One of the many great things about summer dresses is just how versatile they are. There truly is a summer dress for every occasion, and they can be dressed up or down to suit any dress code. Whether you’re headed to the beach, a picnic, a work event, a wedding, or any other summer event, there are always plenty of summer dress options available.
Styles
When choosing a summer dress, there a lot of things that you’ll want to keep in mind. The length, silhouette, style, colour, and fabric are all important parts of what make up the perfect summer dress.
To break things down a bit, most dresses come in three lengths, mini, midi, and maxi. Mini dress refers to a hemline that sits anywhere above the knee, midi length dresses have a hemline that fall anywhere between the knee and the mid-shin, and the hems of maxi dresses reach anywhere from the ankle to the floor.
The silhouette of a dress refers to how the dress fits on the body. So, an A-line dress has a fitted upper body, accentuates the waist, and has a flowy skirt that starts at the waist. A bodycon dress is form-fitting along the entire body, while an empire dress has a fitted bust, and a long flowy skirt that starts at the ribs. There are also shift dresses that are slightly shapeless but still hug the body, and fully shapeless dresses that have no form and usually do not hug the body at all.
The style of the dress is the specific way in which the dress was designed. This refers to the type and length of the sleeves, which can also add a bit of fun, from long to sleeveless and everything in between. As well as the style of the overall dress such as cut-out, wrap, halter, smocked, t-shirt, one-shoulder, kaftan, among many other styles.
The most popular fabrics for summer dresses include linens and lightweight cottons although dresses are not limited to these two fabrics. Additionally, white is currently trending as a colour for summer dresses, but if you don’t want white, there are also many dresses in vibrant colours and bold prints available to choose from.
Some Summer Dress Inspiration
Maxi Shirt Dress
Brand: Arraei
Price: $235.00
This adorable maxi shirtdress is made by Canadian clothing brand Arraei. Its boho design combines style and comfort, creating a dress that you’ll want to wear all summer long.
Midi Bodycon Dress
https://en.judydesign.com/collections/robes/products/robe-beatrice-divine
Brand: Judy Design
Price: $69.00
Another one from a Canadian brand, this is the type of midi bodycon dress that doesn’t feel restrictive.
Mini Wrap Dress
https://fromrachel.com/products/karla-wild-flowers-wrap-dress
Brand: From Rachel
Price: $110.00
This Canadian-made dress proves that wrap dresses can be versatile. With its cute print and effortless styling, you’ll be sure to pull this one out to wear all the time.
Maxi Smocked Dress
Brand: Simons
Price: $100.00
This beautiful and colourful maxi dress comes from Canadian brand Simons. It’ll be the stand-out of the summer, and you’ll be sure to turn heads no matter where you wear it.
Little White Dress
https://www.evernew.ca/cecilia-crochet-trim-mini-282549?colour=porcelain
Brand: Ever New
Price: $169.99
Finally, onto the colour of the summer. This Australian brand was recently introduced at the Hudson’s Bay and features all kinds of beautiful dresses in their collection.
Accessories
If you want to go for a more casual look, you can wear a baseball cap or a summer hat, and if you want to dress it up, there are many chic and pretty hairstyles and hair accessories that you can go with.
Summer dresses can look great with any kind of bag, with bigger bags being better suited for a daytime or casual look, while smaller bags are better for an evening or more formal look. For shoes, you have the choice of sandals, flats, sneakers, or heels, the choice is really up to you. Many people are pairing shoes such as cowboy boots with dresses this year.
In regard to jewellery, again, the possibilities are endless. You can wear large statement pieces, or more understated jewellery, it all depends on the look you’re going for.
Lauren Schwartz | Staff Writer
