The granny dress was a style first embraced by the flower-child hippie for its romantic illusions and simple form. It alluded to a distant past before the machine age – a look worn by the pioneers of the land. Worn mostly by pre-teen girls. most of the dresses had a floral print design.
With long sleeves, high necks and floor-length hems, these dresses made grandmother proud. And thanks to Laura Ashley, you could too. This British clothing line offered the feel of a rural utopia in the urban sprawl. They made fluid and romantic country-style dresses in innocent white cotton with crocheted lace inserts or flowery calicos reminiscent of Victorian times.
Ruffled skirts, patchwork prints, crocheted shawls – they were all safe, nostalgic and hopeful. High-necked Edwardian or sweet Peter Pan collars took you back to a day when chivalry wasn’t yet dead.