The Dress I've Worn for 7 Summers Straight

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

When I consider the things I love the most in this world, summer—with all the fun outfits and travel that accompany that time of the year—is at the very top. Even just thinking about the season and starting to put together plans for vacationing somewhere new is enough to inspire a heavy dose of wanderlust in anticipation of those long beach-filled days ahead. The first place my mind always goes is to what I’ll be packing in my suitcase for an imminent trip, and you want to know which piece always goes into my bag right away? A wrap dress.

Not only are wrap dresses flattering, but they’re also extremely versatile. They have a waist-cinching effect that creates the illusion of a tiny waist, but they are also adjustable (so you don’t need to hesitate about indulging in that pasta for dinner). They can also easily transition from day to night. It’s the perfect look for the afternoon when paired with espadrilles, but you can throw on a pair of slingback heels to dress it up for a night out. It seems like stylish women everywhere have them in their closet, including French girls who make a habit out of wearing them.

I’ll admit it, though: I haven’t always been a huge fan of wrap dress styles. At one point, I remember thinking that they didn’t really work for me. But that all changed on a trip seven years ago when I borrowed one from a friend and fell in love with the style. And now I’ve been wearing them on repeat ever since. Ahead see how I’ve been wearing my wrap dresses and shop some of my favorites.

Shop wrap dresses I can vouch for

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

Easily one of my favorite summer dresses, I brought this one to Italy last summer and paired it with everything from espadrilles to Adidas sneakers.

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

I bought this midi-length style from Reformation, and this year the brand remade it in a shorter style.

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

This dress is a new addition to my summer wardrobe from when I challenged myself to add more color to my closet. I love this unexpected color.

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(Image credit: @kristenmarienichols)

If you love a dress, buy it twice. That’s what I did when I found this silhouette. After I fell in love with the green version, I went back and snapped up this polka-dot pattern as well.

Shop more pieces I love

Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.