A white midi dress has a defining screen moment in Elizabeth Taylor's white belted chiffon in the 1958 film Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. FIT credits costume designer Helen Rose, MGM's chief designer since 1949, and says high-end department stores sought copies. Here is how to choose a white midi dress that looks cool and keeps its shape.
White Midi Dress: Elizabeth Taylor and Helen Rose's Chiffon
The slip that stole a film
British Vogue identifies Elizabeth Taylor's white belted chiffon midi in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and dates her appearance to 1958. FIT's Fashion History Timeline credits the costume design to Helen Rose, reports that she became MGM's chief designer in 1949 and says high-end department stores sought copies of the white chiffon dress for Taylor. A white midi dress has been copied since the 1950s because it is simple, and simple is hard.
Why midi works
A midi dress falls between the knee and the ankle, which makes it easy in heat, easy to walk in and easy to dress up or down. It works with flats, sandals, boots and heels. Check the length in front of a mirror. A hem at the widest part of the calf can be unflattering, so aim just below or well above it.
Fabric and lining
White fabrics need a lining. Cotton poplin, eyelet, linen blends and heavy crepe all behave in daylight. Chiffon needs a slip. Ivory or cream is softer than stark white. Picture her in a white midi with a thin belt and flat sandals, walking through an open-air market in the late afternoon. Choose a neckline that frames your collarbones.
For every occasion
A white midi dress works for a graduation, a rehearsal dinner, a day wedding guest outfit if the couple has not asked otherwise, or an ordinary Saturday. Add a denim jacket for casual days and gold jewelry for evening. Carry a stain pen.
What I would skip
I would skip a white midi with a thin, unlined skirt and a tight bodice that shows every seam. A white midi dress should feel breezy and keep its line.
