35 Gorgeous Summer Dresses That Are Also Perfect for the Office

roundup of the best professional dresses, a promo photo of a woman wearing a white shirt dress

Let's be honest. Warm weather is wonderful, but the prospect of choosing what to wear to work when it's sweltering outside? Well, that's a whole different story. There's so much to consider when you're trying to pick a professional outfit to wear to the office—e.g., what will keep you from sweating while commuting on the subway and still adhere to your office's dress code—that it can feel like another full-time job. On top of that, we all know that some business clothing can be, well, boring to the point that it makes getting dressed stressful. However, I'm here to tell you that you don't have to break a sweat in order to have a solid work wardrobe for the spring and summer. The solution is actually straightforward: invest in professional dresses.

No other staple can strike a balance between being suitable for warm weather and appropriate for work settings like a dress. While there are certain types of dresses you'd likely want to avoid—sorry, strapless, halter, and spaghetti-strap dresses—some styles are just formal enough to show your HR department you're standing on business. In an effort to help you identify them, I've searched high and low to find the best professional dresses for every budget and type of workspace. Ahead, you'll find a curation of casual and formal dresses to ensure that your warm-weather style gets a promotion this season (and maybe you will too).

Under $250

Under $500

Worth Investing In

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Jasmine Fox-Suliaman
Editor

Jasmine Fox-Suliaman is a fashion editor living in New York City. What began as a hobby (blogging on Tumblr) transformed into a career dedicated to storytelling through various forms of digital media. She started her career at the print publication 303 Magazine, where she wrote stories, helped produce photo shoots, and planned Denver Fashion Week. After moving to Los Angeles, she worked as MyDomaine's social media editor until she was promoted to work across all of Clique's publications (MyDomaine, Byrdie, and Who What Wear) as the community manager. Over the past few years, Jasmine has worked on Who What Wear's editorial team, using her extensive background to champion rising BIPOC designers, weigh in on viral trends, and profile stars such as Janet Mock and Victoria Monét. She is especially interested in exploring how art, fashion, and pop culture intersect online and IRL.