How to Style a Roland Mouret Column Dress

The column is the shape Roland Mouret is built around, and it is the one people most often over-style. The dress is already doing the work, so most of the job is knowing what to leave off.

Start with the size, not the styling

The house cuts true to fit on the UK ladder, and the shaping is engineered inside the garment with corsetry and seam work. Take your usual size. Sizing up for comfort is the common mistake: it releases the seams that hold the line, and the column stops reading as a column.

Keep the vertical unbroken

A column dress is one long line. A fine pointed heel continues it, a chunky shoe stops it dead at the hem. Skip the wide belt unless the dress came with one. If you want a waist, choose a piece cut with a self-fabric belt already in place rather than adding your own.

One strong piece, then stop

Sculptural earrings and a bare neck is the house register. A necklace competes with the neckline, which on these dresses is usually the designed feature: a boat neck, a plunge, a deep square. Let it sit alone.

Day into evening

In crepe and in a daytime shade, a column midi takes a low heel and a slim belt straight through the working week. The same piece takes a heel after six and needs nothing else changed. That is the practical argument for buying one.

Three to start with

• Scalloped Lace And Velvet Gown in Burgundy, for black-tie evenings where the fabric should carry the drama.
• Asymmetric Cape Gown in Red, a cape gown that keeps the column underneath clean.
• Boat Neck Wool Crepe Dress in Red, the day-to-evening crepe midi with a self-fabric belt.

Browse the full Roland Mouret collection and the wider designer dresses.

Frequently asked questions

Should I size up in a Roland Mouret column dress?

No. The house cuts true to fit and the shaping is built in, so your usual UK size is the right one. Sizing up loosens the seams that are doing the structural work and the line goes soft.

What shoes work with a Roland Mouret column dress?

A fine pointed heel, because the column is an unbroken vertical and a heavy shoe interrupts it at the hem. A satin heel suits the velvet and jacquard eveningwear.

Can a column dress be worn during the day?

Yes, in crepe and in a daytime shade. Add a slim belt and a low heel and it reads as workwear. The same dress takes a heel and one strong earring after six.

Read next: who is Roland Mouret and the Autumn Winter 2026 edit.

Does Roland Mouret run small?

No. Roland Mouret cuts true to fit, and the brand publishes that on its own product pages. The dresses read close because the shaping is engineered inside the garment with corsetry, boning and seam work, not because the sizing is cut mean. Order your usual UK size. If you are between two, use the measurement table in the Roland Mouret size guide rather than defaulting upward.

Can you wear Roland Mouret as a wedding guest?

Yes, and it is one of the things the house does best. A column midi in a plain shade reads correctly at a daytime wedding without competing with the party, and the peplum jackets cover the shoulder for a church service. The rule is the same as anywhere else: avoid white and ivory unless the couple has said otherwise.

Two that work: the Bow Neckline Long Sleeve Midi Dress in Pink for a spring service, and the V-Neck Flower Applique Maxi Dress in Navy for an evening reception.

What about the cream and white pieces?

Roland Mouret cuts a lot of cream, and it is bridal-adjacent rather than bridal. Pieces like the Scooped Neckline Wool Silk Midi Dress in Cream and the Flower Brooch Boucle Jacket in Cream are used by brides for registry offices, rehearsal dinners and going-away outfits far more often than for the ceremony itself. As a guest, leave them alone.

How do you dress a column dress for the office?

Keep the fabric matte and the shade quiet, then add a jacket. A wool crepe column midi under a peplum jacket is the house’s own daywear proposition, and it is why the collection carries matching separates. A low block heel replaces the pin heel and the whole look drops a register without changing shape.