Pleated Midi Dress with Short Sleeves and Tie Belt

A pleated midi dress with a belt you tie yourself

This pleated midi dress by Numoco is built from two simple halves. The top is plain, with a round neckline and short sleeves. From the waist down, the skirt falls in narrow pleats to around the knee. A belt in the same fabric ties the two together.

The maker produces it in Poland, in 95% polyester and 5% spandex, and closes it with a covered zip at the back. Sizes run from XS to XXL and the length is 100 to 105 cm.

At a glance

The piece: the Lila dress by Numoco

Numoco calls this dress Lila. The model numbers run from 144198 to 215829, which suggests the maker has kept it in the range for a long time and added colours along the way. That would also explain why the photos come from different studios. The dress itself does not change: pleated, short sleeves, a belt, a covered zip, made in Poland.

Our colour menu does not always use the maker's names. "Blue" is the maker's seafoam and "Teal" its sea colour. "Fuchsia" is raspberry, "Blush" is beige and "Lavender" is heather. "Deep Purple" and "blue 4" are both listed by the maker as navy blue. In the photos the first is a very dark blue-violet and the second a bright cobalt. Pick the option, look at the photo that comes with it, and trust the photo.

A few photos in the gallery show shades that are not in the menu, light pink for example.

Who it's for

For you if you have a season of occasions ahead and want one dress shape you can rely on. The pleated skirt is wide, so it is easy over the hips, and the belt lets you decide how much waist to show.

It suits you if you like your shoulders covered and your arms free. With sizes from XS to XXL and a chest from 84 to 112 cm, most women will find their size in the table.

Closer look: maker's data and photos

• Pleated skirt (maker's data), in narrow pleats from waist to hem (photos)
• Short sleeves (maker's data), cut as cap sleeves over the shoulder (photos)
• Round neckline and a plain bodice (photos)
• Belt in the dress fabric that ties in a bow (maker's data and photos)
• Covered zip at the back (maker's data)
• Hem around the knee on the models (photos)

The maker does not mention a lining. We can't tell from the photos either.

Fabric and feel: light, pleated polyester

All colours share one composition: 95% polyester and 5% spandex. The maker describes the material as light, and in one of the texts says it flows in movement. The photos show that. Where a model turns or lifts the hem, the pleats fan out and fall back.

Polyester is the usual choice for pleats because it holds a pressed fold. The bodice has a matte, smooth surface, and the spandex gives it a little stretch across the bust and shoulders.

Fit and silhouette: fitted top, wide skirt

Choose your size by chest and waist. In the maker's table, size M has a chest of 92 cm and a waist of 74 cm. Size XL has 104 and 84 cm, and XXL 112 and 92 cm. The hip number, 130 or 140 cm, is the full width of the pleated skirt, so your own hips don't limit you.

Length is 100 cm in XS and S, 101 cm in M and 105 cm from L up. On the models that puts the hem around the knee. The table does not say whether chest and waist are garment or body measurements, so compare them with a fitted dress you own.

Size chart (cm)

Source: the maker's size table, the same for every colour (the red model is listed in S to XL only). The hip number is the width of the pleated skirt, so it fits any hip.

Styling: bow in front or bow at the back

The photos show two ways with the belt. Tied in a bow at the front, the dress looks sweet. Tied at the back, the front is a clean band and the dress looks more grown-up. Try both in front of the mirror.

The models wear nude or metallic heeled sandals, and one carries a small clutch. In cooler weather a short jacket that ends at the waist keeps the shape of the skirt visible. With flat sandals and a straw bag, the lighter colours become a summer day dress.

Occasions

The maker lists weddings, communions, baptisms, summer parties and family celebrations. That is where this dress is at home. It is dressed enough for a ceremony and comfortable enough to sit through a long lunch afterwards.

In navy, burgundy or grey it also works at the office.

Care: follow the label

The maker's data has no care instructions, so go by the label sewn into the dress.

For pleats in general: hang the dress to dry and keep a hot press away from the skirt unless the label allows it, because heat can flatten pleats for good.

The wow detail: the skirt in motion

Standing still, the pleats hang as straight lines and the skirt looks narrow. Then you walk, and it opens like a fan. Several models hold the hem out to show how much fabric is folded away in there: 130 to 140 cm of width, according to the size table. It is the kind of skirt that makes you want to turn around once.

Fashion that gives back

5% of each sale goes to a cause you choose. The causes are matched to 11 of the 17 SDGs, the global goals set by the United Nations, and you decide where your share goes.

Our promise

Ships from the maker's wholesale partner in Poland, inside the EU, with tracking. The wholesaler lists up to 3 days to prepare an order; within the EU delivery usually takes 2–7 business days after dispatch. Delivery is free within the EU on orders from €69; below that it costs €4.95 in the Netherlands and €6.95 elsewhere in the EU.

You have 14 days after delivery to ask for a return, as long as the dress is unworn and still has its tags. Our promise is plain: if what arrives does not match what this page says, send it back within 14 days and we refund you.

More dresses for daytime occasions are in our day dresses collection.