I was standing in front of my closet on a Saturday, holding a dress I’d had for a year and never once reached for, when the news hit. Cardi B had just walked into Huda Beauty’s Ultra Snatched launch party in New York City wearing a purple Loewe dress with a fringe hem, and it cost $2,990.
Now, I was not planning to buy that dress. But I did spend twenty minutes studying the photo. Because the truth is, that look is doing exactly what I’ve been trying to get my own party clothes to do: it reads expensive without looking expensive. So I broke it down.
The dress: fitted body, loud hem
The Loewe piece is a sleeveless knit dress in a deep purple, cut close to the body from shoulder to hip, then finished with a wide band of fringe at the hem. Stylist Kollin Carter built the rest around it: a voluminous updo, statement earrings, and not a single other detail fighting for attention.
That’s the whole trick. The silhouette is boring on purpose. The fringe is the only thing talking, and it only starts moving when she does. If the dress were patterned and the hem fringed and the hair was also doing something, it would be noise. Instead it’s one clear statement.
What I’d steal (without the $2,990)
You don’t need Loewe to pull this off. You need the same structure at a price your wallet can actually handle.
Start with a fitted sleeveless knit dress in a solid color. The cut matters more than the fabric. Anything that skims the body and stops at or above the knee works. You’ll find them under $50 at the usual fast-fashion places, and a lot of secondhand racks carry good ones for even less.
Then add the movement. A fringe trim, a scalloped hem, or a slightly longer layered skirt over the dress all do the same job: they catch the light and move when you do. If you already own a plain fitted dress, a detachable fringe trim from a craft store is a genuinely good $15 upgrade. I’ve done it before. It looks intentional.
Finish with the hair and one earring choice. An updo, a slicked bun, even a clean ponytail — the point is to keep the top of your head quiet so the hem gets to be loud. Statement earrings, yes. A bold necklace too, no. Pick one.
Style Math: what fringe actually costs you
Here’s the honest math. A $30 fitted knit dress, worn to four proper occasions a year for three years, is about $2.50 a wear. Add a $15 fringe trim and you’re still under $4 a wear for a dress that photographs like it costs ten times more.
That’s the Loewe lesson for the rest of us: texture is the luxury. You can buy a fitted knit anywhere. The fringe is the only part that’s actually worth paying for — and you can fake it for a fraction of the price.
FAQ
Does this work for bodies that aren’t Cardi B’s? Yes, which is the point of the fitted silhouette. The close cut works on most frames because the fringe adds volume low on the body, which balances things out. If you’re less comfortable with a tight knit, a slightly looser knit with the same fringe hem does the same job.
What color should I buy it in? Purple was the party color, but any solid, saturated color works — black, forest green, oxblood. The fringe needs a solid base to move against. Skip the prints.
Is a fringe dress worth keeping for more than one season? Yes, if the base dress is good. Fringe ages better than you’d think, especially a knit one. Mine from a few seasons ago still gets worn to weddings. A flimsy stretch-knit fringe will pill, but a proper knit will last.
A note from Lena: I’m not suggesting you buy a $2,990 dress. I’m suggesting you stop paying for the brand and start paying for the one detail that actually works. This time, that detail is a hem.
Related reads: My 10-piece party capsule for under $500 and Fringe: the trend I actually kept.