Pants are great and all, but when we fantasize about the perfect fall outfit, the sort that makes walking to work or strolling out for an afternoon latte a slightly self-indulgent activity, it usually involves a dress. Maybe it's a floral dress, maybe it's a high-neck long-sleeve prairie dress that all the hip kids are waxing poetic about of late, or maybe it's a moody plaid maxi dress that looks especially appealing when worn with a pair of lace-up utility boots à la 1990s Perry Ellis. Whatever kind of dress scenario you may have concocted in your head, there is one underlying, universal truth here to remember, folks: Invest in a great fall dress, and you invest in your future. The problem with said fall dress is finding it—that's where we come in.
When we tapped a few of our fellow friends in fashion to share their personal faves of the moment, we were delighted by what came back at us. From patchwork patterns to night-out gowns to slinky silk iterations, the fall frocks below are sure to delight your inner fashion fantasies. Scroll down to shop the NYC fashion-editor fall dresses roundup, choose your favorites, and stylishly thrive the rest of the season.
Hannah Baxter, Editor at Coveteur
"This dress is perfection; there's not much else to say. I'd throw on a beat-up denim jacket and some Nikes for a daytime look, or some vintage mules for an event."
"You'll catch me in burnt orange all season long, which is why this Clementine dress from Noble belongs in my closet ASAP. It's also reversible, so it's essentially two dresses in one—score!"
"Like every other woman on the planet, I love Rixo dresses. I can't wait to scoop this emerald stunner for the start of holiday parties."
Gina Marinelli, Senior Editor at Who What Wear
"I own nothing in zebra print, and when I saw this dress, I finally determined why not?"
"I tend to fall into a pattern of wearing jeans day after day to work when it gets colder, but this dress is just what I need to break that habit. I'm partial to the color palette, which feels especially autumnal."
"This dress stopped me in my tracks when I was scrolling through Net-a-Porter a few weeks ago. (I blame the color. I mean, have you seen a more perfect shade of yellow?) It's still on my mind because it strikes me as the perfect special occasion dress for colder weather. It's elegant yet bold. It has just a hint of shine and can be styled to be dress-up or slightly more casual. Clearly, I could wax poetic."
Lauren Caruso, Managing Editor at The Zoe Report
"Don't even act like you don't want to live in this all winter long. I'd pair it with some knee-high boots and a plaid coat."
"There's nothing I want to live in more this winter than a silk dress layered underneath a sweater. This Nanushka style is perfect for just that."
"This vintage tunic from Walk of Shame pulls double duty. I love the way the ladies at Either And styled it, too.
"I love that this dress basically doubles as a jacket."
"I kind of love the warm-weather vibes of this Jacquemus F/W 18 dress."
Lauren Eggersten, Fashion Editor at Who What Wear
"I love the festive nature of this dress. Everything from the ruffles to the plaid feel perfectly fall to me."
"Tie-dye is a huge trend right now, and I love this sleek iteration of it. Paired with a pointed-toe ankle boot and a tight low bun, this will be the most elevated tie-dye look you've ever seen."
"I'm still not over the animal-print trend, and this Rixo dress feels just different enough from my collection of animal-print pieces for me to justify."
Véronique Hyland, Fashion Features Director at Elle
"I'm a fire sign, so I might need this."
"Snow is one of my favorite up-and-coming designers, and I love this mix of plaid with a qipao silhouette."
"Not sure what event in my life would call for this Simone dress, but I'd like to create one."
"Very into a '90s skater slip dress right now."
Nicole Eshaghpour, Market Editor at Who What Wear
"There are a lot of fall weddings coming up, and there's nothing I'd rather wear more than this."
"I have a pretty good feeling this is going to be the It dress of fall."
"I'm all for black dresses that you can wear a million ways but aren't basic. Enter: this Rixo number."
Next up: It colors for fall clothing that we're buying in bulk.
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The Affordable Trend New Yorkers Will Wear Instead of Suede This WinterChic and cheerful.
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