Dresses that are very specific and can only be worn with a certain pair of shoes and for certain occasions are of no interest to me. I'm quite picky about the dresses that I buy and only want them if I know I'll be able to wear them in a variety of ways. A good metric system for knowing how versatile a dress is would be to ask yourself if you could wear it with either heels or sneakers—the most dressy and most casual of shoe options.
Summer is undoubtedly dress season. I, for one, wear dresses 10 times as often in the summer as I do throughout the rest of the year. Where I live (the Southeast), it's honestly too hot to even wear shorts sometimes, so breezy dresses it is. There is no lack of cute summer dresses on the market right now, so I chose some of my favorites that definitely pass the "sneakers and heels" test. Keep scrolling to shop them so that whatever you pick will arrive while these dog days of summer are in full swing.
The print and fabric are elevated, but the cut veers casual, which makes it very versatile.
I challenge you to find a better vacation dress.
Love a good lace-up frock.
Of course, so many of Ref's dresses are multitaskers.
Cute, cute, cute.
This asymmetrical drop-waist situation is excellent.
She's ready for summer fun.
Nordstrom shoppers are in love with this dress.
This is the type of dress that'll be "in" every summer.
Don't sleep on Abercrombie & Fitch's dress selection.
This breezy dress is good for the hottest of summer days.
This would be great with heels, obviously, but also a pair of understated sneakers like Loewe Ballet Runners.
This is one of the best denim dresses I've seen this season.
This dress takes on a whole different vibe when dressed up or down.
This one kind of goes without saying.
In case you hadn't heard, Tory Burch is killing it lately.
Your Adidas Sambas are waiting in the wings.
Meet my favorite Madewell dress of summer 2023.
Bust out the Onitsuka Tigers.
Prepare for compliments.
This is begging to be brought on vacation.
See how cute this is with Converse?
I found this gem hiding on Anthropologie.
I'm very drawn to this color.
When in doubt, wear this.
Such a good use of ruffles.
This is so polished and flattering.
A great little black midi to round out the roundup.
The ideal dress to wear with white sneakers or white heels.
I love Matteau for summer dresses.
Next up, 30 Accessories That'll Instantly Make Your Wardrobe Look Richer
-
4 Anti-Trend Outfits I Spot Every Time I'm in EuropeClassic looks that are always in style.
-
3 Non-Holiday Ways to Wear Velvet This WinterYou're welcome.
-
Hailey Bieber Just Used the TikTok Styling Hack That Will Actually Go the DistanceI'm going to use it this weekend.
-
After 15 Years as a Fashion Writer, I Know These Free Style Tweaks Will Make a Big ImpactHow to give your wardrobe a new lease on life.
-
4 Dated Sweater Trends I'm Purging From My Small NYC Closet by the Year's EndAnd the chic knitwear I'm making room for.
-
Law Roach's World: His New Book, Bag of Choice, and What He Grabs on a Target Run"[Styling] has made my world so much bigger."
-
I'm in My 20s—Here Are 6 Style Lessons I Learned to Look More Polished and Grown-UpSophisticated styling 101.
-
8 Copenhagen Street Style Trends I Plan to Replicate in New YorkPared back yet never boring.
