Term starts
Faculty dinners, receptions and a city that refills in a single week. Smart rather than formal.
Boston · Cambridge · Somerville · Brookline · Newton
Designer dresses
Designer dresses
in Boston
The calendar here runs on a university clock, not a seasonal one. Term starts, formal season, commencement — and the busiest week of the year is fixed years in advance.
2–5 days
Tracked courier
after dispatch
after dispatch
Free
Shipping on orders
over $150
over $150
Signature
Required
on delivery
on delivery
14 / 30 days
Refund / store credit
after delivery
after delivery
The lookbook
How it looks on — ready for Boston
Real photos from our shoots, and every dress here is in stock right now. Tap a look to choose your size.
01 · Delivery
Getting it to you
Every order leaves our Calgary warehouse, packed flat with the folds where the fabric will forgive them. It goes by tracked courier with signature on delivery, and the tracking number reaches you by email the moment the parcel is handed over.
BostonBack BayBeacon HillCambridgeSomervilleBrooklineNewton
- Delivery time after dispatch2–5 business days
- Shipping costFree over $150 · $15 below
- CarrierTracked courier
- TrackingEmailed at dispatch
- Delivery confirmationSignature required
- Order processingMon–Fri
- Returns window14 days · 30 with store credit
An order placed on Friday evening leaves on Monday. Any duties or taxes are set by the destination authorities and are the recipient’s responsibility — see shipping & delivery for the detail.
02 · The year
A calendar with three peaks
Two hundred thousand students set the rhythm of this city’s evenings. The year has a shape, and it is worth knowing before you order.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Winter formal season
Balls, benefit evenings and long nights. Structure works here — the rooms are warm and the walk is short.
Commencement
The busiest week of the Boston year, and every hotel and restaurant knows it months ahead.
Order by mid-AprilBrick and cobblestone decide the shoe, and the shoe decides the hem. Beacon Hill and Harvard Square are not heel country — a lower shoe means a shorter hem, and that is a decision to make before you order, not after.
03 · Occasions
What the year asks for
Three stretches carry almost the whole Boston calendar, and one of them is a single week in May.
May
Commencement
Ceremonies, family lunches and a week of photographs. Book and order early — mid-April is the sensible cut-off if you want a choice of size.
September – October
Wedding season
The short, exact New England autumn. Outdoor ceremonies in a temperature that drops the moment the sun goes, so the layer matters as much as the dress.
December – March
Winter formal season
Balls, benefits and university formals across four months of cold. Long, lined and structured is the norm; the walk from the car is mercifully short.
04 · In stock
Available now — ships to Boston
Everything below is in stock today and ready to dispatch. Available sizes are listed on each card.
Wander midi with decorations
$499.00
S · M · L
Black printed midi dress with straps and a slit skirt
$499.00
XS · M · XL
Dress Limited with a pleated midi skirt
$499.00
XS · S · M · L
Save $100
Full skirt midi dress / Black
$299.00 $399.00
S · M
Save $100
Button-down midi dress
$349.00 $449.00
M
Save $100
Fitted midi dress with short sleeves
$349.00 $449.00
M · L
Bustier midi dress with pencil skirt
$499.00
XS · S · M
Long Sleeve Silhouette Midi Dress — White Floral
$499.00
S · M · L · XL
05 · Fit
Getting the size right the first time
Measurements do the work. It takes ten minutes and saves a return.
For corset and bustier styles the deciding measurement is underbust, not bust — a boned bodice has almost no give and has to sit correctly vertically as well.
Want to try before you buy? Our New York boutique at 419 Broome St has the full collection on the rail — details here. Otherwise send your measurements and the dress you are considering to info@the-clipse.com and we answer with an honest recommendation.
- Measure over bare skin or thin underwear, wearing the bra you plan to wear with the dress — a padded bra moves the bust measurement by several centimetres.
- Take four numbers: bust, underbust, waist and hips. Keep the tape level all the way round; the usual mistake is letting it ride up at the back.
- Match them to the size chart, which maps our sizes to US, UK and EU equivalents.
- Between two sizes, size up on anything structured. A seam can be taken in; fabric cannot be added.
06 · Questions
Frequently asked
How long does delivery to Boston take?
Two to five business days by tracked courier after dispatch from our Calgary warehouse. Orders are processed Monday to Friday, so an order placed on Friday evening leaves on Monday.
How much is shipping?
It is calculated for your address at checkout and shown in full before you pay. Every parcel is tracked and requires a signature on delivery.
When should I order for commencement in May?
By mid-April. It is the busiest week of the Boston year and popular sizes go first — ordering three to four weeks ahead leaves room for a size exchange if you need one.
Can I try a dress on before buying?
Not in Boston — we have no showroom here. The nearest boutique with the collection on the rail is in New York, at 419 Broome St, open daily 11:30am to 7:00pm. If you can’t get there, email your measurements and we’ll tell you which size to order, including when the answer is that neither will work.
Are there duties or taxes to pay?
Any duties or taxes are set by the destination authorities and are the recipient’s responsibility. The rules are summarised on our shipping & delivery page.
Do you deliver outside Boston?
Yes — across Massachusetts and the rest of the United States on the same terms. Shipping is calculated for your address at checkout.
07 · Elsewhere
Other cities we deliver to
Boston · Cambridge · Back Bay
Shop in stock →