5 Striking Dress Trends Everyone Will Wear This Year

I don't know about you, but I have been desperately trying to find things to look forward to this year and while it's not a tropical vacation or a big party with my friends, new dress trends do get me pretty excited for the days ahead. After closely analyzing the S/S 21 collections, there were quite a few new trending styles I took note of, but the 5 ahead were the ones I felt you absolutely must know about. 

Including every style from more formal dresses with lots of volume to the new basic dress you have to have in your 2021 wardrobe, the 5 dress trends ahead are bound to be big, and that's a fact. Ahead you will see my favorite images of these striking frocks from the spring collections in addition to my favorite shopping picks within each. If you're a dress gal, get ready to be in heaven and good luck resisting the shopping selection below. 

Open Backs

Skin is definitely in this year. While cutouts are certainly still trending, it's these open-back dresses that we are banking on being everywhere this spring season. Be it a more formal dress or a casual knit number, exposing your backside (you know what I mean) is so hot right now. 

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179987679-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of Givenchy)

Pictured: Givenchy S/S 21

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179985179-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of Dsquared2)

Pictured: Dsquared2 S/S 21

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179991317-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of Nanushka)

Pictured: Nanushka S/S 21

Shop the trend:

Tacky Florals

Florals for spring will always be a thing, but this season, we're identifying one floral print in particular that we've been eyeing on dresses across the board—tacky florals. Think '80s-inspired and overall vintage vibes. If you're confused, scrolling through the assortment of images and products below will definitely ring a bell .

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179992702-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of Alessandra Rich)

Pictured: Alessandra Rich S/S 21

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179993567-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of Rodarte)

Pictured: Rodarte S/S 21

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179988799-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of Isabel Marant)

Pictured: Isabel Marant S/S 21

Shop the trend:

Sides Out

Yes, we now present yet another cutout dress trend. Cutouts in general were a major theme last season, but for spring, these skin-exposing holes seem to be concentrated on the sides of the torso. Once again, this trend is offering in styles from formal to casual so there's a little something for everyone. 

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179986156-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of Gabriela Hearst)

Pictured: Gabriela Hearst S/S 21

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179982302-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of Christopher Esber)

Pictured: Christopher Esber S/S 21

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179990902-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of MSGM)

Pictured: MSGM S/S 21

Shop the trend:

The Basics

Looking for an easy dress you can throw on without a second thought? That's what this dress trend is all about. These slinky and non-restrictive dresses are the perfect solution to how to wear a dress in 2021 considering we're a lot less going out and a lot more staying in. 

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179989821-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of Kwaidan Editions)

Pictured: Kwaidan Editions S/S 21

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179994459-image

(Image credit: ImaxTree)

Pictured: Simon Miller S/S 21

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179995043-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of Sportmax)

Pictured: Sportmax S/S 21

Shop the trend:

Various Volumes

This spring, the easiest way to add some frivolity to your life is to invest in a voluminous dress. Thanks to the various volumes we saw in the spring collections, we can only expect this trend to be huge (no pun intended) this year.

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179984167-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of Christopher John Rogers)

Pictured: Christopher John Rogers S/S 21

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179990247-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of Loewe)

Pictured: Loewe S/S 21

dress-trends-2021-291200-1611179989275-image

(Image credit: Courtesy of Jacquemus )

Pictured: Jacquemus S/S 21

Shop the trend:

Editorial Director

Lauren Eggertsen is currently the editorial director of Who What Wear and has worked at the company for over eight years, where she started as an associate editor and has since worked her way up. Lauren has over 10 years of experience in the fashion editorial space, starting her career with internships at Marc Jacobs, Marie Claire, and The Zoe Report, where she was later hired as their editorial assistant. Lauren has worked in the Los Angeles and New York Who What Wear offices but currently calls L.A. home. It is here where she leads and manages Who What Wear's fashion team and oversees all day-to-day editorial content and large tentpole moments. This includes all of the runway, trend, and shopping-driven content that ultimately helps to build a strong brand reputation within the industry. Lauren's role also includes helping to set the fashion direction for all original photo shoots and often styles many of the celebrity cover shoots, including big names like Kaia Gerber, Normani, and Kristen Stewart.

She has also attended multiple fashion weeks, including New York, London, Milan, and Paris, where her personal style has been featured on sites such as Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, and Elle. She prides herself on discovering and supporting small brands and on her knack for a good vintage shopping find. When she isn't working, she enjoys researching and dining at reputable restaurants around both her neighborhood and the globe.