The revenge dress phenomenon is iconic. Yes, we’d like to see women break out and be more beautiful when they break up with a significant other. It's good that in the face of heartbreak, they can put the best (beautiful, gorgeous) version of themselves.
The term was coined by tabloids when Princess Diana stepped out of her car in a stunning black dress, hours before her ex-husband publicly confessed to his adultery.
Her Christina Stambolian number broke royal dress codes and stirred the press, which started the trend and rise of these kinds of ensembles. For a more straightforward definition, the revenge dress is always worn in the wake of a recent split.
Usually, it implies “this is the bad girl you’ve set aside,” or “thank you, next.” Newer statements include Miley Cyrus’ “I’ll be a better lover to myself than you ever will be.”
They can be sexy, sultry, revealing, and often in dark colors. Vice looks at the most iconic revenge dresses in history, from Princess Diana’s dress that started it all to Miley Cyrus’ YSL gown, we can see how the look and shape of these clothes changed in history, but the meaning remains the same.
Check all the looks here!
Image credit: Miley Cyrus