Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Spring Summer 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    • Digital Issues
    • Women Who Win
    1. Style
    2. Shopping

    The most flattering midi dresses out there

    Penny Goldstone's avatar
    By Penny Goldstone
    Published 1 October 2020 In Features

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Main image: Net-A-Porter

    Make no mistake, as much as mini dresses and midaxis (between midi and maxi, just above the ankle) are having a moment, the midi dress is still reigning supreme this season.

    A firm favourite among the fash-pack including Alexa Chung and Camille Charriere, and one of Kate Middleton's wardrobe staples too, it is universally flattering.

    Sitting somewhere between the knee and the ankle, not quite pencil skirt length and falling a little higher than the maxi - the mid-length hemline is the style of choice for the new-season, and it just so happens to suit pretty much any figure.

    While we love a skirt as much as the next person, the midi dress is the easiest way to work the trend, especially as they can work for almost any event on the calendar. Think work, evening, weekend or even occasion dressing - whatever it is you're after, there is definitely a style to suit. They're also a great seasonless piece, which you can layer under an oversized jumper or leather trench coat come autumn/winter.

    You may like
    • Realisation Par The Internet's Most-Wanted Dress Is Back in Stock—It's So Good, You Can Wear It (Almost) Anywhere
    • Kaia Gerber Kaia Gerber Just Wore the ’90s Dress Style That’s as Flattering as It Is Low-Effort
    • @oksanarim1 wears white dress, big sunglasses Not All White Dresses Are Equal—These New Silhouettes, Fabrics and Styles Are the Ultimate in Elegance

    Why not check out the latest midi dresses styles on Marie Claire Edit

    For summer, don't hesitate to go for bright colours and bold prints. Citrusy shades of orange and yellow are the go-to choice for AW20, while we're also seeing soft pastels and more neutral shades.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    Channel the retro 60s and 70s trend and go for something printed and feminine (Rixo always come up trumps here), or why not try something a little more structured, and paired back, like a safari dress or tailored shirt dress? Another big trend to look out for is the prairie dress, which offers a flattering shape thanks to puff sleeves and full skirts.

    For an evening out, look to the minimal slip dress where you just need to add a pair of heels, simple jewellery and you are good to go. A long-sleeved dress will see you through the seasons, but don't banish strappy styles to the back of your wardrobe until the hot weather hits. They key is to layer, so wear them over a crisp white shirt, or for a look that's even more on trend, over an oversized sleeve top with bow detailing.

    But for autumn/winter 2020, the hero investment piece is no doubt the knitted midi dress, whether you're going for a chunky 80s look with big sleeves or a more fitted fine V neck dress. Look to Khaite for a lesson in timeless elegance.

    Scroll down to shop our edit of the best dresses to buy now.

    midi dresses

    NANUSHKA Cedro one-shoulder midi dress, £355 at MyTheresa
    VIEW NOW

    midi dresses

    Demry Nappa Leather Dresses, £1,445 at Joseph
    VIEW NOW

    midi dresses

    Mango pleated skirt, £59.99
    VIEW NOW

    Isabel Marant Etoile laureli dress, £540, Harvey Nichols
    VIEW NOW

    midi dresses

    Solene dress, £129 at GHOST
    VIEW NOW

    midi dresses

    BELTED SHIRT DRESS, £49.99 at ZARA
    VIEW NOW

    midi dresses

    Weekday Meja Dress, £35
    VIEW NOW

    midi dresses

    Camel Oversized Midi Shirt Dress, £49.99 at Topshop
    VIEW NOW

    midi dresses

    BACKLESS KNITTED SLIP DRESS, £79 at COS
    VIEW NOW

    midi dresses

    Philippa Midi Dress, £170 at Boden
    VIEW NOW

    midi dresses

    Reversible Tamara Dress, £475 at Isabel Manns
    VIEW NOW

    midi dresses

    FLORAL DIAMOND ELSA BALLERINA DRESS, £350 at Needle & Thread
    VIEW NOW

    midi dresses

    Sophia denim dress, £695 at Temperley
    VIEW NOW

    midi dresses

    STAUD Shoko two-tone ribbed stretch-knit cardigan, £145 at Net-A-Porter
    VIEW NOW

    Lynne Kayenne dress, £62.33
    VIEW NOW

    Penny Goldstone
    Penny Goldstone
    Social Links Navigation
    Contributing Fashion Editor

    Penny Goldstone is the Contributing Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK. She writes about catwalk trends and the latest high street and Instagram sartorial must-haves. She also helms the Women Who Win franchise.

    She has worked in fashion for over 10 years, contributing to publications such as Cosmopolitan, Red, Good Housekeeping, and Stylist.

    Read more
    Realisation Par
    Fashion The Internet's Most-Wanted Dress Is Back in Stock—It's So Good, You Can Wear It (Almost) Anywhere
    Kaia Gerber
    Shopping Kaia Gerber Just Wore the ’90s Dress Style That’s as Flattering as It Is Low-Effort
     
     
    @oksanarim1 wears white dress, big sunglasses
    Fashion Not All White Dresses Are Equal—These New Silhouettes, Fabrics and Styles Are the Ultimate in Elegance
    Knee-Length Skirts
    Shopping Very Few Shoes Actually Look Good With Knee-Length Skirts—This One Style Always Works
     
     
    Latest in Shopping
    Kaia Gerber
    Shopping Kaia Gerber Just Wore the ’90s Dress Style That’s as Flattering as It Is Low-Effort
    Knee-Length Skirts
    Shopping Very Few Shoes Actually Look Good With Knee-Length Skirts—This One Style Always Works
     
     
    Kinda Chic Trend
    Shopping Is "Kinda Chic" Kinda Cringe? Everyone's Favourite Fashion Word Just Went Completely Out of Fashion
    DUA LIPA WEARING A CAMISOLE TOP
    Shopping When a T-Shirt Feels Too Plain, Try the Trending Top Alexa Chung, Tracee Ellis Ross and Daisy Edgar-Jones Are Wearing
     
     
    Latest in Features
    Wedding planning
    Relationships I Love My Fiancé, but I Resent the Emotional Labour of Planning Our Wedding
    Expensive beauty products, luxury beauty
    Beauty The Expensive Products That Are Actually Worth It, According to Beauty Editors Who’ve Tried Thousands
     
     
    Mischa Anouk Smith on a sunset boat trip along Türkiye’s Turquoise Coast
    Travel Forget Capri, Türkiye’s Turquoise Coast Is the Mediterranean’s New Luxury Hotspot
    Sensoria Dolomites
    Travel Part Ski Resort, Part Sanctuary, Sensoria Dolomites is Capturing the Wellness Zeitgeist
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.