I Searched Through Thousands of Summer Dresses—These 40 Impressed Me the Most
The volume of dresses landing online and in stores at this time of year is both overwhelming and exciting. The good news is there's so much choice! The bad news is there's too much choice. If you're anything like me (i.e. an indecisive shopper), your dress wish list is probably long and confusing. On the one hand, your inner minimalist is pulling you in the direction of simple linen midis and LBDs, while the competing maximalist part of your brain lights up every time a pretty summer print lands in your inbox. I get it.
Katherine wears Reformation's Liya dress.
But for a dress to actually end up in my repertoire, it must tick certain boxes. Firstly, I have to genuinely believe I'll reach for it long into the future. I'm not about wasting my money on something I'll wear for just one season, keeping in mind the environmental and financial impact of such a habit. That box is non-negotiable. For a style to make the cut, it also has to go with my existing shoes and accessories. If I'm immediately hit with the impulse to buy a particular pair of heels that I need to make the dress look even better, it's not the one. Among other important considerations are the fabric choice, colour palette (I'm not a neon girl), and whether the dress in question fills an existing gap in my wardrobe.
This still leaves us with a lot of options. So, to narrow it down, I've tackled the challenge head-on and sifted through hundreds, if not thousands, of summer dresses at various price points to pluck out the very best. Now, you can enjoy the fruits of my labour. Your own criteria will no doubt be different to mine, but on the off-chance there are overlaps, check out the 40 dresses that have most impressed me below.
40 of the Best Summer Dresses:
I've been seriously impressed by Abercrombie & Fitch's dress selection lately.
Our entire team is swooning over the Rixo x Abi Marvel collab.
I love everything about this dress. It would be perfect for a beach holiday.
This would look so good with Birkenstocks and a canvas tote for casual days.
Sustainable and incredibly stylish—what's not to like?
An elegant everyday dress that you could wear to the office and at the weekend.
Open-knit dresses work wonderfully as swimsuit cover-ups.
Once the weather cools, I'd layer a white T-shirt underneath.
This also comes in cream and black, but the green version is stand-out.
This would be so comfortable to lounge around in on a warm summer's afternoon.
Every year, Ganni has a sell-out seersucker dress. I'm betting on this one.
The attention to detail on this dress is exceptional—pure luxury, through and through.
This siren-red midi is a definite confidence-booster.
If you're seeking a seasonless, anti-trend dress, this Khaite number might just be worth the investment.
As much as I love wearing black, navy feels softer for summer.
When it comes to Reformation dresses, it's hard to pick favourites, but this one is definitely up there.
I know I said I didn't typically like neon, but I could make an exception for this dress.
Next Up: The Iconic High-Street Dress Brand That Comes Fashion-Editor Approved
Bébhinn Campbell is an Edinburgh-based fashion and lifestyle writer. After receiving an Audrey Hepburn box set for her 10th birthday and subsequently swooning over the actor’s wardrobe, Bébhinn felt pretty confident she wanted a career that involved clothes. She started her first blog at age 14—the title was a pun, but we’ll leave it at that—and went on to intern at print and digital publications in Berlin and London, including Dazed & Confused and Indie magazine.
A job at a fashion startup took Bébhinn from Ireland to Scotland in 2019, where she now works as a freelance journalist and copywriter covering everything from travel and interiors to styling advice. As a contributor for Who What Wear, Bébhinn always keeps her eyes peeled for emerging trends and looks worth writing about. She prides herself on her ability to cut through the noise and identify solid investment buys, exciting new brands and updated takes on classic designs.
While she still loves Audrey Hepburn films, these days, Bébhinn’s sartorial taste sits closer to Annie Hall’s and Alexa Chung’s. In her spare time, she’s likely cooing over cute dogs on rescue websites, playing folk songs on her guitar and browsing bookshops for new additions to her already-overpacked shelves.
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