We Tried on the Prettiest Dresses at Zara—See Our Candid Dressing-Room Pics

Meet Lauren, Who What Wear fashion editor and co-founder of The Devils Wear Zara. Lauren is so obsessed with Zara that we started calling her the Zara Scout. Now she's turning the nickname into a franchise so she can regularly share her insider knowledge of the brand—including all her hacks, secrets, and must-haves—with you.

You can count on Zara for a lot of things—low prices, last-minute pick-me-ups, and, weirdly, that perfect dress that, yes, maybe tons of other girls will have, but for $70 and a few cute Instagram pics, it will do the trick. For our next dressing-room-diaries series in which my Devils Wear Zara co-founder, Mimi, and I head into Zara in both L.A. and NY to try on the newest product, we decided to focus on dresses—pretty ones.

Normally, we only show you the pictures of the items we ended up buying (or at least adding to our immediate wish lists), but this time, we decided to be a little more candid. Ahead, you'll see a slew of dressing-room pictures featuring the pretty Zara dresses we loved, kind of loved, and even hated a little. Now, the dresses we chose to try on are all ones we think are cute; some of them just didn't look right on us, and that's okay. That's what dressing rooms are for, no? Either way, we're here to officially let you know that the dress section at Zara is on fire right now, whether you agree with our reviews below or not.

"I'm not totally sure where I would wear this because I normally dress like a boy, and this feels hella fancy for me, but a good red dress is an essential, right? I think this would be flattering on anyone. I love the wrap detail, the leg slit when you walk, and the pleated detail on the shoulders." — Mimi Postigo 

Shop the dress:

"I am a sucker for a good slip dress, but it's hard for me to find ones that really flatter my body. This one surprised me in that department. It clung to the right part of my hips and the neckline looks so expensive. Also, please excuse my bra straps." — Lauren Eggertsen 

Shop the dress:

"I kinda feel like Lucy Boynton in this. (LMAO, I said kinda.) I'm into it. Had to put up the hair for full puffy-sleeve/high-neck/rhinestone-button debut. I think this is the perfect LBD to have on hand that's not just a black slip dress." — Mimi 

Shop the dress:

"This PRINT! I saw it on the rack and was immediately drawn to it. It's one of those dresses I'll probably get sick of by next year, but for $70, that's a risk I'm willing to take for a few killer Instagram photos (because look how well it photographs) and potentially a breezy spring wedding guest dress." — Lauren 

Shop the dress:

"This is me trying to be Dua Lipa. Clearly, I didn't totally nail the look, but I think if I get my hair done and add some dope accessories, this would look much cooler." — Mimi 

Shop the dress:

"So, I actually posted this dress on my Instagram Story along with a poll, asking people to vote on whether they loved or hated it. A lot of people ended up hating it, but the ones who loved it loved it so much they messaged me privately to tell me they hoped I bought it. Personally, I think it's not the most flattering on my body, but I love the color, and I think the straps are nice. Maybe if I were a bit taller and attending the Kentucky Derby, I would have bought it." — Lauren 

Shop the dress:

"I have six kinds of these pretty, flowy dresses in my closet, and they are perfect for so many things—brunch with friends, backyard BBQs, going to dinner in the warmer months, letting my sister borrow, wearing to my nephew's six-month birthday… The list goes on. They are also so easily dressed up or down with the right shoes and such." — Mimi 

Shop the dress:

"Fun fact number one: I hate jumpsuits. Fun fact number two: This is a jumpsuit, and I love it. I didn't know it was a jumpsuit until I was in the dressing room, and I loved it all the same. I think this tuxedo-inspired dress (shoulder pads and all) would be a nice alternative to the typical cocktail dress (probably a slip) I normally reach for and looks chic with tights and a pointed shoe. Don't worry: I won't wear it with my shell necklaces IRL." — Lauren 

Shop the dress:

"I'm into a long-sleeved minidress and feel like this one is perfect for spring. It has some diamond-button detail going on around the bust. Could envision it with lace-up sandals and maybe a chic vacation. IDK though." — Mimi 

Shop the dress:

"Didn't end up loving the fit on this one as much as I had hoped for, but I really did love the semi-puffy sleeves and the flattering tie around the waist. Sometimes wrap dresses get a little too gappy around my chest area, which means I'm constantly fidgetting with it and worrying about it resulting in a less-than-pleasant experience for me. BUT I was sad when I didn't love the fit, which means it's the perfect dress for someone else—probably you. Plus, I just realized this dress is almost sold out, meaning it really was just me, and it looks good on everyone… but me. Cool, cool." — Lauren 

Shop the dress:

"I really don't know what it is, but I'm drawn to weird cotton dresses with button fronts like this—all the time, even though they don't look great on me. I look like Shailene Woodley in Divergent before she became a badass. Google it, and you will agree." — Mimi 

Shop the dress:

"This slip had a stunning color but was a tad on the sheer side. If you're going on a tropical vacation, this dress is definitely worth buying, but it's one I passed on. Plus, I knew I would wear the polka-dot slip dress way more than this one. Now that I'm looking back, I think it could have looked really cute layered underneath a cream, chunky sweater with my Dr. Martens… Maybe I'll go back." — Lauren 

Shop the dress: