The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word CHEONGSAM
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
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More clues leading to the result CHEONGSAM
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "dress" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case dress = cheongsam.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does CHEONGSAM mean?
CHEONGSAM noun- A tight-fitting formal woman's dress, usually brightly coloured, patterned and/or embroidered, with a split at the thigh.
- A plain coloured, tight-fitting dress with a short split at the thigh, worn as a school uniform by schoolgirls.
- A long formal dress-like garment or robe worn by Asian men.