How Supertight Dresses Explain The World, By Thandie Newton And Vogue

Babydolls? Or bandages? Flowy, or structured? Loose? Or tight? Thandie Newton has a perspective! Remember that structured little number she wore to the Great Wall of Fendi not too long ago?

'Tighter! Tighter!' I'd say to the Chinese gentleman doing the fitting (everyone had their own translator). He'd shake his head. I'd insist. He'd shake his head again. I'd insist again. Eventually he agreed to what I wanted.

Okay then, Miss Scarlett! Anyway, that's her writing in the most recent Vogue, which, as you may have inferred from the image of Vogue editor Anna Wintour's daughter Bee in that skintight Dolce number we put up yesterday, is really pushing the tight dress trend. What's it all about? Well, aside from being literally "restrictive," tight dresses are a "restrictive" trend — they're complicated to tailor, and difficult to knock off, and most of all difficult to get away with — hell, difficult to even squeeze into!

In short, they are never going to make a huge amount of money for anyone, though Herve Leger will probably figure out a way to leverage his brand with an exclusive handbag line or whatever.

Meanwhile, babydoll dresses immediately became ubiquitous, widely copied, profitable, and they looked decent on everyone. The fashion industry needs to be two faced — exclusive, expensive and insecure-making on one hand, and accessible and flattering on the other — to keep you confused. And obsessed! And coming back for more.

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