The Pretty Dress Trend That Won't Stop Selling Out

Welcome to The Great Try-On—our digest of everything you'll need for your most stylish season yet. We identified the ultimate spring capsule wardrobe, which consists of seven practical hero items. A few of our editors tried on each of these wardrobe builders, with head-to-toe looks styled by our editorial director, Lauren Eggertsen, so you can see how they look IRL. From the trousers everyone's talking about to the skirt that goes with absolutely everything, we hope that these photos and the candid reviews of each item will help you shop for a seasonal wardrobe filled with essentials and trend-forward pieces you'll wear for spring and beyond.

I think we can all agree that spring is the perfect time of year to invest in a new dress. But if you're like us, you probably have enough white linen dresses and are wondering what else is out there for 2025. The answer is draped dresses. These dresses, typically made of soft jersey knit or silk that's beautifully gathered, are what all the fashion people and chicest celebrities are wearing this season. And because there are so many different ways to design the placement of the draping, it's not a trend that all ends up looking the same, such as, say, a square-neck shift dress. As you're about to see, draped dresses are wildly special and unique. Accordingly, retailers can barely keep them in stock. Scroll on to see how the trending style looks on, get the first-person feedback of our editor models, and shop the exact dresses (along with everything else they're wearing).

If this dress stopped you in your tracks, you're not alone. Kallmeyer has become one of those buzzy brands that we think about a lot, and this dress is the perfect example of why that is. Read on for all the details and to see it on our associate features editor Ana.

Ana's take on the dress: "This dress, hands down, was one of my favorites that we styled. The color is absolutely striking—a huge win in my book, especially as someone who often retreats to whites, blacks, and grays for their daily wardrobe. I loved the draping effect of this Kallmeyer dress, and, although it’s a soft jersey fabric, the effect makes it feel 10 times more elevated and chic."

Styling tips: This dress makes such a statement that you don't need much else when wearing it. A pair of modern kitten-heel pumps and bold silver earrings completed the look in this case.

Shop the dress: Kallmeyer Victoria Draped Dress ($645)

Aside from the beautifully draped neckline, beneath the drop waist (another trend that's still going strong) is more draping in the form of a gathered skirt that moves beautifully as you walk. The jersey fabric is mid-weight, so you needn't worry about it being too thin. This is a dress you can wear for occasions as varied as a wedding and Sunday brunch.

If you didn't think a bright-orange dress could be elegant, we're here to prove you wrong. Our fashion editor Sierra tried on this McQueen maxi dress, and orange just might be our new favorite color. Read on to see the unique draping on the dress and read all about it.

Sierra's take on the dress: "Not to be dramatic, but the sight of this dress alone made me want to sprint to the airport and book a trip to Greece. With a dress like this in your carry-on, you are truly going to steal the show. I've slowly started to shy away from color, but it's fun to surprise people and pop out in a dress like this and truly wow the crowd and make a statement. I can occasionally get self-conscious in skintight dresses these days, so that's what I adore about the draped dress trend. It's incredibly flattering as it moves with your body's curves and hits all the right angles with the drapes drawing the eyes all over."

Styling tips: Orange looks stunning with gold, so if you had any doubts about what shoes to wear with this dress, a pair of low-heel metallic gold sandals is the answer. Sculptural jewelry perfectly complements the look.

Shop the dress: McQueen Draped Maxi Dress ($2930)

First of all, we have to talk about this fabric. Think of the soft feel of jersey knit but if it were made of 100% silk. That's what you have here, and as you can see, it drapes exquisitely. Another unique feature of this dress is that it drapes both above and below the waistline, which turns out to be unbelievably flattering.

A special red piece is a wardrobe staple in our opinion, and it turns out that it's jaw-dropping in the form of a red dress. We wanted to include this particular Simkhai one because the wrap-style draping is so innovative. Below, see how it looks IRL on our senior fashion editor Eliza.

Eliza's take on the dress: "I've never been much of a color person, but something about the pop of this red Simkhai dress really drew me in. The detailed draping seemed to somehow break up the shocking nature of the saturated shade, giving it a more wearable feel for the color-averse like me. I wore it with a pair of patent-leather stiletto boots that I tucked into the hem of the dress, likewise creating dimension. I know it seems like 'the wrong shoe,' but just try it next time you're not sure what shoe to wear with a longer dress. It always does the trick."

Styling tips: Perhaps patent-leather stiletto knee boots aren't the first shoes that come to mind when you see this dress, but going with unexpected shoes almost always pays off. As with the other dresses, this one doesn't need much else in terms of styling—just a few sculptural jewelry pieces and you're done.

Shop the dress: Simkhai Nalani Tie-Front Gown ($795)

This long stretch-jersey dress stands out because of its waist tie–adjacent draping, which is a bit of a very effective optical illusion. We also love the modern feel that the short sleeves give the dress. This is the type of dress that no matter where you wear it, you'll get compliments.