Object Lesson: Wrap Star

Tom Scott crafts a dress deserving of a double take. By Johnathan Lawhorn

Come spring and summer (and the hot, hot, heat) most every woman yearns for the same thing in her closet: fresh, spunky pieces that are a snap to wear. Cue Tom Scott, soon to be sweater superstar, whose crafty arsenal chock full of such pieces makes assembling the warm-weather wardrobe kind of dreamy. His designs are experimental minus the gimmicks, which don't work when you're hot...or ever. In his current spring/summer collection, Scott offers an exemplary symbol of his design aesthetic, and, yeah, what a girl wants: a wonderfully adaptable parachute dress that promises to transition you flawlessly from day to night.

At first glance, the convertible jersey design appears simple. But upon closer inspection, the genius is revealed—an equally dynamic duo that masquerades as one. The dress affords you creative license in styling with the functional laces on the sides. When tied, the parachute dress offers a subtle, more feminine alternative to its relaxed but body-conscious counterpart. Flexible, yes. Shapeless, no. Perfect for the best spring ever? Absolutely.

Tom Scott stripe cotton jersey parachute dress in gray ($360) is available in Boston at Stel's, 334 Newbury Street, 617-262-3348, and in Seattle at Impulse, 3516 Fremont Place North, 206-545-4854.

Tom Scott crafts a dress deserving of a double-take.