Bedroom Eyes

In the mood for love? Angelina Jolie Pitt's sultry turn provides the perfect muse for fashion's languid new look – and as the slip dress makes a comeback, designers are dreaming up light, romantic looks that are just too good to sleep in

Pillow Talk: Angelina Jolie Pitt in By The Sea, which she wrote, directed and stars in. From The Runway: lace and liquid satin draping from the Spring 2016 collections; below from left, model Frances Coombes in SAINT LAURENT, Ine Neefs in BALENCIAGA, Julia Jamin in CELINE, Gaby Loader in GIVENCHY, and Veronika Vilim in ALEXANDER WANG.

I love the new mood that Angelina Jolie Pitt conjures in her latest film, By the Sea – from a style point of view, anyway. The movie is said to be the actress’s most intimate project yet, a high-emotion storyline centred on a writer (played by Brad Pitt) and his wife, Vanessa (Jolie Pitt), whose marriage is crumbling; their crisis just so happens to play out at a most charming French seaside resort. The couple’s chemistry on film is undeniable, but it’s the moody look of Jolie Pitt’s 1970s muse, a former dancer, that is so compelling – all lace, satin and curled eyelashes. "Sexy" isn't the right word, Jolie Pitt's take is a lot more layered and raw. The actress has credited her inspiration to the style of European cinema and theatre of the 60s and 70s, with the movie’s key scenes taking place in the couple’s bedroom. As it happens, designers are thinking just the same on the runways. For spring 2016, the lacy slip dress was at its core, along with bra tops peeking through sheer chemises and spider-web singlets. All in all, the trend remained elegant yet certainly light. Which prompts the question: how to wear it? As an entree, scroll down for an edit of favourite languid pieces for the boudoir – and possibly beyond. Words Natasha Inchley

The return of the slip dress was a major subplot on the spring 2016 runways; sensual new propositions were seen at Céline, Alexander Wang, Givenchy and Balenciaga accented with frothy lace trims and romantic chemise jackets.

Market Report: from left to right, DOLCE & GABBANA silk dress, from Net-A-Porter.com; ERES Volupté Sérénité embroidered tulle underwired bra; BOBBI BROWN Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening mascara; CALVIN KLEIN UNDERWEAR silk chemise; I.D. SARRIERI Chantilly lace underwired bra; LOUIS VUITTON Speedy Pearls ring; CHANEL Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Colour, in Adrienne; GIVENCHY leather and lace sandals, from Net-A-Porter.com; DOLCE & GABBANA silk skirt, from Net-A-Porter.com; STELLA McCARTNEY stretch-lace underwired bra; and THE ROW satin-twill wrap dress.