Summer dresses are, in my opinion, a wardrobe piece that asks very little of you but gives quite a lot back. My mind falls instantly to that viral Zara dress circa 2019. The gift that keeps on giving, you could say. I still wear it today. Choose the best summer dress for your personal style, and I promise it will be the thing you reach for when your brain isn’t fully switched on, when it’s too hot to think about waistbands, or when you want to look like you’ve made an effort without actually making one. And that, really, is its biggest appeal.
Unlike trend-led buys that come and go (often within the same month), staple dresses are forever reliable. They don't need reinventing every year, and can pretty much shape-shift depending on how you style them. The same dress can feel entirely different with a change of shoes, a new layer, or different accessories. One day it’s thrown on with trainers for a coffee run, the next it’s dressed up with a leather work bag and barely-there accessories for dinner.
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The art to effortless dressing when the weather soars is less about the dress itself, more about what you do with it. Which, in the context of getting dressed during a British summer (equal parts heatwave and light drizzle), feels particularly useful.
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So, if you’re about to defrost your summer wardrobe - or are investing in a new one - consider this your guide. Here’s exactly how to style the summer dress in ways that feel current, wearable, and easy to pull off on repeat.
With a headscarf
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I can't help but feel like Donna in Mamma Mia! when pairing a summer dress with a headscarf - in the best way. It calls to mind long lunches, oceanside holidays, and that effortless, slightly romantic way of dressing that never really dates. The key is to keep everything relaxed: a floaty dress, a soft cotton scarf, and minimal fuss elsewhere. Tie it loosely under the chin or at the nape of your neck and let the rest of the outfit do its thing. Read more on how to style a silk scarf here.
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With simple, minimal accessories
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Sometimes the easiest styling trick is knowing when to stop. A great summer dress doesn’t need much - just a pair of sunglasses, a clean-lined sandal, and a good basket bag. Taking sartorial notes from modern style muse Olivia Dean, this is the kind of outfit that works for everything from a day in the city to last-minute plans that turn into dinner. Keep the palette light, the shapes unfussy, and resist the urge to over-layer.
READ MORE: The very best summer dresses with sleeves.
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If you want to make your summer dress feel instantly more wearable, add trainers. It takes the look out of “occasion” territory and into something you can actually move around in. Whether it’s a slightly sportier silhouette or a softer floral, the contrast works. Think: a midaxi dress with classic running trainers and maybe a light jacket thrown over your shoulders.
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With chunky boots
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This wardrobe formula is my go-to for festival season, but you don't have to be heading to the main stage to rock a dress with boots this summer. Chunky boots toughen up a softer white summer dress and make it feel less predictable - especially if the dress leans more feminine, like puff sleeves or a lighter colour. It’s a good option for those in-between days when sandals feel too optimistic but you still want to wear something breezy.
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With leather details
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Adding leather - whether through a belt, bag, or even jewellery - adds sophistication to any breezy dress. It’s less about dressing it up, more about giving it a bit of structure. A woven leather tote or a slouchy shoulder bag works particularly well against lighter fabrics.
With flip flops
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Flip flops have made their way back into everyday dressing (thank you, Scandi fashion), and with a summer dress, they make a lot of sense. It’s an easy, unfussy combination that works best when everything else is kept simple. Look for a slightly elevated pair- sleeker straps, a neutral tone - and let the dress carry the outfit.
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Over jeans
We have the style set to thank for introducing us to wearing dresses over jeans. The trend was a mainstay across Copenhagen and London Fashion Week, with guests styling everything from sheer slips, gauzy maxis, and bouffant babydoll dresses worn over slouchy denim. If anything, this is an outfit formula where being a little off balance works in your favour. A lace-trimmed slip dress paired with rhinestone-studded denim? Sold.
