I'm Not a Dress Person, But These 5 New Trends Are Calling My Name
Confession: I'm not a big dress person. I know, I'm probably in the minority here, as I'm someone who reaches for jeans and pants constantly. But even though dresses may not be my go-to item most of the time, I've had my eye on a few new dress trends that are so good they're suddenly all I want to wear. So now that we've entered a new year with new wardrobe possibilities, I've been noticing a few fresh silhouettes popping up, and I'm totally smitten.
Each season presents a new crop of trends to try, but the latest styles are particularly lust-worthy if you ask me. There are the printed mesh dresses teleporting me back to the '90s and the easy column dresses I plan to throw on with sneakers and some gold jewelry. Winter dresses just might be the best dresses of them all (yet another unpopular opinion), and I happen to think that all five of the below styles are a vibe.
Keep scrolling to see the new dress trends I just know you’re going to love as much as I do.
Bare Backs
If there's one trend that's inescapable at the moment, it's these dresses with wide-open backs. Plenty of designers iterated on the skin-baring look which means there's sort of something for everyone, whether it's Dion Lee's slinky knits or Staud's dreamy oversize creations.
Shop the trend:
Sultry Sweaters
You can forget about boring sweaterdresses because the knit numbers on offer right now are so much cooler. With interesting details like cutouts and cold shoulders taking the humble sweater dress up a notch, and with a piece as eye-catching as it is comfortable, I can easily see these taking off.
Shop the trend:
'90s Mesh
Another '90s trend I'm eyeing? Shocker, I know. Everything about these printed mesh numbers reminds me of the '90s grunge aesthetic, which might have something to do with the fact that they look especially good with chunky combat boots.
Shop the trend:
Bold Shoulders
Strong shoulders create such a chic silhouette without really trying. If you're into the bold look, go for a slinky minidress that will become your new favorite party look (when those are a thing again).
Shop the trend:
Minimalist Maxis
Super-simple column dresses were a prominent style on the spring 2021 runways, especially in solid neutral tones like at Jacquemus and Victoria Beckham.
Shop the trend:
Next: I Let a Stylish Overhaul My Closet—10 Mistakes I'll Never Make Again
Anna is an NYC-based senior fashion editor who has been a member of the Who What Wear team for over seven years, having begun her career in L.A. at brands like Michael Kors and A.L.C. As an editor, she has earned a reputation for her coverage of breaking trends, emerging brands, luxury shopping curations, fashion features, and more. Anna has penned a number Who What Wear cover interviews, including Megan Fox, Julia Garner, and Lilly Collins. She also leads the site’s emerging travel vertical that highlights all things travel and lifestyle through a fashion-person lens.