My newfound appreciation for leopard print continues to develop, and this time its latest focal point is a real doozy. Folks, get ready to meet the most comfortable dress you’ll  ever wear!

Dress: Leopard Raquel dress C/O Wax Poetic
Bangles: Charcoal Fakelite by Splendette
Hair: Divatress
Shoes: Pascha pumps by Dorothy Perkins

The Raquel dress features a V neckline, princess seams, and gathers under the bust and at the shoulders. Those shoulders give a wonderful drape that allows the dress, although sleeveless, to give a little flattering coverage at the inside of your upper arms where most sleeveless dresses betray all of us who do not have perfectly toned arms, i.e. most of us. There’s no waist seam, but if you’re a lady who needs to feel defined in that area it’s easy to add a slim belt for some extra definition.

The thing about leopard print is that it’s so easy to be tempted to vamp it up to the extreme, but the print alone does so much of the heavy lifting that it’s not even necessary. Adding a few stylised touches easily produces a complete look, with all the sass and attitude of a much more intricately-plotted outfit. For this dress all I had to do was add a couple bangles and let the black ribbon detail of my bra poke out over the top of the V-neckline and I immediately felt sexy, slinky and, with the bat of my lashes, still just as coy as I wanted to be. It would be beyond easy, though, to style it in a variety of other ways, depending upon your own style preferences. More of a fan of chunky leather boots than ballet flats or heels? Go for it, it’ll look great. Want to layer it up with leggings, a cropped jacket and cat’s eye glasses? Knock yourself out. This dress has the versatility to slot into any style or season, which makes it a winner.

And all that’s before we even touch on how ridiculously soft this dress is! Technically it’s made of a brushed knit, but I can only imagine this material is actually crafted from spun clouds because I’ve never felt another dress this soft. It’s the kind of soft you know will make your partner pause to feel and comment upon it when they touch your waist, which, you know, is no bad thing. And then there’s the fact that, combined with the stretch, it means it’s not just lovely to put on, but to wear for a whole day and night through, without ever pinching, straining or digging in.

That incredible stretch doesn’t just make this dress a dream to wear, but it likely will also effect the size you need to pick. If you’ve bought from Wax Poetic before you can probably size down from your usual size, but if not you should note that the measurements given on the product page for this dress aren’t the maximum stretch measurements for each size. My measurements would put me in the 2XL but I was advised the XL would fit me better for a more fitted, pinup look, and that advice was 100% correct. My XL measures approximately 42 inches in the bust with stretch to 46 inches, and 32 inches flat in the waist with stretch to 36 inches. The skirt has a lovely flow to it but isn’t made to house a voluminous petticoat, so ladies who can’t live without a little lift off their legs should note only a slim volume pettiskirt will work under this piece. There’s no zips or fastenings needed to get in and out of this dress, just pop it on over your head and you’re good to go.

Personally, I’m sure I’ve just found my new favourite last-minute date night dress. Come at me, tiger.

The Raquel dress in Leopard Print comes in sizes XS-3XL. All Wax Poetic pieces are made in USA, designed with love, and are available to ship internationally.