I Want to Look Chic Without Trying Too Hard—5 Summer Dress Styles I’m Relying On

As soon as there’s even a whisper of sunshine in the UK, it’s officially dress season. It’s the same every year; the clocks go forward, the pub gardens fill up and I suddenly have a calendar full of reasons to wear warm-weather outfits again. For me, this always starts with a summer dress. Dresses are my favourite kind of wardrobe shortcut. You don’t need to think too hard about what to wear with them, they always look put-together and—crucially—they allow for maximum air circulation when the inevitable heatwave arrives.

This season, I’m gravitating towards the same classic styles that come out of storage every year: midis, wrap dresses and airy cotton pieces, but with a 2025 update. Think sculptural silhouettes, bolder colour choices and a subtle return to structure. Whether it’s a floral dress I’ll wear to death with sandals, or something a bit more tailored I can throw a blazer over, dresses are doing all the heavy lifting in my wardrobe right now.

Every summer, I end up back on NET-A-PORTER, not just because it has everything (it really does), but because the edit always feels one step ahead. There’s a kind of ease to the way the site picks dresses that actually work in real life. Not just influencer-on-a-boat-in-Capri life, but running-to-a-meeting-then-out-for-drinks life. I’m not saying I plan my wardrobe around the site’s new-in section… but it has been known to shape a few holiday looks.

I’ve purchased some brilliant pieces from the e-tailer in the past (including the perfect black linen Toteme dress I wore on repeat last year), and this summer’s drop is especially strong. From minimalists to maximalists, from those who brunch to those who do the school run, there’s something for everyone. The key is knowing what to look for, and I’ve done that part for you.

This time around, I’m adding a few pieces that fall into the key summer dress categories I know I’ll reach for on repeat. I’ve got an eye on a couple of floral numbers that feel more elevated than tween, and a breezy poplin dress I can wear to the beach and into town. There’s also a slip style I’ve bookmarked for an upcoming wedding, and one perfectly-structured midi dress that’ll make dressing for the office in 28°C-degree heat slightly more bearable.