As a fashion editor, here’s your PSA: it’s time to wear your dress. Theoretically, dresses are perfectly acceptable any time of the year, but let’s get honest— they’re really made for the summer. Coats and layers can hinder the full potential of a dress—how can one marvel at the small details when it’s covered up? We rest our case. If that didn’t make you convinced to take advantage of dress season, let the below be an incentive: a list of 99 beautiful options that make you want to throw them on and make an exit for the nearest aperitivo. This season has laid witness to several exciting dress trends and silhouettes in the designer sphere: from sophisticated drop waist shapes to dreamy ruffles that seem to sway with the wind. All that to say, the dresses on the market right now are like a smorgasbord: there’s an option for every kind of taste or aesthetic. If you had a hard time rounding them up for yourself, consider this your shortcut to embracing the season of dresses to its fullest. Whether your agenda is something to wear to the office or a breezy crochet number to wear on vacation, it’s all here.
It’s linen season just as much as it is dress season, so a linen dress feels like a summertime dummy whammy. It’s also an option that just makes sense when it’s 90 degrees out and every move leads to breaking out in a sweet. Highly breathable and creates the illusion of sipping rose in Provence? I’ll take it.
The classic to end all classics, a black dress will always be relevant (even in the midst of linen mania and the buzz over florals). To jazz things up aim for dramatic shapes (I’m a fan of a-line skirts at the moment) or throw on a chain belt for an on-trend touch.
Even the most color-averse can attest to the power of a floral dress in the summer. There’s only a limited number of weeks when matching the rows of blooming peonies and lavender is possible—why wear something neutral? But there are indeed levels to pulling off florals—on one end of the spectrum, there are the ditsy prints that look like estate sale relics, and on the other end, abstract florals that blur the lines between fashion and art. Whatever your taste, there’s plenty to choose from.
Designers seem to be in a race for the shortest hemlines these days, and I can’t say that I’m mad. Going short isn’t a requirement, but it sure is fun.
If you haven’t joined the fray of maxi-length fans, consider yourself late. Longer lengths have been a focal trend on the runways this season, continuing to show up in an array of collections. This sort of dress also translates superbly for weddings or fancy nights out.
For those preparing for an upcoming vacation, let me make it simple for you: pack a lot of crochet. Since wiping off back sweat is hardly anyone’s idea of fun, you’ll want to lean on open-knit dresses for maximum breathability. But aside from its functionality, crochet just has a way of making anyone look expensive.
Birthdays, bridal showers, engagement parties, vacations! It’s a fact that people like to throw events during the summer. It’s a miracle that we all remember them, let alone plan an outfit for each get-together. A dress is the ultimate shortcut, hence why it’s my preferred party look ( a matching set is a close runner-up). The options below can work for just about any event on your social calendar and more.
Strapless dresses are getting a lot of buzz lately. Maybe it’s the rise of 90s minimalism or the hyperfocus on the retro silhouette of the 50s and 60s. Either way, consider me all aboard.
Trekking to the office is daunting as is, but commuting in a nice dress, suddenly the burden of heading into an enclosed space during the day isn’t so bad. Even after a schedule full of meetings and power lunches, these dresses are suitable enough for after office drinks and beyond.
