SLEEK CHIC : Less Dress

When the length of this fall’s newest dresses is right, the illusion is that one’s legs go on forever. And that long, lean line--uninterrupted at the waist, uncluttered at the shoulders--is the season’s chic silhouette.

At two inches above the knee in earthy golden and greenish tones, these softly architectural dresses are easily appropriate for work. At six inches above the knee in graphic brights or candy pastels, they’re less discreet, more sensational. Whatever the length, the necklines are simple, the fabrics knits, the sleeves usually long. And the effect: sleekly feminine.

Stylist: Jill Sokolec / Celestine-Cloutier; hair by Victor Vidal / Cloutier; makeup by Carol Shaw / Cloutier; model: Lisa Fallon / Nina Blanchard