Not All White Dresses Are Equal—These New Silhouettes, Fabrics and Styles Are the Ultimate in Elegance
From crisp trapeze shapes to sheer organza - here is everything you need to know
Some trending items come under criticism—balloon trousers, we're looking at you—but there is something about a white dress that resists over analysis. It simply works. Has always worked. Will, in all likelihood, continue to work long after every other trend has had its moment and quietly retreated. Which is why, every summer without fail, the white dress earns its place at the top of the moodboard, though subtle shifts in cut can make it feel considerably more of the moment.
This season, the shape to know is the trapeze cut: generous, unstructured and entirely unbothered. Comfortable, sleek and surprisingly easy to style. Shell-themed jewellery, bug-eyed sunglasses and lace-up sandals take it into boho territory, as do black flip flops and a headscarf. Add a polished pump and structured bag, and it's suddenly rather more formal and office-appropriate.
Also gaining traction are pared-back minis that fall squarely into Euro Summer territory—especially in a natural fibre such as cotton or linen—a shirt dress for office environments and a 90s-style silk slip. Prints and textures are largely taking a back seat, keeping the cut and the white itself as the focal point. Just look to the women at the Monaco Grand Prix for proof.
The whole effect is part St Tropez, part Roman holiday, part simply got dressed without thinking too hard about it. Which is, of course, exactly what it should look like, even if the reality involved considerably more deliberation than anyone would care to admit.
What we're really shopping for is the kind of dress you'll still be reaching for in five years. Faff-free and failsafe. Eleven of the best are below.
Shop Trending White Dresses
If you're searching for a white dress to wear to work, consider this 100% cotton Cos style paired with flats and an oversized tote.
This sheer dress from Aligne is a great example of how a white dress can be elevated for the evening. If you aren't brave enough for big pants and a bra top, why not add a pair of white jeans underneath instead.
Massimo Dutti excels at workwear and this asymmetrical linen midi dress is just one great example of why.
Consider this paired back maxi dress a go-to for sunshine weekends and holidays. Style with chunkier sliders in the city or with flip flops by the coast.
Pair this white swing dress with your favourite black sandals or with a pair of black capri pants and kitten heels for a particularly sleek city look.
Flouncy bohemian styles have been replaced with cleaner, apron-style dresses, with a hint of lace trim.
With Nothing Underneath may have begun as a shirting brand, but the label has expanded into a small selection of other wardrobe essentials. This 100% linen mini dress is perfect for minimalists.
This tiered trapeze dress adds volume without the extra length, falling around the mid-calf.
With half-sleeves and a lace trim, this mini screams Euro Summer, especially when styled with a headscarf and basket bag.
This simple Miu Miu slip is the kind of piece that will never leave your wardrobe. Black flip flops will make it feel particularly off-duty.
Plenty of the white dresses in this edit feel more suited to daytime wear, but this Bimba Y Lola style can easily work for evenings as well with the simple swap of a shoe.
