The Laura Ashley Look Is Back With a 2019 Twist

Empire waists, ruffled collars, sleeves with tiered frills and mutton shoulders, modestly cut skirts that hit at the shin — in other words, the calling cards of an iconic Laura Ashley dress.

The storied British fashion and home brand got its start in 1953 by its namesake, Laura Ashley, and her husband Bernard, who were inspired by a visit to an exhibition on traditional crafts to begin printing fabrics in their home as an homage to the floral patterns and Victorian silhouettes that they loved. Their brand became so iconic and interwoven with the classic English aesthetic that the Fashion Museum in Bath held a retrospective for the brand's one-of-a-kind designs for its 60th anniversary in 2013.

Now, over 65 years later, the signature cuts of the Laura Ashley dress are in the midst of a serious revival with a number of designers paying tribute to the English Heritage designer. There's never been a better time to bring back the modest dress, and these five designers have provided delightfully updated options.