midi Skirt and Paula Bow Mini Skirt point them in two directions, and Matilda Quilted Rosette Mini Skirt adds texture. Fannie Puff Sleeve Polkadot Sweater and Juliet Puff Sleeve Cardigan Sweater soften the sharper blouses, Marianne Puff Sleeve Blouse and Isabella Lace Layer Cami are for layering, and Rudie Belted Swim Suit is the cheerful outlier.

Pick the top first, then keep either the print or the trim quiet elsewhere. What I would skip is a polkadot blouse with another loud pattern; let one motif set the tone.

That is the thread I keep coming back to: Tanner Fletcher treats getting dressed as an extension of the spaces and memories we carry, not a set of rules. I love how a dress can be romantic without being precious, or a sporty piece can wear a bow and still make sense on an ordinary day. For anyone who likes vintage references with a wink, the best pick is the one personal enough to stay in rotation, not the one that demands a whole new closet. Although I suspect the pom-pom sweater will be the one that wins.