How one effortless maxi dress sparked a viral style debate on social media

The Star

2 days ago

The dress has no frills. It has no patterns or intricate detailing. It doesn't even have straps. And yet, it has divided the internet (or at least one small corner of it).
Lululemon's new 2-in-1 Maxi Dress, as the name suggests, offers two ways to wear it: a long strapless dress that converts into a skirt when the bodice is folded down.
And it has become the subject of videos with millions of views on TikTok debating whether the dress is cute – and if it's worth US$148 (approximately RM621).
'That's an insane price for any dress, let alone a dress made out of athleisure material that's supposed to be casual,' said Niccie Jamitkowski, 21, whose reaction video to the dress has 2.5 million views.
Read more: From gym to glam: Why the fashion industry is obsessed with sportswear right now
The piece converts into a skirt when the bodice is folded down. Photo: Lululemon Of the 2,000 comments on Jamitkowski's video, she said the responses have been 'split down the middle' in terms of people voicing support and criticism of the clothing item.
'Half of the comments are like, 'I think it's really cute – don't tell people what to wear,' and then the other half of the comments are like, 'No I agree, I think it's really ugly – it doesn't make sense that Lululemon is putting out a long maxi dress',' Jamitkowski said.
Reached by email, Chris Zimmerman, the vice president of women's global merchandising for Lululemon, said the dress was designed with 'comfort, performance and versatility' in mind.
'As it has reached a broader audience, the conversation has grown – and we love seeing how people are making it their own,' he said.
Convertible clothing is not new by any means.
But several social media users said the style of this dress was notable because it hit on current trends, including the dropped waist and the length.
'I think they took the trends that were popular right now and then released it to an audience who already has a huge brand awareness and following,' Laura Cote Guerrero, 25, said about why the dress went 'so viral'.
Cote Guerrero's video, which has nearly two million views and more than 1,500 comments, is one example of the outsize reaction to what appears to be a simple dress.
In the video, which she later explained was satirical, she says it would be 'kind of embarrassing' to have purchased the dress, especially given its price.
Despite some of the viral critiques, the dress has amassed fans, too. It's sold in three colours, and most of the sizes are sold out (at the time of writing).
Read more: An all-denim ensemble is seriously stylish – don't be afraid to try it out
Anastatia Bhageloo, 27, said she bought the dress because she was curious about it after seeing videos on social media – and she ended up making a video of her own.
'I think it looks good on me,' she said in a phone interview. 'It's really comfortable. It feels like PJs, whatever fabric they've used.'
Brianna Young, 22, said she purchased the dress after seeing it in a store, and then posted a video about how much she liked it.
At the time, she hadn't seen any videos about it on social media, so 'the fact that it's such a big conversation now is kind of wild', she said.
For Cote Guerrero, who said she landed on a more 'hateful' side of TikTok after making her video about the dress, part of the 'beauty' of the platform is that 'anyone can say what they want'.
'In the end, it's all just fun and games,' she said. 'And if I see a girl in New York City walking around with that dress, I will hype them up and I'll tell them they look great.' – ©2025 The New York Times Company
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.