If there's one thing I know, it's dresses. My wardrobe is full of them, and I wear them 99.9% of the time. I've always struggled with casual dressing (long-time Who What Wear readers will have repeatedly read about my ongoing struggle with denim—sorry to be a bore!), so easy, good-looking frocks are my most-trusted fashion staple.
Throughout my 16-year career as a fashion editor I have gathered quite the collection. There are affordable dresses that I wear each and every week. I have special, more expensive versions that come out for important occasions or big meetings. I have those in-between, mid-priced options that bridge the gap between casual and fancy days. I own styles that are ultra summery and best for heatwaves and holiday packing, but I've also got a fair number of clever, trans-seasonal styles that can work layered up and with tights in winter or with bare legs and sandals during warmer months. I even have dresses that I've made at home because I can't always find the exact colour, shape or fit I've been dreaming of. I have some It dresses, I suppose—although, I'm always very careful to buy dresses that really speak to my personal style and that I know I'll wear even when their cult status has worn off. I may own a lot of frocks, but entry into my wardrobe isn't easy. I'm a pretty discerning customer who values quality and longevity above all else.
Hannah Wears: H&M Off-the-Shoulder Dress was £20 now £13
So who could be better positioned to bring you a very trustworthy edit of the best new-in dresses than a self-confessed frock obsessive with a very picky taste? No one! Right now I'm torn between looking for cosy winter dresses (knitted midis for the win) and fancier styles for party season. Keep scrolling to see my top 9 in December.
Shop this month's best new-in dresses:
I can't stop thinking about this easy, impactful day dress.
Denim dresses are a forever trend. The nipped waist and full skirt on this one makes it a timeless silhouette.
The simplest throw-on-and-go party dress.
Anything that comes with a matching corsage choker gets my vote.
Ferragamo's red hues hit like no other. And the scalloped dropped waist on this design is stunning.
Adorable! Pretty for party season but also cool layered up and worn with moto boots for a grunge spin.
Jumpers, blouses and dresses that come with matching scarves are infinitely chic and something I cannot resist right now.
Hill House Home's dresses are the most comfortable in the world!
I think by now you can tell I appreciate a cool, interesting knit dress!
SHOP LAST MONTH'S BEST DRESSES
Everything about this dress is pure perfection, including the fact that it comes in an array of beautiful wintry colours.
Romantic rose prints are a favourite of mine and this slinky silhouette from Rixo makes the pattern look even more romantic. Perfect for a wedding guest or party look but equally good for winter with a giant coat and knee-high boots.
Nanushka's dresses always walk the line between cool and comfortable. This style features a detachable jumper so you have a cropped knit and skirt to play around with as separates!
I saw someone on Instagram looking oh-so-elegant in this caped dress for an evening do and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.
The perfect chuck-on-for-work dress that still looks considered and smart but feels easy to wear all day long.
I enjoy how M&S has styled this with a matching knit knotted around the neck—very rich-looking indeed.
I tried this on during the week (at Rat & Boa's rental lpop-up with Hurr in Selfridges) and suffice to say, it fits like a dream! I'm a size 12 and went for a large.
The John Lewis x A.W.A.K.E. MODE collab is genuinely the coolest thing to have happened on the high street this year. This statement-making dress lives in my mind rent-free.
There's something incredible sophisticated about a brown going-out dress. And anything with all-over ruching is a win for me and my hourglass figure.
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