If there’s one thing I know, it’s dresses. My wardrobe is full of them, and I wear them 99.9% of the time. I’ve always struggled with casual dressing (long-time Who What Wear readers will have repeatedly read about my ongoing struggle with denim—sorry to be a bore!), so easy, good-looking frocks are my most-trusted fashion staple.
I have affordable dresses that I wear each and every week. I have special, more expensive versions that come out for important occasions or big meetings. I have those in-between, mid-priced options that bridge the gap between casual and fancy days. I own styles that are ultra summery and best for heatwaves and holiday packing, but I’ve also got a fair number of clever, trans-seasonal styles that can work layered up and with tights in winter or with bare legs and sandals during warmer months. I even have dresses that I’ve made at home because I can’t always find the exact colour, shape or fit I’ve been dreaming of. I have some It dresses, I suppose—although, I’m always very careful to buy dresses that really speak to my personal style and that I know I’ll wear even when their cult status has worn off. I may own a lot of frocks, but entry into my wardrobe isn’t easy. I’m a pretty discerning customer who values quality and longevity above all else.
On Hannah: Nobody’s Child Natalia Dress (£79). So who could be better positioned to bring you a very trustworthy edit of the best new-in dresses than a self-confessed frock obsessive with a very picky taste? No one! Here are the loveliest styles I’ve seen this month.
Easy, breezy… perfect for a hot summer’s day!
Like an original ’60s style but with the fit and comfort of more modern fabrics.
What can I say? I love shirred and smocked finishes—they are so flattering and easy to wear.
I’ll be channeling my inner Greek goddess in this beautiful summer dress.
Simple but very effective, and it will never be out of fashion.
It’s giving The Little Mermaid, and I’m here for that.
I’m definitely a gingham girl in the summer, and this dress has the prettiest back detailing as an added bonus.
I didn’t think I’d be into the idea of butterfly lace motifs, but I can’t stop thinking about this ’90s-tinged polka-dot dress!
Almost every key high-street retailers has its own version of the ruched jersey dress idea, and here is M&S’s very polished take on it.
I’m a big Doên fan. Its flattering and easy dresses are a little bohemian but utterly timeless. These styles also tend to be good for all-year-round wear—this could work with suede knee boots for winter and simple slides for the summer. I recently bought this one and finally had a chance to wear it on a quick trip to Menorca!
I’ve just been on a #MangoGirls trip to Menorca, and saw multiple women look incredible in this elegant summer dress.
Whoever said floral midi dresses were over in 2023 should take a hike! This gorgeous bodiced style is too pretty to ignore.
Happy Vyshyvanka Day! May 18 sees a national day of appreciation for this storied craftsmanship of embroidered Ukranian folk dresses. Etnodim has many modern and traditional styles to enjoy in truly authentic style.
I’ve seen this midi IRL and the fabric is really striking but also a great weight and texture too. It’s a comfy dress that manages to make a grand entrance.
If I could build an entire capsule wardrobe out of Ninety Percent’s chic basics, I’d do it. This pretty style is exclusive to Net A Porter right now.
It’s giving French Riviera, and I like it.
Stunning colour, stunning neckline—this would really wow at a party or wedding.
The COS girlies love this dress! It’s back for yet another summer in a slightly different iteration with a new asymmetric hemline and more colourways.
I’m so pleased with this dress IRL. It’s a really lovely wiggly, heavy crochet finish, and it is a maxi on me as I’m 5’1”.
I’m very into Louisa Ballou’s printed tube dresses and have been looking at them summer after summer—could 2023 be my lucky year?
I love how this is business at the front, party at the back.
This colour is divine.
Kjinsen is a brand specialising in petite pieces, but this also goes up to a size 20 which is so refreshing to see.
I’m clearly craving red, pink, ruching and cut-outs—this wraps everything up into one fantastic dress.
This just looks like the kind of easy throw-on dress I’d spend all summer in.
Upon closer inspection, this is so much more than an average LBD.
This comes in three nice colours (emerald, navy and white) and those thick straps allow for a bra—hurrah!
You’ll no doubt be well acquainted by now with Norma Kamali’s Carrie Bradshaw-approved Diana dress, but this new style is much more up my street thanks to the bra-friendly neckline and longer hem. It’s giving Cindy Crawford ’90s red carpet—I’m here for that.
The colour, the cut, the length, the fabric… this is ticking every box on my wish list right now.
I keep gravitating towards dresses with a drop-hem as it provides a fresh silhouette with a vintage feel; this cut hasn’t been in fashion for some time but I’m certain it’s making a comeback.
I know, it seems very premature to be buying a tube dress in the depths of winter, but this COS style is back for another summer and it proved to be a really easy win in my wardrobe last year. I originally bought it in navy but could definitely be persuaded into the black…
If I had a fabulous holiday booked in for this year, I’d definitely pack this absolute beauty.
The kind of timeless, easy throw-on dress that will look just as current every summer from here on out.
I have this dress style in a plain blue colourway and it’s such a joy to wear—slinky, swishy and simple to chuck on, I think it’d be a safe bet to invest in a patterned version.
This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.
