01
Wind off the lake
Downtown streets funnel it, and a light hem becomes a two-hand problem the moment you step out of the car.
Weight in the fabric, or a skirt cut narrow enough to stay put.
Chicago · Evanston · Oak Park · Naperville · North Shore
Designer dresses
Designer dresses
in Chicago
Here the dress has to survive thirty seconds outdoors and then look untouched. Gala season runs from October to April, which means most of the year the deciding factor is what happens between the car and the door.
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 Chicago
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.
ChicagoThe LoopRiver NorthGold CoastEvanstonOak ParkNapervilleNorth Shore
- 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 winter
The gap between the car and the door
Nobody dresses for a Chicago winter evening. They dress for the room and negotiate the thirty seconds outside it. Three things that negotiation involves.
02
Ice underfoot
Salt, slush and a heel are a bad combination, and a floor-length hem collects all three between the kerb and the lobby.
Midi clears the ground; a long hem needs a car door on both ends.
03
The cloakroom moment
The coat comes off and the dress is seen for the first time, all at once, in the light of the room.
Which is why the back and the shoulders matter more here than the front.
Gala season in Chicago runs October to April
03 · Occasions
What the year asks for
Chicago keeps its formal calendar indoors for seven months and crams everything else into a short, crowded summer. Both halves ask for different things.
October – April
Gala season
Seven months of benefits, openings and symphony evenings. Long and structured is the norm, and the room is always warmer than the forecast suggests.
June – September
Wedding season
A short, dense summer — rooftops, lakeside terraces and West Loop venues, often all three in one weekend. Midi and print carry a daytime ceremony best.
May – June
Graduation
Outdoor ceremonies where the temperature can swing fifteen degrees between morning and afternoon. A dress that works with and without a jacket.
04 · In stock
Available now — ships to Chicago
Everything below is in stock today and ready to dispatch. Available sizes are listed on each card.
Save $100
Midi dress with square neckline
$399.00 $499.00
M · L
Midi dress with V neckline and pleated skirt
$499.00
XS · S · M · L · XL
V-neck midi dress with godet skirt — Dark Floral
$499.00
S · M · L
V-neck midi dress with godet skirt — Light
$499.00
S · M · L
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
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 Chicago 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.
Can I try a dress on before buying?
Not in Chicago — we have no showroom here. The nearest boutique with the collection on the rail is in New York, at 419 Broome St. 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.
What should I wear under a dress in a Chicago winter?
A slip in a smooth fabric solves static, and opaque tights in a shade close to the hem read better than black under a long skirt. The coat is the thing to spend on — it is what everyone sees between the car and the door.
Do you deliver outside Chicago?
Yes — across Illinois 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
Chicago · The Loop · North Shore
Shop in stock →