These 11 Affordable Dresses Are All You Need For Summer
Packing, anyone?
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by The Candidly Team
Good dresses are very hard to find. Good, affordable dresses. Even harder.
But when we find them, they are all we want to wear. So easy. So one and done.
Even working for a “style” section of a website, we get tired of styling our clothes. So we turn to dresses time and time again. And here are 11 absolutely thrilling dresses that we’re turning to this summer.
1. The Chicest Dress We’ve Ever Seen For Under $50
WHAT: Gap Compact Jersey Mixed Media Maxi Dress*
Why We Love It: Quiet luxury meets coastal grandmother meets fishermancore meets we don’t actually care because this dress fits amazing and looks like we spent 5x as much on it. Gap, under the creative direction of Zac Posen, is shaping up to be a dream.
Price: $44
2. The Everyday Maxi Dress
WHAT: Quince 100% Organic Cotton Poplin Tiered Maxi Dress*
Why We Love It: The lazy dress you can wear to anything and look perfect. The fit is glorious for those of us who want something light and airy and flattering but don’t love skimpy summer clothes. It comes in many solid colors and a couple stripes and prints, each more lovely than the next.
Price: $70
3. The Cottagecore Dress
WHAT: ASTR The Label Capria Pleated Milkmaid Midi Dress*
Why We Love It: ASTR The Label is a true gem of a dress brand in that the prices are very, very reasonable, yet the dresses have so much detail, femininity, and a good solid understanding of what looks good on real, non-model women.
Just look at these proportions in the front:
And the smocking in the back to ensure a perfect, nipped fit you can breathe in.
Price: $138
4. The Mini Dress We Actually Feel Comfortable Wearing
WHAT: Gap Linen-Blend Mini Dress*
Why We Love It: If you’re over 35 (and odds are you are based on our demo), you might need some convincing here. Short things don’t have to be scary. Showing your legs makes you look longer, and with a skimming fit like this, everything will look chic, chic, chic. It’s linen. It holds you in, and it looks incredible with a big straw hat, sunglasses and, strappy sandals.
Price: $62
5. The Dinner Party Dress
WHAT: ASTR The Label Brittnea Bodycon Bubble Hem Dress*
Why We Love It: ASTR does it again with that to-die-for shape. Is this not what we’ve all wanted to wear to a cocktail party since 1995? All that’s missing is a martini glass, which is how we’re serving our electrolytes these days. Because we’re 100 now, and martinis give us headaches.
Price: $148
6. The Linen Day Dress
WHAT: Old Navy Fit & Flare Linen-Blend Midi Dress*
Why We Love It: Nothing flatters like a fit and flare. It gives apple-shaped, pear-shaped, and asparagus-shaped ladies a perfect little hourglass silhouette. This dress is a wild price, and everything about it makes us look our best. So more than one color is wise. We die for yellow butter and light blue floral along with the stripe.
Price: $30
7. The Sundress That Looks Perfect On A Belly Pooch
WHAT: J.Crew Floaty Midi Dress In Block-Print Cotton Voile*
Why We Love It: There’s nothing quite like feeling bloated in the heat. Just pop this on, and oops, you’re the most elegant gal in town.
Price: $79.50
8. The Throw On And Go Smocked Dress
WHAT: Quince 100% Organic Cotton Poplin Smocked Midi Dress*
Why We Love It: Smocking is the answer to all getting dressed in summer’s problems. Loathe wearing a bra? Belly is bloating to the heavens? But you still don’t want to show up looking put together and not like you threw on some sad sack? Just throw on this lovely smocked midi in any of its many happy colors, and poof, you’re golden.
Price: $70
9. The Vacation Dress You’ll Want In 3 Colors
WHAT: Z Supply Beachside Midi Dress*
Why We Love It: Another smocked gem. This dress is a best-seller on Z Supply because it manages to look minimalist and understated while being so blissfully spacious. It comes in many colors but we wear black to nice dinners where we plan to feast on bread and pasta and feel glorious doing it.
Price: $99
10. The Occasion Dress
WHAT: Abercrombie Cowl Neck Draped Maxi Dress*
Why We Love It: Ruching is another “hack” for concealing any lumps and bumps and looking smooth, sleek, and stunning. This dress in yellow and white especially is one that will get you endless compliments throughout the night.
Price: $140
11. The Swimsuit Cover-Up Dress
WHAT: J.Crew Airy Gauze Babydoll Dress*
Why We Love It: We’re off to swim and that means we need things like this to make us feel absolutely amazing on our strut to the chaise. It has all the space we require but the shape is modish and looks expensive. Add whatever hat and enormous pool tote you desire, and you will smolder.
Price: $46.50
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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