I Sifted through Hundreds of Summer Dresses—These Are the Ones That Stood Out
The weather has taken a glorious turn and with it an opportunity to don those sundresses you've been dreaming of. A great dress is possibly one of the most versatile items in your wardrobe, and will work hard for you all year round. In fact, yesterday morning when the Who What Wear team Slack channel was buzzing with questions on what to wear to the office this week, it seemed there was only one solution. A dress would have to do!
And where can you find a pick of the best dresses out there? Right here, of course. Not only have we done our research in terms of key trends for 2024, but we’ve also found styles you’ll be wearing way beyond this season. These are frocks you’ll be able to pull out in 2025 and still be smug about how great they are. And the best bit is that they can be worn now, in this spectacular warm weather, and through dips in temperature with a quick change of footwear (swap the sandals for a closed-toe flat) and by adding a few layers like a blazer or cashmere knit. So, you really get your bang for your buck.
Scroll on to discover the 25 dresses that made the cut.
Shop My Summer Dress Edit:
One of our favourite dress brands, and for good reason.
Dress it up with gold heels or down with flip flops.
This silk-blend style is a great option for the beach.
What a gorgeous colour! This amazing red hue will go with so many other shades, including black, white, brown, gold and other brights.
This Scandi-esque style will look so good with chunky, strappy sandals.
Perfect for those days when you don't want to think about your outfit.
So cute—prepare for compliments when you step out in this mini.
A denim dress is the perfect option for a British summer.
This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.
Maxine Eggenberger is Who What Wear UK’s deputy editor and has over thirteen years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and elevated style content specifically for Who What Wear UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, self-styled shopping stories and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, leads the editorial team in their SEO strategy and keyword planning, works closely with the beauty team on content initiatives, represents the brand at industry events, and regularly contributes to social media, including her own Who What Wear UK TikTok franchise, French Style Fridays. Previously, Maxine appeared on ITV's This Morning in her own fashion segment and has interviewed countless celebrities—everyone from Victoria Beckham to Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o.
Prior to Who What Wear UK, Maxine’s career began when, after completing her first-ever internship at Look magazine, she was offered a position on the brand's fashion desk. She accepted, leaving university a year early in the process. Her passion and natural talent for writing and styling meant she swiftly rose through the ranks to become the title's fashion news and commercial content editor, with a stint as InStyle.co.uk’s fashion and beauty writer along the way. She later served as Look’s acting Editor in Chief, overseeing both print and digital, before embarking on a successful freelance career, working with Grazia, The Pool, and Marie Claire amongst others.
Maxine is based remotely from her countryside home near Edinburgh where she spends her downtime renovating her house, walking her dogs, hosting friends and trying to master the art of making Old Fashioned cocktails.
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