Though this Velvet Scallop Button Dress in Navy, £350, House of Holland at Urban Outfitters is marketed as a dress, it is a truly genre-defining piece of kit. And well deserving of all your pay-cheque (post rent, of course. A velvet dress, no matter how good, should never come before a roof over your head.)
We first spotted this incredible Edwardian-meets-pop-art creation on US fashion DJ Harley Viera-Newton at Henry's A/W14 show back in February and now it's available to buy from none other than Urban Outfitters. It is not cheap, of course, but look at the myriad ways in which you can wear it. This dress is surely the definition of multi-functional.
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Wear open with a knit dress for work
Sweater dresses are big news for A/W14, but think vintage chunky polo-neck dresses rather than crew-neck. Wear the velvet dress open as a coat – perfect for trotting to meetings – and pair with chunky sandals until it's too cold to do so (fight the good fight against autumn! And so on and so forth.)
Knit Dress, £25 from a selection at Beyond Retro and Flat Out Lace Up Flat Sandals, £38 ASOS
Go sleek like a Palermo but add some clash
Not to be confused with a Palomino pony, the Palermo (first name: Olivia) is a swishy creature with a glossy high ponytail and perfectly co-ordinating accessories. You, however, are you going to clash them. This velvet dress is perfect for parties and dinner dates (not the first date: as a first date look this is intimidatingly groomed) and the checkered poncho will work with pretty much everything in your closet this cape-heavy autumn. Also has a detachable faux-fur collar, depending on how debonair you want to go.
Black and White Tartan Faux Fur Trim Cape, £35 River Island, Gallop Court Shoes, £58 Topshop (available in store) and Faux Pony and Leather Cross Body Bag in Leopard, £18 ASOS
Throw over your most casual garms to run errands
You need some milk, or the newspapers, or just a takeaway – and you reach for the same thing every time, amirite? Baggy jeans, favourite old trainers, a worn T-shirt. A dress like this, when worn as a coat, elevates the whole look into offbeat snazzy – rather than gross-out normcore. We're not saying you have to look shamazing every time you pick up your Chinese, but it's no bother chucking this over it all, like a secret cape, in case you see someone you love, fancy or hate. Whichever of the three, you're going to want to look good.
Vintage Customised Cropped Ringer Tee, £25 Urban Outfitters, Mom Jeans, £55 BDG at Urban Outfitters, Posy Flower Heart Locket, £195 Alex Monroe and trainers, model's own
Tone down the structured velvet with some coloured sneaks
Our new favourite trainers? These baby pink Reebok Classics. With some schoolgirlish white socks pulled up and some polarised blue shades, a velvet dress with oversized glittering bauble buttons is suddenly more street-ready eclectic and perfect for drinks on a Friday night where you may well be walking 12 miles to the pub, club and then back home again. (You know those nights – they're good, but only with trainers.)
Classic Leather Runner in Pink, £55 Reebok at Urban Outfitters, Sheer Stripe Ankle Socks, £3.50 Topshop, Steamed Up Round Sunglasses, £16 Minkpink
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Photographer: Agata Pec
Model: Zsuzsanna at M+P Models
Stylist: Pandora Sykes
Make-up: Mai Kodoma
Hair: Tiffanne Williams
Follow Pandora on Twitter @pinsykes
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.