Paris 99 serves up picnic-perfect dresses with a deviant edge

Designer Paris Starn’s inaugural Paris 99 collection was inspired by her great-grandmother’s aprons, but you already knew that. Having launched only a few weeks ago, its gingham dresses have all but dominated my Instagram explore page with their doll-like charm and evocations of springtime blooms. The dresses turn the inherent conservatism of gingham on its head with squiggly hemlines and cheekily placed cut-outs that would have gotten you swiftly ejected from the country clubs of yesteryear. So far, the dresses come in quintessential spring pastels and run for $295 on Paris 99’s website and at Opening Ceremony.