7 Ways To Style Your Summer Dresses
- Edited By
- Polly Knight
- Words By
- Frankie Graddon
The Dropped-Waist Dress
With roots reaching back to the 1920s, the dropped-waist dress is an enduring silhouette that’s enjoying a renewed sense of relevancy this season. Look to COS and Arket for the best smart-price styles, while Hunza G’s one-shouldered design in signature crinkle fabric will take you from beach bar to city dinner. As for how to style your dropped-waist dress? Keep it sleek with leather mules and a neat shoulder bag.
The White Dress
When it comes to the chicest and coolest (literally) of summer outfits, take this as your cue to pull your white dress out of the wardrobe. If you're looking to invest, the silhouettes to look for are clean and minimal, and made in crisp cotton poplin for airy structure. Toteme’s white midi is a masterclass in understated summer dressing – just add leather thong sandals and a basket bag. Cara Cara’s pleated midi will look great on holiday, and could also be dressed up for event season.
The Mini Dress
With Prada championing shorter hemlines, the mini has cemented itself as a go-to this season. Pick your favourite silhouette and colour – from pleated butter yellow to a classic black shift – and add it into your everyday outfit rotation. The way to style your mini is with a grown-up twist so reach for minimal leather flats or sleek kitten heels and pared-back jewellery.
The Luxe Boho Dress
Call it the Chloé effect, but bohemian chic is having a revival this season. Now's the time to lean into feminine lace, ditsy florals, delicate ruffles and plenty of Broderie Anglaise. The tiered cotton midi from cult dress label Dôen is your home-to-holiday staple; style it with ballet pumps or flip flops accordingly. And for smart-price style, H&M’s crochet tunic looks far more luxe than its price tag. Simply style it with chunky resin jewellery.
The Red Dress
Nothing makes an impact quite like a red dress, and if you’re looking for an effortless way to inject energy into your summer wardrobe, this is it. For picnics, garden parties and holiday lunches, Dôen’s tired cotton midi can be styled with a luxe basket bag. Master evening glamour with Tove’s Aubree touched silk-satin maxi dress and a sleek black kitten heel.
The Black Dress
Year-round, a black dress is a wardrobe staple – but what makes a good summer version? Look for lightweight fabrics such as cotton and linen, or diaphanous organza for evening, while simple shapes lighten the mood of darker shades and feel all the more effortless. Theory’s boat-neck midi is your solution for polished city summer dressing – just add sleek leather accessories. Hush’s seersucker maxi is the minimalist lover’s answer to beach dressing.
The Shirt Dress
For smart/casual dress codes, a shirt dress always hits the mark, so reach for something with a softly structured silhouette such as Rosie Assoulin’s crisp white cotton-poplin maxi. A waist tie adds polish, too – and Jigsaw’s linen dress with shirt sleeves comes in versatile espresso brown. A minimal mule and neat shoulder bag will take your shirt dress into the office, or for summer events, add a more decorative shoe and statement jewellery. And for when you’re jetting off somewhere hot, Arket’s striped beach shirt makes for a chic pool-to-lunch cover-up.
The Slip Dress
Transcending its heyday decade, the nineties slip dress has cemented itself as a true summer classic. When wearing simple shapes, a considered cut and good fabrics are all the more crucial as there’s no distracting detailing to hide behind. Nili Lotan’s silk-satin cami slip dress has been carefully constructed to beautifully drape, while A.Emery’s Esther crepe midi comes with wider straps to cover your bra. If you’d rather a style that skims your bottom half, look for subtle fit-and-flare silhouettes, such as Hush’s Greta Godet slip.
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