Hands Down, These Are the Prettiest Dress Trends of 2023

As much as I love a simple slip or classic LBD, every now and again, I find it refreshing to switch things up and opt for dresses that err more on the side of trendy than evergreen. Luckily, with many of fashion's most influential designers choosing 2023 to experiment with retro silhouettes and interesting fabrics, the year ahead is rich with dress trends, all of which are good enough to make sidelining even the most timeless styles worth it.

After consulting the spring 2023 runways, as well as just about every cool feed on Instagram, I managed to edit down my once overwhelming list of pretty dress trends for next year to a far more digestible one that only features the very best of the sartorial genre. From Valentino-inspired shift dresses to '90s tube dresses à la The Row, scroll down to uncover the six dress trends that will make the biggest impression on our wardrobes come 2023. 

The Long and Short of It

With long sleeves and a hyper-cropped hemline, this dress trend results in a best-of-both-worlds type of dressing scenario. Made popular by brands like Khaite and Jacquemus, long-sleeved minis are a must for winter, especially when paired with tights and statement heels, including point-toe slingbacks and platform Mary Janes. 

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There was a time not too long ago that shift dresses were still considered wildly outdated and, well, boring. But after brands like Prada and Valentino debuted the stylishly shapeless silhouette in recent collections (Prada for S/S 22 alongside oversize leather jackets and adorned with bow-embellished trains and Valentino for S/S 23 in lavish shades of gold and brown), a resurgence in popularity has ensued.

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If there were ever a time to risk it all and finally wear that completely sheer dress that's been gathering dust in the back of your wardrobe for the last six months, it'd be now. With celebs like Jenna Ortega, Hailey Bieber, and more setting a precedent that wearing frivolous frocks with next to no coverage on red carpets and to press events is NBD, you don't have to be nervous about baring all. Embrace it. 

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From Kendall Jenner in Khaite to TikTokers in Abercrombie, everyone is talking about and subsequently wearing drop-waist dresses, a concept that would've rung alarm bells a year ago but will feel right at home in 2023. The controversial silhouette is perhaps the most surprising of this entire bunch, but that doesn't make me want to test it out any less. In fact, it only adds to the appeal.

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With the overall resurgence of all things '90s and Y2K, it's no wonder that tube dresses are experiencing a surge in love from the fashion set. But rather than tacky as they once tended to be, the modern take on the trend is refined and timeless, even when it features surprising details and bold fabrics.

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At Loewe, Blumarine, and more, exaggerated fabric draping became focal points of the S/S 23 collections, making way for a dress trend that feels more like an art piece than just another buzzy silhouette to wear a few times before moving onto something new. 

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Next: I Shop for a Living, and I Swear Every Dress I'm Seeing RN Looks Like This