If there’s one antidote to the unpredictability of British summertime, it’s the promise that the grey clouds will always eventually clear, making way for blue skies and warm weather, despite how long it takes for these bluebell days to arrive. As such, it’s always important to arm yourself with a balmy summer dress that can see you through. This season, the options worth your investment are insurmountable, meaning that there are countless new-in styles all vying for a spot in your wardrobe.

Across London, you’ll find ethereal prints and slinky silhouettes inside Réalisation Par’s new Mount Street flagship, gorgeous floaty floral midis at Rixo’s iconic King Road boutique and the full spectrum of occasionwear dressing at Reformation’s Covent Garden store. There are also establishments like Selfridge’s, which serve as a dress emporium and service every occasion and style under the sun, from the effortlessly contemporary cuts of brands like DISSH to the more architectural and minimal silhouettes of St. Agni.

Lest we understate the offerings across the high street, too. At Zara, trending prints like polka dots and classic motifs like crochet and lace are on full display. Meanwhile, at Mango, a recent co-sign from Hailey Bieber has further cemented the retailer as the master of blending effortlessly cool silhouettes with contemporary trends. Of course, we need to acknowledge the offering at H&M, too. At an affordable price point, the brand makes elegance accessible with graceful lace-trims, delicate broderie anglaise details and satin slips.

Still, we’d be remiss if we excluded mentioning the paragon of summer dresses. Dôen continues to dominate this category with romantic minis that feel right at home inside a 17th-century French château or the sun-kissed coastline of California. Faithfull the Label continues to inspire our Euro Summer wardrobes with a collection of dresses inspired by the shades and styles of Spain’s rugged Costa Brava. Chloé brings a nostalgic bohemian sensibility to summer dressing with ethereal minis and vintage botanical illustrations.

Suffice to say, there are plenty of new-in summer dresses to marvel at. So, whether you’re daydreaming about the next time you get to wear one or are very much manifesting sunshine by picking one up now, continue scrolling through for our meticulously curated edit of the finest new-in summer dress styles to covet.

Shop the Best New-In Summer Dresses for 2026

2024's autumn/winter trends have been nothing short of excellent and that's coming from a person who is heavily attuned to anti-trend pieces. I've become increasingly impressed with how designers have hit the mark on nostalgic meets modern, in a way that has a timeless appeal. That's across the board, especially when it comes to dresses. Between whimsical ruffled and more is more adornments, many trends have been a throwback to vintage eras, albeit a tad more in keeping with 2024's modern-day essence and the sophisticated sartorialist, who exudes confidence and an unapologetic sense of self.

Trends from 2023 have carried forward, bringing with them weather-appropriate elements and deeper colourways, though there have been some wildcards. When I think of 2024's dress trends, I think of a Carrie Bradshaw-esque exuberance. Many trends are bold and encourage wearability for many occasions if you dare to wear your best for the most mundane jaunts.

There have been many trends to name. From the relevance of specific hues—namely aubergine and rich chocolate browns—to the revival of animal print in a way that feels contemporary, whilst still evoking its characteristic vintage essence. If you're wondering what trends have got us talking, keep on scrolling for a deeper delve into the trends that have piqued the interest of an anti-trend fashion editor.

See the 6 Major Winter 2024 Dress Trends Below:

1. Scarves On

Style Notes: Whilst scarf looks are far from a new revelation, designers have continued to spearhead scarf dresses for autumn 2024, particularly elongated, sweeping styles. Scarf adornments are aplenty—from coats to knitwear but here we're focused on the dress kind.

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2. Powder Puff Party

Style Notes: Full skirted frocks feel inherently '50s, yet 2024's iterations are breathing life into this silhouette, especially with contemporary designs, such as the bandeau top, or puffed sleeves. The trend acts as an umbrella term, which houses puff ball skirting and fit-and-flare dresses. The more statement the skirt, the better.

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3. A Touch of Animal

Style Notes: Hop on board the time machine as we revert to the noughties. Animal print is easily one of the most timeless motifs around (with many Sartorialists even referencing it as a neutral) and for winter 2024, it's dominating once more. Mini, maxi and sheer iterations are all welcome. Simply take your pick.

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4. Cascading Ruffles

Style Notes: Whimsical, free-spirited and frothy, are a few descriptors that come to mind when thinking of the plentiful ruffle dress dress. Upon witnessing Chemena Kamali's debut collection for Chloé, I was inspired. Featuring power pink and peachy tones in barely-there voile, Bohemian style frocks, it's light, airy and alluring. You mightn't associate it with winter but that's just the appeal. When paired with hardened boots, it's pure magic.

5. Slip in Style

Style Notes: *Sounds klaxon*! Gowns have arrived in lustrous lacquers and glossy slip iterations, so you needn't worry if you're invited to any black tie events. Slip dresses have never been more relevant as we transcend into party season.

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6. Fluff on, Fluff off

Style Notes: Due to the festive season, feather and fluffy adornments are a recurring trend every winter, but this year they've dominated in a major way. From fully feather-swathed minis to delicate feather trim, there's something for all.

Every so often there comes along a piece so famous that it needs no introduction, and although you might not have known Realisation Par's Gia dress by name, you will have undoubtedly seen it. Cast your mind back to summer 2022 when zebra print was the trend of the moment, and although you could find it on the runways and the high street, it was Realisation that catapulted it into chic new heights. 

There was a moment when everytime I refreshed my feed there was another fashion editor or influencer posting the bell-sleeved, silk maxi dress, but always styled entirely differently. Type "Realisation" into your search bar now and you'll find wedding guest outfits, party starters, chic dinner party hosts and holiday pics, all making the Gia the star of the show, which just goes to prove its versatility. In fact, this dress is so popular it deserves its own hashtag.

After the huge success of the Gia in animal print, it wasn't long before we cottoned onto the ultra-flattering style in other colourways too, and the last few weeks have seen record numbers of shoppers opting for the denim blue and red havana floral print styles too (convincing me to place my own order). 

Having now gotten to slip into the Gia myself, I can confidently say firsthand that the all of the fuss makes total sense. This instant outfit is the dress I want to wear for everything, and the figure-skimming length happens to be right on time for an autumn revival of the maxi dress. Sorry minis, bare-legged season is officially over. 

So, should you be looking for a transitional outfit that works for summer with sandals and in autumn with a wool coat and knee-high boots, allow me to reintroduce Realisation's Gia. Now you've re-seen it, prepare to notice this dress everywhere over the upcoming months. 

SHOP REALISATION PAR'S GIA DRESS:

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Up Next, How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe With 8 Pieces You'll Wear Forever

Although the allure of French style spans all seasons, regions and decades, no one excels at effortless styling for warm weather quite like French women. Laid back, subtle and bearing the essence of the no-make-up look (but for clothing), every element is intentional but quietly so. They create and model some of the most sought-after dress styles that are celebrated across the globe.

Style Notes: French women wear knitted dresses and maxis year round. They can be worn at home, for day events and events alike. Simply add your footwear of choice.

French women's dress style exceeds the floral print, wrap and tea dresses that are commonly associated with Parisian women. In recent years, they’ve inherited noughties-inspired pieces and made them a permanent fixture. They're typically fashion-forward and accustomed to a trend or two but when they do, they adopt them for a lifetime and are admirably discerning about their acquirements. Take Y2K, its reformed eveningwear and the svelte shapes have a distinctive French characteristic, which makes the style slot seamlessly into a French women’s capsule. French women are also often seen donning risqué fabrications, long silhouettes, full-sleeved bias cuts and of course, minis thrown in for good measure. It was the stomping ground of style maven Bridget Bardot, after all.

Style Notes: Classic slip dresses are integral to the French aesthetic, especially when worn minimally.

There are several style notes I’ve made whilst studying fashion types in Paris. There’s a prevalence of pointelle, on-the-knee garments and downplaying floral motifs. Bloom-adorned clothing which would otherwise be destined for weddings is worn daily with trainers and down-to-earth ballerinas, loaning it a laid-back appeal. Other non-traditional styles are made wearable with worn-in denim and hardened materials, like leather. Like many, I’m enamoured by the effortless appeal of French women's style. Keep scrolling for seven easy-to-wear French girl-inspired summer dress outfits I’ll be wearing this season.

See the Seven Summer Dress Outfits I've Spotted French Women Wearing:

1. Midi Dress + Mary-Jane Shoes

Style Notes: There's an effortless appeal to this outfit. Although the fabrication is detailed the oversized shirt and flat shoes make it a piece you can wear during the day. Remove the outer layer as needed.

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2. Mini Slip Dress + Mules

Style Notes: As Sylvie demonstrates, you can't go wrong with simplicity. Pair classic elements together and you'll have an instantly timeless outfit.

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3. Black Midi Dress + Slides

Style Notes: Opt for full silhouettes, if you wish to add more drama. Simply pair your black dress with a neutral-tone handbag and simple slip-on slides.

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4. Knitted Maxi Dress + Tan Sandals

Style Notes: Peek a boo dresses have been inherited by French women and the weight is also well-suited to the unpredictable British forecast.

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5. Polka Dot Dress + Minimalist Trainers

Style Notes: It wouldn't be a French-style summer edit without a polka dot pick and luckily for wearers of the motif, it demands little to no extra attention. French women are adept at giving dresses a low-key spin, which often involves styling them with classic trainers if you wish to opt for something casual.

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6. Floral Dress + Metallic Sandals

Style Notes: Floral dresses are inherently French but there are more favoured styles than you may expect. While you may associate dark florals with autumn, there's something modern about wearing deep hues in the winter. Pair florals with metallic heels for weddings and formal occasions.

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7. Linen Mini Dress + Leather Flip Flops

Style Notes: Linen mini dresses are a hero piece in a summer capsule. They make an incredibly versatile addition given that they can be styles up or down. Let the easy-to-wear theme continue and pair it with slip on thong sandals.

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It’s natural that whilst we await the warmer months, our minds and wardrobes shift but dresses are a year-round staple in the wardrobes of many French women. Come April, knitted dresses are swapped for their summer equivalent and French women slip into frocks with tights and trench coats thrown atop. I often find myself daydreaming about the dresses I’ll wear, be it for weddings or to elevate my daily wares, especially come summer.

Whenever I fancy treating myself to something new or require a fresh dose of fashion inspiration, there is a selection of women I turn to, and the fact they’re all French or reside in France is no coincidence. If you’re familiar with my byline (for better or worse, my name is pretty easy to remember), you’ll know that I am an avid fan of the French aesthetic. I was eager to find out which dress trends French women actually wear come summer to inform my own frock selection.

After hours of research, I can confidently say six dress trends get the overall French-girl stamp of approval. From the print that Gallic girls always come back to, to the shapes and silhouettes they prefer, scroll on to see the dress trends French women subscribe to each summer.

1. BLACK DRESS WITH A TWIST

Style Notes: A black dress feels at home on the streets of Paris, with its fashionable residents leaning into the pared-back aesthetic of the piece. Come summer, they're worn with anything from denim jackets to trench coats.

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2. LONG-SLEEVE MINIS

Style Notes: Although I don’t subscribe to the outdated rule that you should only show one bare body part at a time (this is 2024, after all), there is something very chic about minidresses with long sleeves—something French women are familiar with, as they wear them a lot.

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3. Denim

Style Notes: French women wear denim year round and they turn to denim frocks with ankle boots, ballet flats or mules in summer. There’s something so charming about the style that I find impossible to resist.

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4. SIMPLE SLIPS

Style Notes: When French women get dressed up, they often opt for "less is more” pieces. And the slip dress definitely falls into that category.

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5. KNITTED

Style Notes: Knitted dresses are considered to be a transitional style staple and there are many styles French women wear — from ribbed styles to asymmetric styles.

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6. Florals

Style Notes: floral dresses are a piece that French women always have in their outfit rotations. Worn with ballet flats in the spring and summer, this is perhaps the chicest and most versatile dress style you can own.

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When Réalisation first dipped its toe into the UK retail market last year, a legion of cool girls lost their collective shit. I've never seen such a fashion scrum before as I did that first day of the pop-up store in Selfridges. It was a true smash-and-grab, with changing rooms overflowing and many a normally polite lady eschewing all manners to get her hands on that still-covetable leopard-print slip skirt called the Naomi.

It was a clear indicator of just how far Réalisation fever had spread since that first hit dress in 2017. We knew from the virtual world of Instagram that this Australian (not French!) indie brand garnering more and more tags, posts, likes and ambassadors by the second than any other. Last summer's feeds were not complete without a little floral dress from the brand. However, witnessing the fandom IRL was something else.

Until recently, you were at the mercy of an international website, which, for a time, couldn't ship to the UK due to the introduction of GDPR laws (boring to explain, but hugely detrimental to our wardrobes). But now marks a major moment in the development of our summer capsule collections: Réalisation's e-commerce site is now UK-friendly and entirely shoppable from our shores. What's more is that there's a flash sale on right now for four days only.

Réalisation is the kind of brand, like Rixo, that doesn't need to go on sale. The stock sells like hotcakes, and with limited runs and exclusive pieces, it means there's very little leftover to be discounted and flogged off. Which is why this is a very rare and momentous few days to make the most off. The brand is offering 25% off everything at the moment. Just use the code "DAYDREAM" and the below prices will be reduced.

To help you decide on what to buy within the next few days, we've tracked down some of the coolest Réalisation girls to see what they're wearing.

Lucia Cuesta wearing Réalisation's daisy-print Jeet Flower Power Dress.

Marta of Life of Boheme wearing the famous leopard skirt.

Pixie Geldof wearing the new Liv dress.

Model Georgia Pratt-Holiber in the heart-print Kaia shirt and Naomi skirt.

Related: The Only 3 Summer Dresses You Need From Zara, & Other Stories and Mango

Maria Bernad wearing the Cookies Hypnotic Skirt on holiday.

Model Kouth wearing another cute daisy-print option. This is the Devon Flower Power Dress.

Annabel Rosendahl in the Vivienne Tiger Dress.

Sabina Socol wearing Réalisation's Tia Dusty Pink Slip Dress.

Simone's Nicks Hypnotic blouse has been particularly popular recently.

Emili's Violette dress was a big hit in 2017, and it's now a regular part of the collection.

Réalisation has a habit of creating items that then take over our Instagram feeds, and the leopard print skirt-of-dreams that basically went viral is still going strong. Yes, we're talking about that midi skirt, the one you've most likely spotted (quite literally) on your Insta five times in one scroll. Everyone loves it because the slip-style silky knee-length skirt is an easy transition piece and because it strangely goes with almost anything in your wardrobe. Luckily (at the time of typing) the Naomi skirt is still available for £134. The love for this skirt confirms leopard print really is still essential, and if you need further proof then look no further than the influencer crowd below.

One to never put a fashion foot wrong, be more like Marie and mix with checks.

Their skirt has kickstarted a wave of leopard print slips filtering into stores and just as quickly selling out. It's almost difficult to keep track of what's available (& Other Stories, H&M and Urban Outfitters have all had major success with their iterations), so that's where we step in to give you the good stuff. Keep scrolling to see (and shop) the perfect new season leopard-print skirts.

We're dreaming of spring days just looking at this cool pairing. 

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Talking of animals, here are 14 pairs of kitten heels you can wear all day long.

Opening Image: @lifeofboheme

Yesterday, Emily Ratajkowski wore Realisation Par's green Violette wrap dress, confirming our theory that this is the dress of summer of 2017. This has been the wedding guest dress of choice this year (I personally know three people who have bought it for summer weddings). It's also been a huge hit with the fashion blogger crowd, as we've spotted the grassy green £175 sleeved version all over our Instagram feeds on the likes of Adenorah, Emili Sindlev and Lucy Williams. Who What Wear UK's contributor Emma Thatcher of A Style Album selected it as her key dress of the summer in her last column. There are also other celebrities in on the cult piece—Margot Robbie and Jessica Gomes both have the shorter cut.

It's no surprise that this dress has taken the title of dress of the year, as it's one of those little numbers that can work for every event in your diary from work to brunch to the races—not to mention the fact that the cut is almost universally flattering. Emily Ratajkowski even wore it as a robe jacket, unbuttoned and loose over a pair of distressed denim shorts and a camisole top, proving that it's a 24/7 kind of purchase.

Scroll below to see how the Instagram set is wearing Realisation Par's Violette dress, and then shop it below (before it sells out).

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There are certain styles we automatically ascribe to the French: Breton stripes, culottes, le smoking… But with a little digging on the Instagram accounts of your favourite Parisian style stars, it becomes obvious that the French also have a thing for red and blue. Whatever the reason (the colours do fly on the French flag), this classic combination is a favourite across the board. Chic French women find plenty of ways to make a look their own, but in the end, they always fall back on the tried-and-true pairing.

Read on for a look at how our favourite French style stars pull off the look, and then shop pieces inspired by their style…

On Kenza Sadoun: Emanuel Ungaro pants and top.

On Jeanne Damas: Rouge Paris Yasmine Blouse (£94).

On Caroline de Maigret: Karen Millen pants and top.

On Camille Charrière: Mads Nørgaard top; Ganni blazer; Levi's jeans; Dorateymur boots.

On Clémentine Desseaux: H&M top.

Related: What Our French Fashion Friends Do and Don't Shop for at Zara

On Adénorah: Sézane Marla Shirt (£70); A.P.C. skirt; M Missoni bag.

On Adeline Rapon: Saint James top; Levi's jeans; Jonak Paris boots; Jerome Dreyfuss bag.

Related: Parisian Style 2.0: Meet the New French Brands on Our Radar

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