Mestiza New York Cocktail Dress Line

Fashion people are actually really nice. True story. When you wear something great, for example, they'll ask you about it, like when I borrowed a mint Mestiza New York dress for an industry event earlier this month and had several people walk right up to me like "Whoa. What is that?"

The Philippines-influenced line of eveningwear by school friends Louisa Rechter and Alessandra Perez-Rubio is well on its way to winning widespread approval, even though, objectively, it's already brilliant. The beaded medallions, the embroidery, the "I'm elegant but I'm still proud of my body" silhouettes, the aforementioned wing straps—the overall effect is feminine and strong and not *quite* like anything else out there.

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But the real magic is in the wearing of it. Because when you're snugly, chicly ensconced in a dress made by a woman-led brand that's committed to raising up other women (Mestiza recently partnered with the Habi Foundation to preserve female artisanal heritage) how could you *not* feel this great?