The Dresses That Really Mattered in 2019

Being on the cusp of a new year always inspires reflection. Reflection on the 365 days gone by and the things that defined them. And, fashionably speaking, we can say without a shadow of a doubt that 2019 was defined by one particular item: dresses. 

In fact, 2019 granted us more cult dresses than any previous year. Our frock fixation kicked off early—m.92's smock dresses was the first It dress to emerge—and things only progressed from there, taking us up to, well, right now, where Ghost's velvet dress continues to dominate our Instagram feeds. 

In the spirit of reflection, we decided to honour the cult dresses of 2019 by bringing them together in this, one of our many end-of-year round-ups. Keep scrolling to see the most coveted dresses of the year. If anyone has collected them all, we want to hear from you!

Frugal and fancy, it's little wonder ASOS's floor-grazing checked maxi took off in April (and continued to prove popular throughout the summer). 

Easily one of the most desirable brands of 2019, too, Cecilie Bahnsen's oversized dresses sparked a new, incredibly comfortable dress trend, for which we're ever thankful. 

You could barely go anywhere in London—or the globe—without seeing someone wearing a Faithfull dress this summer, with this blue offering becoming the brand's signature style.

Ganni is no stranger to creating a cult-worthy dress, but this green checked maxi proved to be its most sought-after to date. 

Ghost may be known for its beautiful bridesmaid dresses, but in 2019 its designs piqued when it came to this wine velvet creation. 

With puff sleeves, a belted waist, a gorgeous pink hue and kitsch daisy print, this Gül Hürgel dress practically had the word "cult" written all over it. 

While this list could have been made up entirely of Rixo dresses, its multicolour polka-dot design had the most hype surrounding it. 

Ah, the dress that started it all—a cotton floral frock from London start-up, m.92. 

Previously considered frumpy and dated, Nanushka (in particular, this dress) is single-handedly responsible for the jumper dress revival we've witnessed in 2019. 

Second only to perhaps its bags, Rejina Pyo's 2019 mark was made by this dreamy satin dress. 

Worn by both Monikh Dale and Lucy Williams, as well as a host of other sartorially blessed influencers, best commit the name Rosetta Getty to memory, as we have a feeling this brand is going to be just as prevalent in 2020. 

Co-founded by Instagram royalty Jeanette Madsen, it's little wonder Rotate Birger Christensen has enjoyed huge success in 2019. This dress, however, has a big part to play in that, too. 

Forgoing its trademark heavy lace, Self-Portrait's most noteworthy dress came at the start of the year in the form of this crèpe thigh-split number. 

While we'd gladly take any dress made by & Other Stories, this sellout floral, puff-sleeve dress will always be the one that got away.

At £39, Topshop's angel-sleeve dress literally flew off the shelves. 

Zara knows how to create a must-have, and this tiered, oversized dress was no exception.

Opening Image: @monikh

Next: 10 dress-and-boot combinations that work every single time.