One thing we know for sure: when the designers at Anthropologie land on a style that shoppers like, they’ll figure out how to make it work in every possible way. Take the brand’s iconic latte bowls, which have come in seemingly every hue, colour, and size over the years. In the clothing department, the endlessly popular, endlessly remixed honour goes to the Somerset dress, which now exists in mini and maxi, linen and leather, and even as a skirt. Earlier this year, we examined the airy linen version of the tiered frock, which was designed for those breezy, summery days. Now, Anthropologie has released an updated luxe velvet version for autumn and any upcoming Christmas festivities. Instead of summer’s light pastel shades, there are rich jewel tones like fuchsia pink, navy, and emerald green. The structure of the silhouette is still the same, but it’s more lightweight and eye-catching. And reviewers are equally besotted with the cold-weather version.
Anthro touts the Somerset as its best-reviewed dress ever, and the velvet maxi while still too new to have a ton of reviews, is sitting pretty with a 4.5 rating. Reviewers say it’s “extremely comfortable,” “timeless,” and “the perfect dress for autumn.” Savvy shoppers also note that, unlike last year’s version of the velvet maxi, this one is lined for added comfort. For more insight into this year’s go-to dress for festive parties, weddings, and beyond, four of our writers tried it on IRL to give you a little bit more intel. Keep on reading to discover which colours our writers chose, where they would wear them, and their own styling tips.
The perfect dress for autumn and winter. The velvet is luxurious, but the fabric still feels light and effortless. Even though the velvet is elevated, you can still use a belt to dress it down for a more casual look.
Anthropologie Reviewer
The Somerset Maxi Dress: Velvet Edition In Green, £148
“First off, can we talk about this colour? It’s the perfect emerald green. I love how the velvet brings major festive vibes while still being so chic. Maxi dresses can feel overwhelming for shorties like me, so the fact that I could get this dress in a petite length is a total game-changer (I’m wearing an XS Petite). It’s also so comfortable that I could easily see myself dancing the night away in it — and it has pockets!” — Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer
The Somerset Maxi Dress: Velvet Edition In Green Motif, £148
“My high school was all-girls, and we wore uniform dresses every day. That instilled in me a lifelong love of dresses and the belief that, if you like something, you should own it in every colour and wear it as much as possible, so the Somerset collection is right up my alley. I actually bought the linen version of this dress the day we published our review of it, and I was excited to get a cold-weather version. It’s the same classic feminine-but-still-laid-back silhouette, this time in surprisingly lightweight velvet. One of my biggest bugbears is finding transitional apparel, and I hate that so many winter dresses can just feel too heavy for your average November day in Tennessee. This manages to be something I could wear straight through the coldest days of the year while not being uncomfortably heavy or restrictive. I also love when something this comfortable can be worn to just about any event. I plan on packing it on an upcoming trip for a nice dinner out, but I literally wore it all day the day it arrived. I was actually wearing it on a Zoom call and the person I was talking to gasped when I stood up to get something because she, too, has multiple Somerset dresses.”
“Finally, I appreciate that it not only comes in extended sizes (plus sizes run from 1X to 3X) but that it also was sized up well. I am wearing a 1X, and the proportions and silhouette look similar to my straight-sized coworkers. It may seem small if you’ve never had to shop larger sizes, but sometimes a dress that looks nice in a smaller size can suddenly have odd dimensions, like a gaping neckline or comically large sleeves, if they are poorly graded up.” — Marshall Bright, Affiliate Editor
The Somerset Maxi Dress: Velvet Edition In Green, £148
“After owning Anthropologie’s Linen Somerset Maxi Dress, I was sceptical about how different the new velvet edition would be. Yet, to my surprise, there were quite a few striking differences. First, the linen variation is quite heavy, and I expected the same outcome from this velvet edition. Instead, it was unbelievably lightweight. The dress simply glided down to my ankles. (I’m 5’5″ and got a size small.) The dress even passed the twirl test — with every tiered dress or skirt, I like to give it a twirl, and this one passed with flying colours. It is not only flexible and easy to move in, so you knew it was dance-approved, but it has the perfect amount of flounce to it.
Based on the luxe appearance and rich shade, I could envision myself wearing it as an autumn wedding guest dress or to an elevated holiday dinner.
Vivien Lee, Affiliate Fashion writer
Also, the velvet was so soft and not itchy at all, which I appreciate for a dress that costs £148. Meanwhile, for the colour, I stayed true to my first review and chose another green hue. This time it was in deep emerald green. Based on the luxe appearance and rich shade, I could envision myself wearing it as an autumn wedding guest dress or to an elevated holiday dinner with my timeless pearl Drew necklace from Mon Été Studio and a pair of heels or ballet flats. A drawstring bag or clutch would look great with the frock too. Overall, I’m glad to add this to my autumn dress collection and can’t wait to style this festive season.” — Vivien Lee, Affiliate Fashion Writer
The Somerset Maxi Dress: Velvet Edition In Pink, £148
“I ordered the dress in a size small in the colour pink, and I honestly couldn’t believe how incredible it looked. As my style evolves, I find that I lean more toward form-fitting silhouettes, edgier textures, and dark colours, so this look was extremely outside my comfort zone. That said, I couldn’t believe how ‘myself’ I felt after putting it on.
The flowy, tiered silhouette and lush pink colour (which became bright fuchsia pops under the light) immediately evoked classic vampire wench, or at the very least, an old-timey witch ready to work some spells with her coven.
Charlotte lewis, sex wellness content producer & writer
“I don’t know if it’s because I had just watched an episode of Interview With A Vampire (or just the effects of the spooky season), but the flowy, tiered silhouette and lush pink colour (which became bright fuchsia pops under the light) immediately evoked classic vampire wench, or at the very least, an old-timey witch, ready to work some spells with her coven. I’ll be wearing it with my combat boots to edge it up a little bit, but I definitely plan on wearing it all festive season.” — Charlotte Lewis, Sex Wellness Content Producer & Writer
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