By Andy Dixon

Although we might well be at the tail end of summer, it’s never too late to dress the part and put on a summery dress. In fact, frills, florals or whatever you define as a “summer dress” can be a year-round essential.

With so many options nowadays, how do you know which dresses are best? Here are the five dresses you’re going to need for every summer occasion. And while you’re at it, head over to our article on the 3 Essential Summer Looks to complete your aesthetic.

For beach trips

If there’s one thing that stays constant every season, it’s comfort – especially during the insufferably hot weather. Fortunately, there’s no need to compromise style either. For this, oversized dresses will see you through, just like this baby blue dress maxi dress from Three Graces. Since it’s such a statement piece, the key to pulling it off is to keep the rest of your body fitted. Consider wearing a pair of flip-flops, or a thin-strapped bag. Wear this at the beach and you’ll have the added bonus of sun protection too.

For casual coffee runs

Casual walks should be exactly that – casual. This means finding an appropriate dress to match, whether you’re running errands or getting coffee with a friend. A shirt dress — with its versatile, comfortable and easy-to-wear vibe— is a perfect choice. The best part is it’s one of those styles that looks perfect on its own, but can be dressed up or down as you please. You can even keep it authentic and scour your dad or brother’s closet for a lived-in shirt they no longer use.

For garden parties

It may be humid outside, but you can still look fresh when you’re invited a garden party or outdoor wedding. Woman Within’s selection of crinkled dresses are gauzy and lightweight, making them the perfect choice to sit under the midday sun. They are also available in a range of unique prints that are outside the usual florals, so you can look elegant but still stand out from the crowd.

For work days

Unless you’ve got a strict dress code at your office, dressing up for work doesn’t have to be boring. And this summer, dresses will allow you to stay cool at the same time. The trick is to incorporate details like collars, which can make you look sophisticated and meeting-ready in an instant. Topshop’s range of collared dresses requires little to no styling, and they all have a subtle vintage flair that lets your individual style shine through. You can always just throw on a blazer or jacket for something more corporate, if you need to.

For date nights

When you’re stuck on what to wear on a summer date night, you can never go wrong with a wrap dress. Sustainable brand Reformation is well-known for its effortlessly feminine wrap dresses — a silhouette they’ve perfected to a tee. Not only are wrap dresses universally flattering, the cut is also so timeless that you’ll want to wear it over and over again — with or without a date.

Feature image: Anton Malanin

Other image: Vanessa Serpas

External placement