Well, This Is Our Favorite Brand For Pretty, Flattering, Unique Dresses. Officially.
Yes, it’s exactly what you think it is.
by The Candidly Team
We won’t drag it out.
It’s Anthropologie.
And look, it’s not like we’re introducing some hole-in-the-wall brand here. We’ve been obsessing over Anthro since we were wide-eyed college freshmen, and remarkably, they’re still where we find most of our favorite clothes as now 40ish women with jobs and kids and husbands and houses.
But their dresses, specifically, are what we are focusing on today. Because of course they make THESE pants which are immensely flattering on every body type, and THIS button-down shirt which is somehow just better than every other button down shirt, but their dresses are just so very good, and we feel we haven’t properly called them out lately. And dresses are usually, in a word, a nightmare. If you ask any woman what THE go-to brand is for dresses, most of them would be stumped. Nothing jumps instantly to mind. Except now we think one does.
And it’s Anthro.
This season is particularly packed with an interesting and feminine variety of pretty dresses for every wedding, party, baby shower, fancy lunch, or frankly, just a Wednesday. Ok, maybe not the first one on the list.
Ok. Let’s begin. These dresses aren’t going to try themselves on. 8 dresses, each one lovelier and more wearable than the last.
1. The grown up prom dress
Mare Mare Briana Strapless Drop-Waist Bubble-Hem Midi Dress
Maybe it’s the Jessica McClintock blood that still runs through our veins as smack-dab Gen Xers that made us audibly squeal when we first gazed upon this dress in the store. Do we have a “place” to actually “wear” this? Perhaps not. We bought it anyway. Word to the wise, it runs about a half size large. And here it is standing up so you can get the full effect:
Price: $348
2. The Gingham Dream
Maeve Strapless Smocked Midi Dress
If it’s gingham, we’re buying it. If it’s smocked, we’re buying it. If we don’t have to wear a bra with it, we’re buying it. This dress is so light and gauzy and a simple sandal and wicker bag would really make us feel like real farmers market-going grown ups, but ones who have really hung on to their whimsy.
Price: $158
3. The ultimate wedding guest dress that looks great on everyone
By Anthropologie The Fleur Strapless Satin Maxi Slip Dress
This perfectly designed slip dress skims riiiiight over the belly and clings to nothing, and yet because it has a slight flare at the bottom, it creates a full hourglass shape, regardless of your actual shape. The color combo is unexpected and lovely and you guys know by now that we looooove a strapless dress, especially on a thicker arm. It’s actually the most slimming and flattering!
Price: $168
4. The perfect summer dress if you’re self conscious about your arms
The Mona Linen Shirt Dress By Maeve
Our whole screed about strapless still stands, but if you like some coverage while still enjoying breathability and lightness in the warmer months, this dress is your new dress. This pattern has actually grown on us, though it also comes in white and black which we are buying immediately.
Price: $188
5. The cheerful set if you’re not remotely a dress person
Maeve The Somerset Strapless Blouse and The Somerset Pull-On Pants: Printed Linen Cotton Edition
This pattern is divisive, we get it. We actually feel like it’s curtain-chic, but it also comes in black and sort of a flax if you’re more classic. We were wearing a medium in the photo above and it ran very large and it was the only size in the store so it’s a hair too blousy, but the concept of wearing more of a dressy set rather than a dress is a lovely choice.
Price: $98 for the top, $128 for the pants
6. The dress we write about constantly
The Tommie Cap-Sleeve Smocked Front-Zip Shirt Dress
Truthfully, this dress doesn’t quite come fully alive in photos. But in person it does magical things to a woman’s body. Holds us in, perks things up, and creates gorgeous dimensions, largely owing to the slightly squared off shoulder. It comes in a gazillion colors and patterns, and it feels essentially like house clothes. Of course, we write about it constantly.
Price: $170
7. The dress with a strap that covered our neck rings
BHLDN Leah Strapless Satin Scarf Midi Slip Dress
Sometimes it’s the smallest, simplest detail that really sets something apart. And this neck strap is that detail. We also tried this because we’re wild:
Also this color is like some kind of beautiful fever dream.
Price: $198
8. The best dress on the list
Mare Mare Amaya Corset Fit-and-Flare Midi Dress
So. It’s come to this. Our favorite dress. This is the dress you invent something for, just so you can wear it. It does truly magical things to the waist and boob, and the color will look utterly enchanting on anyone with any coloring, though it also comes in black if you’re classic, and red if you want to dip a toe into the trend if the season.
Price: $298
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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