Rounded up all my favorite summer dresses for weddings, cocktail events, rooftop drinks, outdoor shows and all the fun events in between.
Short & Sweet
It’s always fun to wear a shorty, flirty, feminine dress. Trending: wrap dresses, ruffles, deeper-v necklines, sleeve details, and anything floral. Mini dresses are perfect for cocktails, less formal rehearsal dinners, and beachside lobster boils. Change out heels for slides or Jack Rogers, and delicate layered necklaces and studs for fun chandelier earrings to give the dress a more casual look.
I am a huge fan of Lovers & Friends. Their pieces are ultra-feminine with a little sassy edge to them. Size up in this brand. The green metallic, off-the-shoulder, brocade dress would be perfect for a summer wedding or rehearsal dinner. Another favorite designer to watch is Tularosa. They always have fun details on all of their pieces. Loving the striped, one-shoulder pink dress. This is the perfect dress for cocktails or a night out in Hamptons. Most of their pieces fit true-to-size. For a new spin on classic styles, Alice & Oliva never disappoints. They are a long-time favorite brand of mine for their fit and chic pieces. I have linked one of their shift dresses, in pink, but this brand always has a few styles they keep year-over-year because they are ultra-flattering. See the white, racer back tank dress, linked here. This dress works from day-to-night and will quickly become your favorite Little White Dress.
Sleek Sheath
For all summer events, elegant and refined, the sheath dress is a clear classic across the board. This has stood the test of time for years. It’s the perfect style for a work cocktail dinner or evening wedding, and will carry you into the next season. The silhouette is flattering, chic and perfectly understated.
I’ve linked some of my top picks. My favorite style is a strapless sheath dress shown below in red and here in green. It’s the epitome of elegance. And with a bolder earring, large cuff, chic clutch and strappy heels, your look is complete and will work for multiple occasions.
Summer Loving
Confession: I’ve always had a thing for boho styles. It’s the former high school hippy coming out in me, and I am not planning to quit this habit anytime soon. I love a great free-flowing dress, but I also love them when they have a bit of structure or a deeper v-detail so the dress is a bit more flattering. Maxi dresses can be every bit as elegant as a mid-length sheath, or they can be 100% casual. I’ve linked some unstructured, relaxed dresses and some more formal ones below.
The Bardot dress in yellow floral is perfect for it’s off-the-shoulder feminine ruffle, and closer cut. Love this one for an afternoon wedding or beachside dinner. Add a cute straw bag or clutch for either, or add a structured bag from Cult Gaia to give it an architectural edge.
The Cleobella maxi is one of the best dresses I have seen in a while. The sheer laces details are 100% sexy, show nothing, but seems like it is showing everything. This dress is the perfect festival dress, but could work, if you are a bit more risque, for a day wedding. The Alexis floral dress in red is incredible. This dress could easily go black tie or be worn for a more casual affair. Add a hoop for a casual look or a bolder, jeweled chandelier for a more formal event.