In 1991, Nicky Zimmermann was designing dresses in her parents' garage in Sydney and selling them at the Paddington markets on weekends. The brand's own story says the stall was where she could see how women responded to her clothes, and that sister Simone joined the business the same year. In 1992 came a permanent shop in Darlinghurst, and the rest is a long run of ruffles, lace and printed florals.

Vogue once called the label's habit "intricate, elaborate, feminine gilded lilies," and pointed to hemlines reinforced by crinoline and floral appliqués "that take up to two weeks to apply by hand." That is the original, and it is a particular kind of romance. This edit is for the Zimmermann dress dupe search: pieces from other labels that share one defining detail, here a ruffle and a painterly flower, in the same spirit and without borrowing a single name.

Start with the florals in this first group. I would pick the Cyrus from Cinq à Sept in black for its gathered waist and sketch-style flowers, which read like a painting rather than a wallpaper. The Vivier from Rails is a smocked midi with ruffled cap sleeves and a dark floral print, with a mood that suits a late-October wedding with a blazer over the top. The Nico from ASTR the Label has ruffled cap sleeves and a dipped neckline, and the Angelica from Petal & Pup is a blush floral with flutter sleeves and a lace-trimmed V-neck.

Here is the test I would run on any of them: hold the ruffle up to the light. A good one is cut with enough fullness to move, and the print should not stop dead at the seam. With a leather jacket and tall boots, a floral midi works well in October.

Nicky Zimmermann has said the brand's DNA is, in her words, "optimism," and a puff sleeve in natural linen is about as optimistic as a sleeve gets. The detail that sells the look is the sleeve itself: it should hold a soft balloon shape, with an elastic or gathered cuff that sits neatly at the arm.

The Dalia from Faithfull the Brand is 100% linen with a cotton lining, in butter yellow, and the cotton lining is what I would look for first. The Brigitte from Sleeper is white linen with a tiny floral print and a tie waist, so you can adjust it after lunch. The Posie from Ever New is a painterly floral in a linen and viscose blend, with an A-line skirt that gives the sleeves something to balance against. The Freja from SIR. is a floral linen mini with pintucks at the waist, which I would wear with a cream knit tied over the shoulders for a weekend away.

In the fitting room, read the composition label before anything else. Linen blends such as the Darla and the Valeria drape differently from pure linen, so check the fabric line and the lining. Press the fabric between your fingers: if it springs back, good, and if it stays creased like paper, expect more wrinkles.

What I would skip: a pale linen mini without a lining for a day of sitting under bright light. It is lovely, but see-through is a different dress.

Vogue's report on the label's spring 2024 show mentions "guipure-edged georgette" dresses, so lace is a thread that runs through the original's story. This group is where that thread gets practical: broderie anglaise, eyelet and guipure in cotton, and they are easier to live in than they look.

The Bella from HOUSE OF CB is the closest to the romantic idea, with broderie cotton, scalloped trim, puff sleeves and a corset-inspired bodice. The Nora from Talisman the Label is a tiered white maxi with a deep V. The Tierney from Petal & Pup is sage green eyelet with a smocked bodice, which gives you a more forgiving fit. The Remy from BARDOT is spot lace with a basque waist, and the Susie from For Love & Lemons is a crisp cotton eyelet mini for a weekend walk.

The check that matters is the cut edge. On good broderie the embroidery is dense and the scalloped edge is finished cleanly, with no loose threads. Hold the skirt up and look through it: if the holes are wide and the cotton is thin, wear a slip underneath.

What I would skip: white lace for a wedding where you are a guest, since white and ivory belong to the bride. Choose sage, soft yellow or blue instead.

The brand's own story names "delicate original prints" as part of its vision. So on a longer dress the print does most of the work, and the cut should let it travel. A bias cut is the one I look for, because it lets a printed silk move in a long line.

The Elliana from Cinq à Sept is a printed silk maxi with a one-shoulder neckline, ruching and a bias-cut hem. The Samar from Ulla Johnson is 100% silk, abstract, with short puff sleeves. The Frankie from Reformation is 100% silk in a floral with adjustable straps. The Amelie from SIR. is a floral silk sateen maxi with long sleeves and a back cutout, and the Olive from Borgo de Nor is a crepe satin with crossover straps in cherry blossom blue.

My buying test is simple. Drag the hem across the back of your hand: real silk feels dry and slightly cool, and viscose satin feels smoother and a little heavier. Both are fine, but the label should say which one you are getting, and the lining should be soft at the neck. Check that the print lines up at the side seam.

What I would skip: a clingy satin maxi with no lining for a long dinner, since satin shows every seam. If a dress looks perfect on the hanger, ask how it behaves when you sit.

Vogue noted a "boned bustier on a white mini dress" that "resembles a vintage undergarment," and that is the detail this last group borrows. A corset bodice on a mini is a small piece of engineering: boning in channels, a lining, and a skirt cut to flare.

The Ashta and the Nisa from Bardot are the plainest versions, in soft yellow and bubblegum, with a structured bodice and a flared skirt. The Ganni printed double satin corset mini has a pleated bodice with padded shoulders in light blue florals, which I would pair with opaque tights and loafers for October. The Vento from Shona Joy is an ivory bustier with a bubble hem, and the Hemant and Nandita corseted mini has a pleated skirt and adjustable straps, which makes the fit kinder.

Run your hand down the bodice seams: if you can feel separate boning channels, the dress should hold its shape. A separate lining under the outer fabric is the other tell, and the bodice should spring back if you pull it gently away from you.

What I would skip: a strapless bustier for a long evening if you have not checked how the top edge sits when you sit down. Choose adjustable straps instead.

If I were starting, I would pick the detail first: ruffle, sleeve, lace, print or corset. Then I would read the fabric line and check the lining, and only then the color.

For October, the linen puff-sleeve dress with a cardigan, or the floral chiffon midi with boots, is the easy pair. The one I would reach for is a painterly floral with a gathered waist, because that is where the story starts.

Somewhere in Paddington, a woman in a stall once sold dresses on a Saturday. A good alternative keeps that spirit, in a different label with its own name. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Floral Maxi Dresses Worth Switching To.