7 Easy Dress Outfits I'll Wear Now and Well Into the Spring

Will no one think of the dresses? Alas, in 2020, we had little reason to wear them. Thanks to our lack of social lives, no trips to the office, and the proliferation of leggings and jogging bottoms, plenty of our favourite frocks were cast aside in lieu of our more casual and easy WFH looks. But I say enough. It's time to recognise that dresses need to come back into our day-to-day looks, and I'm here to give you some much-needed inspiration. Thanks to Instagram, we have a variety of outfits to draw from that I know are going to work for right now (when it's totally freezing) and well into spring.

There are your classic shirt dresses, which look great with knee-high boots, knitted frocks that work with small heels, and some great layered dress outfits that I'm definitely copying. As for the warmer months, I spied Ellie Delphine of Slip Into Style wearing a fantastic yellow dress with a pair of blue Bottega Veneta heels, and I'm counting down the days until I can re-create this look. I'm also obsessed with Grece Ghanem's boxy cotton dress in khaki that looks ace paired with brown sandals. 

While all of the looks below feature "outdoor" shoes, you'll definitely be able to wear all of these with your favourite slippers. Once it gets warmer and spring arrives, you can pair them with your favourite sandals. So keep scrolling, dust off your frocks, and get ready for some dress outfit inspiration.

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1. Shirt Dress + Knee-High Boots
(Image credit: @eniswardrobe)

Style Notes: The reason why shirt dresses look so good with high boots is that you can unbutton the bottom so it looks kinda sassy but still smart. 

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2. Fluffy Coat + Checked Dress
(Image credit: @styleidealist)

Style Notes: I'm not a stickler for fashion rules, and while most people would be inclined to keep a checked dress for summer, it looks just as cool with a fluffy coat and ankle boots. 

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3. Roll-Neck + Puff-Sleeve Dress
(Image credit: @hodanyousuf)

Style Notes: Layering tips don't come any cooler than from Hodan Yousuf. Select your favourite puff-sleeve frock (because it's one of the biggest-selling pieces from 2020) and layer a black roll-neck underneath. Add a pair of stomper boots for your daily walk. 

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4. Knitted Dress + Fancy Heels
(Image credit: @basicstouch)

Style Notes: I'm under no illusion that any of us will be wearing fancy heels "out out" any time soon. But there is a school of thought that says wearing proper shoes during the day when you're working from home will increase productivity. 

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5. Boxy Dress + Flat Sandals
(Image credit: @greceghanem)

Style Notes: If I had to select one look from this whole piece, it would be this. The khaki colour makes this a great wardrobe staple, but the twist is adding interesting sandals and a super-cool It bag. 

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6. Short Dress + Clogs
(Image credit: @heartzeena)

Style Notes: The clogs revolution is coming this spring, so get ready. If you can't wait to wear yours, then I suggest pairing them with a short dress, printed tights, and a super-cute headband.

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7. Joyful Dress + Bright Shoes
(Image credit: @slipintostyle)

Style Notes: Once spring has arrived, you can guarantee I'll be reaching for the brightest dress in my wardrobe and pairing it with the boldest heels. Joyful because we definitely need it.

Next up, The Biggest Spring/Summer 2021 Fashion Trends to Know

Elinor Block