Rachel Stevens Always Picks the Most Expensive-Looking Affordable Dresses

Over at Who What Wear UK, we have two great loves: good dresses and celebrities in the kind of outfits you can literally copy and paste. When it comes to the latter, we've seen our fair share of fashionable women who have influenced our purchases, but while looking for new inspo recently, it has come to our attention that Rachel Stevens is having a particularly good run of noteworthy moments, and the fact that most of these happen to be in dresses (affordable ones at that) is just an added bonus.

From pretty midis to her own collection of summery maxi dresses for Oasis, it's clear that all of Stevens's dresses have one thing in common: their price tags, as this is one celeb who isn't afraid to champion the high street. Her Instagram is like a who's who of high-street heavy hitters, from H&M to & Other Stories (although, there are a few Daily Sleeper moments in there too), and it provides some good pointers on how to find expensive-looking dresses at an affordable level. Her picks tend to be demure (nothing too short, too tight or too revealing) and feature muted colours and very subtle prints or detailing. Sometimes, the simpler the midi, the more it can pass as designer.

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(Image credit: @mrsrachelstevens)

Stevens wears a now-sold-out Arket silk dress. 

The next best thing about Stevens's penchant for comfortable, light dresses is just how easy they are to weave into your everyday wardrobe. Whether puffed-sleeve minis or floor-sweeping maxis, their laid-back style works for day, work, evening and, well, anything in between, which saves you that much more time getting ready in the morning.

So if you're looking for easy-to-wear dresses that come celebrity approved, then scroll on for our picks of Stevens's best high-street moments that you can still shop.

THE FREE PEOPLE MAXI DRESS

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(Image credit: @mrsrachelstevens)

You simply can't go wrong with a black midi dress, and the cut-out detailing and light, cotton fabric make this the ideal dress for a summer evening. A dress like this doesn't need much in the way of accessories, so opt for strappy gladiator sandals, or heel devotees can take Stevens's lead with tan platforms. 

THE NOBODY'S CHILD FLORAL DRESS

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(Image credit: @msrachelstevens)

We were already big fans of Nobody's Child's pretty and practical dresses, and apparently celebs are following suit. (Only yesterday did Rochelle Humes choose this cute number.) The best thing about this particular one? It's made from keep-cool linen, so getting ready in the morning is as simple as throwing on this dress. No sweat. 

THE OASIS MIDI DRESS

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(Image credit: GETTY IMAGES)

Nothing is more bang on-trend this summer than open-stitch crochet. But if you thought the look would mean boho and beads, think again. Simply adding a blazer makes this sheer dress event-ready and less beach cover-up.

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(Image credit: @msrachelstevens)

Although it looks like the original dress has since sold out (such is the power of an affordable dress on a celeb with a following), never fear. & Other Stories specialises in well-fitting, puff-sleeve dresses in a variety of colours and cuts, and there are no less than seven styles available on the site, so you can still shop the look. 

THE MONSOON EMBROIDERED DRESS

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Nothing says holiday like a joyful, colourful dress that makes you happier just seeing it, and this Monsoon dress ticks those boxes. Following Stevens's tried-and-tested formula of a short-sleeve, full-skirted midi and heeled sandals, this is an outfit that you will wear on repeat throughout summer. 

THE ALBARAY DENIM DRESS

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Proving that denim can be so much more than just a good pair of jeans, Stevens's Albaray dress is a great find for sustainable shoppers. Not only is it made from organic cotton, but all of the brand's fabrics are subject to rigorous environmental guidelines and are manufactured via a process that generates up to 50% lower carbon emissions. 

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Remy Farrell
Fashion Editor

Remy Farrell is a London-based shopping editor with nearly 10 years of editorial experience covering fashion, beauty and lifestyle. After graduating with a journalism degree and working on the editorial and fashion teams for titles such as Grazia, Elle, Cosmopolitan and British Vogue, she moved into the luxury e-commerce sector, working as fashion assistant at TheOutnet.com styling for the social media channels and helping to develop the collections for the in-house brand Iris & Ink. After expanding an assisting and styling portfolio that includes shooting talent such as Gigi Hadid, Victoria Beckham and Miquita Oliver, she also branched out into beauty, creating tried-and-tested reviews and diverse beauty content.In her role as shopping editor at Who What Wear, Remy is interested in discovering new and exciting brands to share with the Who What Wear readership and particularly loves uncovering hidden gems at affordable prices to make shopping accessible to everyone.Born and raised in Sheffield, Yorkshire, Remy moved to London in 2014 and lives in the Docklands with her partner and pug Billie.