Tracy Reese founded her label about 20 years ago, and she established her signatures early on: vibrant colors, flowery prints, womanly dresses. The look is as relevant now as it was in the late ’90s. Of course, she’s experimented with other ideas, too, like Fall ’16’s slouchy suits and her twist on athleisure for Pre-Fall ’17. The first look, a soft nipped-waist cream jumpsuit layered under a matching, unstructured blazer, indicated a new interest in comfort. Reese’s customers will always come to her for garden party frocks and cocktail dresses, but in our increasingly casual world, they need some low-key options, too.
The athletic references were pretty straightforward—joggers and wide-leg track pants, both styled with lacy evening tops—but even Reese’s usual fare was injected with ease. A great side-slit dress with buttons along the hip looked as easy as a sweatshirt, but was office-appropriate, too. Ditto the full-skirted tank dress with a built-in corset belt. Chances are her fans will still make a beeline for the girlier stuff, though: A tea-length lace dress and one-shouldered, painterly floral maxi were timeless, while the crinkled orange and fuchsia gown will satisfy this season’s neon craving.
