Takes responsibility for topless dresses (4)
I believe the answer is:
owns
'takes responsibility' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with ownership as well as being verbs in their -s form.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'topless dresses' is the wordplay.
'topless' means to remove the first letter.
'dresses' becomes 'gowns' (gown is a kind of dress).
'gowns' with its first letter taken away is 'OWNS'.
'for' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for owns that I've seen before include "Confesses" , "Admits possession" , "Belongs to" , "Has possession of by right" , "uses" .)