This may come as a shock, but my favorite animal print is giraffe (it’s funky, quirky, distinct!) and Giambattista Valli has put the look of the long-necked creature to great use. Voluminous folds make the print of his cotton poplin shirt-dress abstract, so it’s highly stylish, not zookeeper-kooky. With short sleeves, a structured collar, pleats at the waist (and fully lined in silk), this fun and fresh dress could handle getting even wilder with the addition of a bold corset belt. A belled skirt is femininely flirtatious, and on a figurative animal print, you’d be hard-pressed to have trouble finding occasions to wear this – think one for roughly every spot, totally making this investment dress well worth it. At Kirna Zabête for $3,115.
Pair with: Matching shoes?! The giraffe is the tallest of all land animals, so it stands to reason you need a pair of stilt-like platforms. I usually don’t make an exception for the nix on matchy-matchy, but here I might since the Valli giraffe-print linen sandals are equally amazing. Nude leather straps with silver buckles sit atop a platform wedge in brown and nude – all at an enviable 5½ inches. Sure, a theme outfit is a statement, but in Valli’s designer hands, this is one I don’t mind making! At Kirna Zabête for $650.
