Black Dresses

Black dresses

A black dress is the one piece that carries a client meeting into dinner without a change of outfit. The Forcast range runs from tailored minis and ponte shifts to pencil midis, satin slips and lace, in sizes 4 to 18. It is for women who want one decision to cover the whole day.

Which black dress to choose

For the office, the Sutton Ponte Dress and the Juno Panel Ponte Dress have the stretch and structure to hold their line from morning to evening. A double-breasted style or a utility tie dress reads as tailored without a blazer. For evening, the Calliope Bias Cut Slip Dress and the Romy Lace Ruched Dress need little more than a heel, while a drop-waist or button mini suits a night out.

Fabric and fit

Black shows texture rather than colour, so the fabric does the talking. Ponte holds a structured shape and recovers after a day at a desk; satin, lace and fine knit give depth that a flat fabric cannot. Choose a close fit in ponte and a looser one in bias-cut satin, where the drape is the point.

What to wear with it

In the office, a blazer in a lighter colour lifts the outfit and a closed shoe keeps it formal. After hours, drop the blazer and add gold jewellery and a heel. To break up head-to-toe black, use a scarf or a coloured belt as the single point of contrast.

How to shop the range

Sizes run 4 to 18, so compare your measurements with the size guide before you order. If you want the same shapes in another colour, see navy dresses and white dresses; for styles chosen with a dress code in mind, see work dresses.

Standard delivery is free on Australian orders over $100 and express delivery is $12.99. You have 30 days to return or exchange, online or in any Forcast store across New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT.