A Closer Look: The Story Behind the Perfect Linen Dress
You may recall an Instagram post we had a while back about the style muse that was the foundation for our entire spring collection. Enter, the Nico Dress. A beautiful linen dress that’s grown-up, flowy, and unfussy. It’s the best combination of fit and oversized, lightweight yet durable. The classic linen + Tencel blend we have come to love make up the build of this dress so you’ll be able to love it for years to come.
Is it the perfect grown-up linen dress?
Well, we’ll leave that for you to decide.
Behind the Nico
Behind every foundational piece, there’s been a story. In 2012, when we first started, it was our cornerstone button-ups that became the centerpiece for our collections. While time has passed and we do still feature those classic, well-loved 101 styles, we’ve taken more risks, listened to what customers are saying, and created new styles each season to get excited about.
When it comes to the Nico, the inspiration for the dress came from home - literally. What goes around, always comes back around.
Sadie, the owner of Tradlands, thought of a dress of her mothers from many years ago. She had sewn it herself and it was something she wore often in her youth. We knew the style was something that looked truly timeless and could picture ourselves in the dress. We could see how perfect the style would be for a summer-y, oversized dress that’s easy to wear and even easier to fall in love with.
The Linen Dress Sets the Stage
The Nico was one of the first pieces designed in the spring and summer collection. It became the style muse and every other piece was sort of built around it. We felt like this piece became the inspiration for everything from the flowing styles and silhouettes we featured to the color palette we were able to create. Not to mention our incredible collaboration with Caroline Corrigan on the beautiful Caroline Print you saw in both the Nico Dress and the Short Sleeve Box Top.
The dreamy desert-inspired print you’ve come to know and love as the Caroline Print took center stage as we started to share sneak peeks months ago prior to the launch. The collaboration worked to include organic shapes and brush strokes and incorporate a variety of different elements without being too busy or repetitive.
Everything else fell into place with sand tones, blue hues, and sunset shades throughout the entirety of the spring and summer collection. These pieces are easy to love on their own and pair extremely well with each other too. The style inspiration has been endless.
The Linen Dress Sets the Stage
The Nico was one of the first pieces designed in the spring and summer collection. It became the style muse and every other piece was sort of built around it. We felt like this piece became the inspiration for everything from the flowing styles and silhouettes we featured to the color palette we were able to create. Not to mention our incredible collaboration with Caroline Corrigan on the beautiful Caroline Print you saw in both the Nico Dress and the Short Sleeve Box Top.
The dreamy desert-inspired print you’ve come to know and love as the Caroline Print took center stage as we started to share sneak peeks months ago prior to the launch. The collaboration worked to include organic shapes and brush strokes and incorporate a variety of different elements without being too busy or repetitive.
Using this as a style, color, and creative guidepost, everything else fell into place with sand tones, blue hues, and sunset shades throughout the entirety of the spring and summer collection. These pieces are easy to love on their own and pair extremely well with each other too. Warm pastels complement each other and soft hues make an easy textured monochrome look. The style inspiration has been endless!
A Modern Twist on A Heritage Style
To be completely honest, there have not been many products we’ve created and designed that have been received the way the Nico Dress has and much of that has to do with the silhouette’s uniqueness and also the whole look and feel of the colors we chose.
In the world of slow, small-batch fashion, bringing on a completely new style and a brand new print to our collection after all these years can bring with it some uncertainty. Unlike larger, fast-fashion brands, we can’t hide behind huge swaths of colors or large and varying inventory numbers and styles. Instead, we welcomed the challenge by listening to customer feedback, focusing on our core goals, and finding the creative space to go beyond our comfort zone.
With colors inspired by our favorite summer places and a style that has literally stood the test of time, we brought you a truly heritage classic that is the Nico Dress. It’s a modern twist on a grown-up unfussy sundress that’s almost too easy to fall in love with.
We took the timeless style, paired it with beautiful colorways, elevated the look, and breathed life into the story that birthed the Nico. The story combines everything we stand for and is at the heart of everything we do. We bring timeless pieces to life with high-quality materials and a promise of longevity. We design clothes that feel elevated and effortless while being comfortably stylish and beautifully versatile.
In the world of slow, small-batch fashion, bringing on a completely new style and a brand new print to our collection after all these years can bring with it some uncertainty. Unlike larger, fast-fashion brands, we can’t hide behind huge swaths of colors or large and varying inventory numbers and styles. Instead, we welcomed the challenge by listening to customer feedback, focusing on our core goals, and finding the creative space to go beyond our comfort zone.
With colors inspired by our favorite summer places and a style that has literally stood the test of time, we brought you a truly heritage classic that is the Nico Dress. It’s a modern twist on a grown-up unfussy sundress that’s almost too easy to fall in love with.
We took the timeless style, paired it with beautiful colorways, elevated the look, and breathed life into the story that birthed the Nico. The story combines everything we stand for and is at the heart of everything we do. We bring timeless pieces to life with high-quality materials and a promise of longevity. We design clothes that feel elevated and effortless while being comfortably stylish and beautifully versatile.
We are so thankful for all of the support the Nico has drawn and for the love we’ve been shown around the beautiful Caroline Print design collaboration. The feedback and positivity around the initial launch and the restock have been so exciting.
We plan to bring you more of what you loved in styles, colors, and fabrics. Sign up for our email newsletter, Off The Cuff, for the newest product drops and sneak peeks at upcoming collections and follow us on Instagram to find style inspiration, promos, and more.
Psst... we will have sneak peeks soon for a long-sleeved Nico Dress coming this fall + winter!
Customers Love the Nico
“One of a kind and effortlessly cool.”
“The fabric is light enough for summer, the cut is loose without being too shapeless. The pattern is so unique and cute.”
“Lovely and timeless! When images first started popping up with the Caroline print, I knew immediately that I needed to get one of these dresses! I was worried the drop waist combined with the slightly oversized/flowy style wouldn't look good on me, but they really nailed it with the silhouette.”
“Effortless to the max. This dress is a dream. The soft drape, generous cut, and buttery fabric make this piece a solid YES.”
Our commitment to using high-quality fabrics and producing clothes in small batches means you get a unique, long-lasting piece. Shop now and add a touch of timeless elegance to your wardrobe.