A Letter From Michelle: The Natalie
A Letter From Michelle
There’s nothing wrong with a little black dress. But when did we stop wanting something special?
On the six things that made me take the Natalie, how it compares to the black dress in your closet, and why it is $114.95.
I am Michelle, and my husband and I opened this shop twenty years ago with one idea: that a woman should not have to choose between comfortable and beautiful.
Every woman I serve owns a black dress for occasions. It has been to four weddings and a funeral and it has never let her down. It has also never been remarked on, and she stopped expecting it to be. Black became the sensible answer rather than a choice, and the dress a way of being correctly dressed instead of pleased with herself.
I never accepted that a woman had to choose.
The Natalie is black too. It is simply black with something to say. Six things I would not do without.
Sleeves that cover the arm and are still beautiful
This is where most evening dresses give up. These run the full length of the arm in black lace and flare into a scalloped bell at the wrist. The lace is sheer, so it is coverage rather than concealment — but the sleeve is the prettiest part of the dress.
“Those lace sleeves are what sold me. I prefer having my arms covered, but these still look delicate and feminine. The flared cuffs are especially pretty.”
Judith R., LancasterGold worked over the whole of it, and a border at the hem
Small gold motifs are scattered across the velvet from the shoulder down, and at the hem they gather into a deep patterned border running the whole way around. That border is what makes it look old and expensive rather than new.
“The gold embroidery against the black velvet is gorgeous. I love the detailed border along the bottom. It gives the whole dress such a beautiful vintage look.”
Elaine T., FredericksburgRoses, and only where they earn their place
There are clusters of dusty pink worked into the skirt, and nothing above the waist. That restraint is why they work. A dress covered in flowers is a costume; a black dress with roses low on the skirt is one somebody thought about. They are the only color on it.
“Bought this for our anniversary dinner. My husband noticed the roses on the skirt before I even mentioned them! It’s a little more romantic than what I usually wear.”
Patricia L., RoanokeA waist seam, and then the skirt is let go
The bodice is cut close and there is a narrow banded seam at the waist. Below it the skirt is released into a full sweep to the floor. There is shape, but it stops at the waist — the dress holds a line rather than following you down.
“I haven’t worn a long dress in years, but this one caught my eye. The skirt has a lovely flow to it, and I like how the waist gives it some shape. Very pleased.”
Carol W., GreenvilleA deep V, bordered so it is a neckline and not an opening
It is a deep V and I will not pretend otherwise. What makes it wearable is that it is bordered — gold and lace trim runs down both sides and meets at the point, so the eye follows the border rather than the opening.
“The deep V neckline and lace trim are such pretty details. I paired mine with a long pendant necklace and brown boots for a family celebration. Felt dressed up without looking too formal.”
Suzanne B., CharlottesvilleFloor length, seven sizes, and one black
It runs to the floor, so a boot or a low heel both work underneath. XS through 3XL, every size the same price. And plainly: it comes in this black and nothing else.
“I wore this to my niece’s wedding with black ankle boots and simple earrings. The velvet looks so lovely in the evening, and the little pink flowers add just enough color.”
Barbara M., AshevilleThe Natalie, against the black dress you own
| Most $385 occasion dresses | The Natalie | |
|---|---|---|
| The sleeves | None, or a cardigan over it | Full-length lace, flaring at the wrist |
| The detail | Plain, and that is the idea | Gold worked over it, bordered at the hem |
| The color | Black, and only black | Black, with roses low on the skirt |
| The fit | Fitted all the way down | Close to the waist, released below |
| The neck | Round, waiting for a necklace | A deep V bordered in gold and lace |
| Sizing | Runs to XL, if you are lucky | XS through 3XL, every size one price |
I refuse to sell a dress whose only virtue is that nobody can object to it.
Why we are clearing it now
The Natalie came in at $384.95, and that number was for velvet, for gold worked across the whole of it, a deep border at the hem, roses set into the skirt, and sleeves made of lace rather than of nothing. I will not pretend that is a small amount for a dress a woman wears a few times a year. But the shop turns twenty this year, and my daughters Julie and Amy are beside me at the counter most days now, which is not something I let myself count on in 2006. We wanted to mark it by handing something back to the women who kept our door open, so it is going out at $114.95 — a little under a third of what it was.
And the honest reasoning. An occasion dress is bought rarely, so it is bought carefully, and the careful choice is nearly always the plain one. At $114.95 you do not have to be careful. You can have the one you actually want.
★★★★★4.8 out of 5 — from 3,369+ reviews
$384.95$114.95
20th Anniversary Sale — Save 70%
- Black velvet, floor length
- Full-length lace sleeves, flared at the wrist
- Gold worked across it, a deep border at the hem
- Dusty pink roses, low on the skirt
- A banded waist seam, the skirt released below
- A deep V bordered in gold and lace
- XS through 3XL, every size the same price
- Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee
Every size the same price
Twenty years behind this counter and the occasion dress is the saddest purchase I watch. A woman finds something she loves, then talks herself into the safe one next to it.
She is not being sensible. She is being invisible on purpose, at an event where everybody she loves will be in the photographs with her.
Be in the photographs. Go and find your size.
— Michelle · The Hayes Family Hamptons
SEE THE NATALIE — $114.95 →This is a personal letter from Michelle Hayes, co-founder of The Hayes Family Hamptons. Customer reviews are quoted as written. · US family brand since 2006 · Free UPS shipping · 30-day money-back guarantee.