Finding a typical summer dress may appear to be easy. Women across the UK study High- Street stores that are overflowing in dresses with a sense of panic each summer.
The ideal dress may look smooth while being simple to put on and take on. It must go from dressed down to dressed up. It has to feel present, but avoid the trap of accessibility.
The key to getting it right is sticking to your type, whether that’s simple or hippy. We’ve picked the best gowns for each type village, so you’re sure to find anything you’ll enjoy for many summers to come…
The Lady
Quietly yearn for the heyday of 1950s splendor? Our model wears the Dorothy ($179) by House of CB, a London company that produces the best corsetry-inspired dresses on the market.
This is not the same corsetry as an 18th-century princess did hear, so put the emphasis on the word “inspired” on it. Today, smart panelling and revolutionary fabrics in stretch- cotton create the similar silhouette, so you can inhale perfectly.
Try Nobody’s Child’s Marina dress ( £85, nobodyschild.com ) for a similar shape that looks just as good with sandals at a market as with court shoes at a wedding.
The Traveller
The adventurer likes bold prints but never florals ( too predictable ). Fortunately, creature and fruits prints are everywhere.
Never Fully Dressed has an orange and lemon one ( £99, neverfullydressed.com ). The most heroic may choose to perform cut-outs.
Me+Em’s cotton gown has a cut that is perfectly placed to show a slip of body just above the hip.
The Minimalist
There’s just one outfit for minimalists to be seen in this period. Enter the pond outfit. The base of one cloth and the top of another give it the appearance of a skirt and a tank top, but it can be put on in one go at once.
Don’t be offended if you’re uncomfortable showing your arms; this dress’s simple design makes it the ideal setting for an oversized blazer or cropped jacket.
They come in large- waisted and fall- waist styles. There are a number of fashionable possibilities for less than £40.
The Hippy
If you’re a fan of Sienna Miller’s design or limited to a bit of wafty fabric next you’re in the hippie community.
Boden’s Una dress ( £210, boden. i. kingdom ) comes in four colours and is the best in summer flexibility: use it with trainers, over your swimming costume on vacation and with bottle- soled heels in the evening.
Without resembling a Woodstock festival outfit, it retains much design thanks to a pulley. Or consider Monsoon’s red super dress.
The Historian
The classicist prefers basket bags, gingham pants, and bright white shirts. She dislikes long, over the top floral designs.
Your summertime investment piece should be a light shirt-dress, with a cinch in the waist for a smooth finish.
Pearl icons and scalloped detailing give the River Island gown a unique flair.
Beaufort & Blake has a similar one in broderie that has a real French Riviera factor (£150, beaufortandblake.com).