Friendship Love and Truth Bohéme Slip Dress

$148.00
Size

It takes a bold heart to live your truth. To keep reminding yourself that love is the answer, even on your hard days! We created this eclectic, super cool dress from an 1880s lithograph featuring traditional symbols of friendship, love, and truth, and adapted the utterly charming wood-grain lettering to build the trim. (See our “more inspo” section below to learn what each symbol means.)

The print on our FLT dress has a slightly different palette than the kimonos, with deep pinks and roses in place of the red. Adjustable straps, an oversized cut, and soft, flowy bamboo viscose make it a wardrobe staple for layering, running errands, dancing, lounging or napping… it’s a must-have for travel, wherever you roam. And speaking of versatile — this piece can be worn with the eye on the front of the bodice (so cool) or the florals on the front (so pretty), depending on your mood! The result is one of our favourite pieces in the collection: beautiful and completely unique, with a lot of romance, and a touch of rock and roll.

Please note: The nature of our soft bamboo/wood viscose means it’s slightly sheer, so we recommend layering it with our Étoile slip (or any other slip you have) when wearing it with bare legs. Our model in the photos is wearing the dress without a slip.

100% viscose (derived from plant fibres such as bamboo and wood). Machine wash gentle or handwash and hang to dry. Iron to finish if needed.

Adjustable straps. Dress measurements: S/M — length 132cm at shortest strap adjustment, 142cm at longest. Width 52cm (across bust, underarm to underarm), 54cm (across waist seam). L/XL — 134 cm length at shortest strap adjustment, 144cm at longest. Width 57cm (across bust, underarm to underarm), 59 cm (across waist seam). Model is 5’5”, and is wearing a size S/M for reference.

“Nobody has ever measured, not even poets, how much the heart can hold.”
- Zelda Fitzgerald

“Friends make me stronger. They make me braver.”
- Jane Fonda

“Love yourself, then forget, then love the world.”
- Mary Oliver

How To Wear

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Our slip dresses were made to roam! They’re super easy to dress up or down, and so comfy for lounging. We love the FLT dress worn just on its own, but it layers perfectly over a black cap-sleeved tee, or under a denim jacket. We also love to style it a little more on the wild side — with lots of boho bracelets and long necklaces. And in the fall, we’ll be wearing it over tights and adding a black leather jacket and boots :)

Our Muse

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The romantic, the icon. Women who live boldly in colour, who refuse to stop fighting for love. Women who wear their hearts on their sleeves.

More Inspo

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Just like our longer FLT Opera kimono, the project of creating this dress was no easy task! In order to adjust the pattern to fit and flatter a longer silhouette, we had to deconstruct the original antique lithograph, and essentially recreate it using the individual pieces. Since the artwork was hand coloured in the 1800s — resulting in a unique shaded texture — it was difficult to blend the pieces together to make a seamless pattern. Luckily, our graphic artist Jonathan was up to the challenge, and worked carefully with us over several drafts and many weeks to get it just right. We’re so proud of the results.

There are so many delightful images on this dress, many of which are historic symbols of friendship, love, and truth! The beehive traditionally represents cooperation, and the bundle of sticks is a symbol of teamwork and solidarity. The clasped hands signify trust and fellowship, and the heart-in-hand represents charity and kindness. The flowers — of course — signify eternal love.

The Poem

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Her teenage dream: just pictures
of freedom. The back of a shiny truck,
sun rising over the city, purse full 
of lipgloss and tickets and kisses. 
Polaroid light on a strong jaw, 
yellow heartache, red heels, the soft shoulder
of her best friend, soft shoulder
of paved roads.

Now, she looks back and smiles, how nothing 
is like she pictured. Bare toes,
windy hair, green grass — her sun rises 
on simple things. Snapshots 
of morning light in the kitchen, flowers
on the table, wine in the fridge, lists 
and keys and kisses. Phone calls 
to her best friend, calls
of bright birds outside the window.

Her heart is the same. Red
as heels, shiny as fresh paint. 
Yellow ache, green grass,
full of kisses.