5 Kinds of Dresses You Need for Summer

Words by Sophia Miller

All hail the hero of warm-weather wardrobes everywhere: the summer dress. Made for mornings when you want to get dressed in five and head straight outside, a good dress is the sartorial expression of that relaxed, carefree mood that defines the season.

To help you streamline your summer dressing, we’ve compiled a list of the five essential styles that cater to (almost) everything the season holds, from beach holidays to office days.

Nothing speaks to the height of summer quite like an all-white ensemble – and the little white dress in particular is a styling blank canvas that works just as well at home as it does on holiday. From honeymoon-worthy dresses at Zimmermann (the belted mini is exclusive to Harrods) to crisp cottons at Dôen and Wimbledon whites at Ralph Lauren, it’ll prove to be one of the most versatile pieces in your wardrobe. Pare your LWD back with brown leather sandals and a basket bag like a chic Mediterranean market-goer, or brighten with colourful accessories from the likes of Loewe Paula’s Ibiza or Miu Miu.

If your summer promises beach clubs, pool parties and plenty of occasions for wafting around in something glamorous, there's only one dress to recommend: the kaftan. Chosen carefully, it’s a hard-working piece that can be worn as a swimwear cover-up and an easy throw-on dress in the evening. Missoni, La DoubleJ and, of course, Pucci are the names to know here – basically, the bolder, the better.

Sometimes, you just need something a little slinkier. Whether you're heading out for drinks in the city, enjoying a sundowner on the beach, or just have a party (or two) to attend, a slip dress is another easy-to-style piece that deserves a place in your eternal summer capsule wardrobe. ’90s nostalgia may have reached fever pitch this year, but we predict that a simple slip will be a staple for many more seasons to come.

Even the warmest weather can’t stop duty’s call – and if you’re due to spend at least some of the summer contending with office air conditioning, you might need a helping hand where workwear is concerned. Enter: the shirt dress. Smart enough to suit most dress codes, covered up enough to avoid the desk deep-freeze, and lightweight enough to avoid overheating on the commute, it ticks all the right boxes.

Call them a cliché, but florals are a spring/summer classic for a reason – they just look right at the season’s social events. The key to styling florals in a fresh way? Add a modern contrast – whether that’s a dress with an asymmetric silhouette, an accessory in an unexpected colour or a piece of chunky jewellery to counter the girly-girl effect.