Room through the middle, without turning into a sack.

Most tiered dresses put their first seam at the natural waist, which on a fuller body is exactly where the torso is widest — so the gathering starts at the widest point and adds bulk on top of it. The second problem is the neckline: a smock with one long unstructured slit opens a little further every time you reach up, and there is nothing to stop it. The third is length. A knee-length tiered skirt takes up width at the hip, and every centimetre it uses going outwards it loses going down, so the hem lands higher on the body than the hanger promised.

The LILY moves its first tier seam up under the chest, well above the waist, and puts the second at hip level, so the width builds in two gradual stages rather than all at once at the middle. Its neckline is a short split placket set under a narrow band collar, which means the opening stops high on the chest and stays where it is. The tiers are cut generously enough that the width at the hip does not come out of the length.

Why it works

• First tier seam set high under the chest: the gathering starts above the waist, so no extra bulk is added at the widest part of the torso
• Second tier at hip level plus a hem flounce: the width builds in stages down the dress instead of arriving all at once
• Band collar with a short split placket: the opening ends high on the chest, so it stays put when you reach up or lean forward
• Three-quarter bell sleeve: wide through the elbow and open at the forearm, with nothing sitting on the fullest part of the upper arm
• Textured woven pattern: the cloth has body of its own, so the skirt holds its shape away from the hip rather than clinging to it
• Frayed raw edges at hem and cuffs: soft unfinished edges with no stiff turned hem to press a line

Fit note

A relaxed smock cut with no waist seam and nothing to adjust once it is on. Your usual size is normally right. The cloth has real texture and some stiffness to it, so it stands slightly away from the body rather than draping over it — that is the point of the shape, and it softens with wear and washing. Length sits at or just above the knee, and it will sit higher than that if you are tall. The bell sleeves are wide and open at the forearm, so push them up if you are cooking or working. Sizes M to 4XL.