21 best summer dresses to carry your warm-weather wardrobe

One look at your Instagram or TikTok feed and you’ll spot this trending dress silhouette. Lightweight and airy, yet still flattering, Asos’s take is a summer wardrobe winner. Characterised by a milkmaid-inspired fitted bodice, the cupped detailing and ruched waist panelling contrast the wafty A-line midi skirt.

The thick shoulder straps are supportive and comfortable while cut-out detailing adds intrigue to the back. Crafted from breathable cotton, it has your back during balmy weather (simply add ballet flats for an effortlessly put-together look). While the raspberry pink finish is a mood-bosting choice for your wardrobe, it also comes in a more understated blue or chocolate.

Characterised by its drop-waist silhouette, Asos’s crinkle sundress reminds us of Dissh designs (without the hefty price tag). A hardworking addition to your summer wardrobe, the laidback style features a stretch-shirred bodice, flattering-shaped waist and crinkle-textured A-line skirt. We love the contrasting textures of the body and skirt, which gives it a premium feel, despite setting you back less than £35.

Complete with adjustable straps to help find the perfect fit, the wafty design is lightweight and airy for hot summer days. Available in sky blue, minimalist black or bolder prints such as gingham and green stripe, it’s perfect for those days when you don’t know what to wear.

Synonymous with summer, Free People is a go-to label for just about every occasion, whether you’re heading on holiday or to a festival. Simple and effortless, it’s full of sunshine mini frock ticks all our boxes for the perfect summer dress. Crafted from a cotton and linen blend, it’s not only lightweight and breathable for balmy weather but rolls up small to fit in hand luggage.

Featuring a scoop neckline, sleeveless silhouette, low-cut armholes and a flattering deep scoop back, the relaxed cut makes it extra airy and comfortable. Available in 10 finishes, from bold poppy red to vibrant yellow, the easy-breezy mini has you covered for everything from beach days to al fresco dinners. We’ll have one in every colour, please.

Roomy and airy, smock dresses are fail-safe summer options. This River Island number could easily be mistaken for Ganni, thanks to the loose-fit silhouette and printed finish. Considering the price, we were impressed with the quality and how breathable it is.

Featuring puff sleeves and a square neckline, the structured bodice falls down into a loose-fit A-line mini skirt. Elevated by the playful brown stripe print, it’s perfect for throwing on with trainers for an easy weekend look.

We’ve never met a Damson Madder dress we didn’t like. The label’s hero style for summer 2024 comes in the form of the Tish midi dress, which is available in a couquette-style bow print or butter yellow floral. The ultimate throw-on-and-go midi for looking effortlessly put together, the design features a square neckline, shirred body, wide shoulders straps and an A-line skirt, complete with pockets.

The pièce de résistance, however, is the oversized bow fastenings at the back. Crafted from organic cotton, the fabric itself feels lightweight and crisp, ensuring breathability during warm days. We’ll be styling with ballet flats for the office and kitten heels in the evening, before layering it under blazers during autumn and winter.

Perhaps the most complimented dress in our wardrobe thus far this summer, Nobody’s Child’s striped number is timeless. Stepping away from its usual floral patternings in favour of a bolder brown stripe finish, the brand has made a hero summer dress. Super flattering, thanks to the bandea neckline, and structured body, the dress features an A-line mid-maxi skirt and chocolate-brown and cream stripe finish.

Crafted from organic cotton poplin, the soft yet crisp fabric keeps its shape well throughout the day – and, impressively, emerged crease-free after being crammed into hand luggage. The perfect colour match for gold jewellery, but also colourful bags and shoes, it’s far more versatile than you might think. Plus, it comes with adjustable and detachable spaghetti straps, so you can customise your look.

This is a bargain summer dress that’s just as wearable to a wedding as it is to the office. New Look’s red midi dress features a flattering sweetheart neckline and short puff sleeves. Pretty embroidery details the dress throughout and the wearable A-line skirt is subtly flared with tiering. Created from lightweight cotton, it’s breathable and floaty for balmy weather – simply add sliders and a basket bag.

Chances are you’ve seen the Australian label Realisation Par all over your Instagram feeds (Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski are both fans). Luckily for us in the UK, it’s just arrived on our shores, both online and in brick-and-mortar form, in Mayfair, London.

The brand’s Gia animal dress is a cult favourite for good reason. Inspired by Seventies-style, it’s characterised by elegant bell sleeves, a sweeping maxi length and a boat neckline. Crafted from 100 per cent bias-cut silk, it drapes beautifully, as there’s no lining or zip (don’t worry, it slips on easily). Slightly sheer, the dress is best worn with nude underwear. Wafty enough for hot summer evenings, it’s an instant outfit maker that’s well-crafted and timeless enough to justify the splurge.

One of our favourite labels for quirky prints, Kitri’s slip dress has us dreaming of our next summer holiday. Cut into a simple yet flattering slip silhouette with a V neckline, wide straps (bra-friendly, thankfully), wearable midi length, concealed side zip and body-slimming fit, the crowning glory is the vintage-inspired plate motif, which features fish, lemons, lobster and more. Blending reds, blues, yellows and pinks, it will inject some colour into your summer wardrobe.

Brazilian brand Farm Rio is beloved for its playful, boldly printed clothing that injects some dopamine into your wardrobe. Yes, its styles are pricey but you’ll wear its dresses year after year, thanks to the classic silhouettes and timeless design details. Case in point: the blue tile short-sleeved mini dress. Crafted from 100 per cent cotton, the fabric is super soft and breathable, featuring an eye-catching blue and white tile print throughout.

The silhouette is universally flattering, complete with a soft V-neckline, an invisible zipper at the centre back, and puff sleeves for dramatic effect. We love the attention to detail, from the tied detailing at the back to the scallop hem and neckline. We’ll be wearing this for many summers to come.

Asos’s orange ombre midi dress nods to the Nineties, with its slash neckline and flattering keyhole detailing, complete with an adjustable bow tie. Finished in retro floral print, the dress is double-lined with a lettuce-edge hem. Crafted from polyester, it’s not the most breathable of materials (it’s perfectly fine for the UK summertime but maybe not balmy Greece), but scores points for being soft and comfortable against the skin. Style yours with cowboy boots for festival season or channel the Nineties feel with chunky flip flops.

Combining two of this summer’s hottest trends, Free People’s Liza midi features an Eighties-style bubble hem skirt and a drop waist. Helpfully, you can adjust the body of the dress to suit your body type, by adjusting the spaghetti straps for your desired fit. Depending on how tight you pull the straps, there’s flattering ruching throughout the square neck-bodice, while the spandex and cotton blend fabric hugs you in all the right places. Available in seven colours, the pretty lilac is perfect for wedding guest season, while the more understated black has you covered for everyday wear. Comfy, chic and cool, jazz up the style with gold jewellery and ballet flats.

Damson Madder’s Penelope dress nods to TikTok’s coquette trend, complete with a corset-style bodice and adjustable bows. Flowing down into a full poplin midi skirt, the waist seam detailing and A-line cut creates a flattering silhouette, while the adjustable straps and a stretchy shirred back panel ensure a comfortable fit.

Though easy enough to get on, it’s a bit of a struggle to get it off, so a side zip would have been a nice touch. Besides this, we can’t fault Damson Madder’s timeless take on one of this season’s hottest trends. Whether styled with colourful trainers (try the yellow Mexico 66 pair, for a statement look) or worn with black ballet flats, the apron dress has you covered for almost every occasion.

This Kitri dress received countless compliments when we wore it to a summer wedding, and it’s not hard to see why. The unique design immediately transports you to warmer climes, thanks to the Greek mythology-inspired motifs. The vintage feel is mirrored in the Nineties-style shift silhouette, complete with a flattering boat neck and mini hemline.

Fitting true to size, the dress boasts a body-skimming shape with a back zip for easy entry. A real head-turner, keep the accessories simple with black thong-heeled sandals and gold jewellery. You can’t go wrong.

Leopard print is perenially cool, but the style is back in a big way this summer. If you’re going full Kat Slater, opt for Pull & Bear’s playful take on the trend. The mini frock boasts a body-skimming cut that flatters your silhouette (stick to your usual size) and the straps are adjustable to help with the perfect fit. The vintage-inspired leopard print, thin straps and lace detailing give the dress a Nineties feel.

Note the fabric creases easily and the dress feels quite thin, so make sure you don’t forgo extra layers. It’s also very short, so, taller women be wary (or embrace it). We’ll be styling this dress with cowboy boots for festival season.

Jigsaw’s stripe jersey dress is an investment for your wardrobe that you’ll wear for years to come. The nautical stripe finish is always a chic choice, while the midi-maxi hem is wearable from day to night. Crafted from ultra-soft and comfortable jersey material, the frock is complete with a shirred waist panel, to enhance your figure, as well as wide elastic straps for extra comfort.

The monochrome colour palette goes with just about everything, whether layered under a camel trench coat with ballet flats for the commute or elevated by a basket bag and sliders on a warm spring day. We’d suggest sizing down, as it’s super stretchy and comes up slightly big.

Milkmaid-style dresses are trending on TikTok, and Urban Outfitters take hails from the brand’s in-house Kimchi label (a Gen Z favourite). Cut from a soft and breathable cotton fabric, the playful mini features a scoop neckline, cami straps, a button-through placket and mini hem. Be warned, tall women, it’s very short – so, we’d suggest this dress is best for those who are 5ft 7in and below. Complete with sweet woven bow detailing and lace trims, it’s super flattering around the body, thanks to the structured bodice. Keep the accessories simple, with a rattan bag and thong sandals.

A fail-safe throw-on-and-go summer dress, Damson Madder’s Calypso slip dress is finished in a vintage-inspired all-over fruit label print. We love the beaded straps that add detail to the neckline, as well as the bust outline that gives the body-skimming slip a more structured silhouette.

The sweeping maxi length is easily dressed up for dinner with heeled mules or dressed down for beach days with a basket bag. Nice and lightweight, thanks to the sustainably sourced viscose fabric, it has you covered for hot days, or you can layer it under a T-shirt when the weather cools off. Tick, tick, tick.

Although this dress has now sold out, more stock is expected soon, and you can sign up to be notified when it’s available again.

Abercrombie & Fitch has upped its dress game in recent years, appealing to a wider age group with elegant and timeless pieces. Case in point: this chic one-shoulder cut-out maxi dress. Cut from a classic poplin fabric, it features a flattering one-shoulder design, asymmetrical neckline and side cutout detail to add intrigue. Complete with a thigh-high slit and voluminous skirt, it’s dressy enough for your next wedding but equally wearable for balmy evenings on holiday. Plus, it comes in an inclusive range of sizes and even petite, regular and tall lengths.

Aligne is a go-to on the highstreet for comfortable and flattering denim dresses, just like the dove flare midi dress. The perfect transitional number for the less-than-ideal summer weather we’re having, the frock is crafted from a cotton-blend stretch denim fabric, complete with a midi length.

The super flattering fit is thanks to the structured, corset-style body, wide shoulder straps, cinched-in waist and flared skirt. Aligne always nails the detailing, with the dove dress featuring vertical panelling and seams that lengthen your figure. We’ll be styling this right into autumn.

A stellar dress for throwing over your bikini when heading to the beach, or styling with cowboy boots and quilted jacket for festivals, Superdry’s lace bandeau mini dress is a versatile investment. The Fifties-inspired silhouette is characterised by a bandeau neckline, tiered A-line mini skirt and sweetheart neckline.

Adding flattering detail, the dress features subtle pleats and ruffles, while the floaty fit is comfortable and airy for hot summer days. Thanks to the smocked back, the bandeau body is comfortable and secure (go down your usual size), while the various colourways available (from white to red) available serves you for every occasion.