There's nothing quite like the feeling of trying on a dress you bought online and realizing that it's perfect—the color, the fit, and the material are all checking off the boxes on your list for a piece of clothing you probably spent a cool $50+ dollars on. While shopping online can be a gamble, I've come to learn a well-proven hack that's taken my risky purchases and turned them into rewards every time: actually reading the product reviews.
Whenever I'm shopping for a dress—occasion or not—Nordstrom is the first retailer I turn to thanks to its handy filtering tool that lets me scroll through the highest-rated purchases first. While there are thousands of dresses out there with stellar five-star reviews, only a few of them are the real deal. During the weekend, I spent nearly six hours combing through pages and pages of Nordstrom's Half-Yearly Sale to find the best discounted dresses that are actually worth your money. My criteria? Anything above four stars with photo reviews and happy customers. Although it proved to be quite the challenge at times, I'm here to say there are nine newly crowned winners in my book.
Scroll below for the top Nordstrom dresses currently on sale right now, complete with ratings and customer reviews. Plus, I'm sharing a few additional deeply discounted dresses I can't stop thinking about.
Open Edit
Wear Two Ways Knit Midi Dress
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Customer review: "This is such a classic, beautiful essential that's super easy to throw on to do anything in. I bought both colors and wear them all the time!"
Treasure & Bond
Ruched Side Sleeveless Dress
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Customer review: "I have this in white and charcoal. It is very flattering! If it is still available, buy it!! It is so awesome for the price. I travel with it because it can be a dress, a cover-up, or even a nightgown."
Nordstrom
Stretch Cotton Midi T-Shirt Dress
Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars Customer review: "This dress is amazing! Excellent quality—not the slightest bit see-through like most T-shirt dresses. Fits a little bit roomy, washes and dries perfectly with no ironing required. I wish they made it in more colors. It will be a hot summer uniform!"
Charles Henry
Off the Shoulder Dress
Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars Customer review: "Love this dress. It can easily be dressed up or down. Dressy enough to wear as a wedding guest, but it can also work for a nice dinner date."
Elliatt
Camo Asymmetric Satin Cocktail Dress
Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars Customer review: "I really love this dress. I ordered it for a wedding as a wild card and liked it more than I expected to. It is the perfect blend of sexy and modest."
Free People
Violet Minidress
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Customer review: "Exceeded my expectations! Very comfy, classy and so elegant! got so many compliments! Love Love Love the dress."
Vince
Deep V-Neck Long Sleeve Cotton & Linen Blend Dress
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars Customer review: "Lovely dress. Can be worn by itself, or throw on a light colored or brown belt to change the look."
Open Edit
Ribbed Body-Con Dress
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars Customer review: "I am blown away by how many ways you can wear this dress! I wear this dress to my day job in the office with a blazer and some heels right to my second job as a host with sneakers."
Loveappella
V-Neck Jersey Maxi Dress
Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars Customer review: "I love this dress, it's the perfect maxi I've been looking for. Sexy, not too tight, and gives a nice silhouette yet SO comfy."
Shop other Nordstrom dresses on sale:
Reformation
Mochi Polka Dot Long Sleeve Minidress
Ref's dresses are a fan favorite for the fashion crowd.
Good American
Good Touch Sleeveless Turtleneck Body-Con Midi Dress
Not only is this dress incredibly chic, but it's also size inclusive.
A.L.C.
Anita Halter Handkerchief Hem Maxi Dress
This pretty dress basically screams OOO.
Free People
Billie Long Sleeve Mini Shirtdress
If your summer aesthetic is rich coastal auntie, this dress should be high up on your buy list.
River Island
Stripe Long Sleeve Knit Midi Dress
No notes, just fab.
Rails
Lorraine Metallic Long Sleeve Button-Up Sweater Dress
Rails' cozy knits are my go-to every season if I want something I know will fit my body in the best way.
Topshop
Sleeveless Turtleneck Sweater Dress
Quiet luxury is calling…
Charles Henry
Belted Henley Long Sleeve Sweater Dress
Perfect for morning walks to the office.
Vince
Cowl Halter Neck Satin Slipdress
BRB, I'm buying this to sail down the coast of Positano.
Vero Moda
Bonni Catch Fit & Flare Dress
Orange Creamsicle realness.
Knwls
Clavicle Off the Shoulder Minidress
Knwls's buzzy cool-girl persona is already a major plus for me, but seeing this dress at a steep discount has me reaching for my payment method.
Proenza Schouler
V-Neck Long Sleeve Cotton Poplin Midi Dress
You can't go wrong with a simple, breezy white midi dress.
Significant Other
Indigo Cutout Ribbed Body-Con Dress
I'm predicting Dua Lipa will wear this dress this summer—snatch it up before she does!
Staud
Nataly Dress
Staud is love—Staud is life.
Samsøe Samsøe
Annah Slipdress
Although Samsøe Samsøe wasn't on my radar up until a few months ago, I'm already in love with the brand's whimsical, wearable designs, including this statement maxi dress.
La Ligne
Mary Alice Ruched Long Sleeve Tiered Maxi Dress
Capital C chic.
Et Ochs
Eleanor Gathered Cutout Long Sleeve Midi Cocktail Dress
I never expected to love a zebra dress in 2023, yet here we are.
Isabel Marant Étoile
Seen Shirtdress
A simple shirtdress with some slides and sleek sunglasses is the no-frills elevated uniform you need to adopt for the warm weather.
Bp
Corset Cotton Dress
An adorable, affordable find for your next brunch outing.
Ana Escalante is an award-winning journalist and Gen Z editor known for her sharp takes on fashion and culture. She’s covered everything from Copenhagen Fashion Week to Roe v. Wade protests as the Editorial Assistant at Glamour after earning her journalism degree at the University of Florida in 2021. At Who What Wear, Ana mixes wit with unapologetic commentary in long-form fashion and beauty content, creating pieces that resonate with a digital-first generation. If it’s smart, snarky, and unexpected, chances are her name’s on it.