Make your first going-out dress a stylish one perfect for summer, with inspiration straight from our favourite fashion influencers' wardrobes.
Hands up, who's looking forward to stepping out in something summery post-lockdown? If things stay on track, we'll be able to do just that by June 21st here in the UK. And to celebrate, why not treat yourself to a summer dress to look your best in?
Whether you're dreaming of brunch sat in the sunshine, heading straight to the beach, or going out with your friends, we've got the perfect dresses to inspire you in this post. And all of the fashion influencers featured are also part of ebloggers - meaning you can shop pre-loved pieces direct from their wardrobes on our site!
12 Summer Dresses For June 21st & Onwards
1. Denim Dresses
One of the most versatile and wearable materials out there has to be denim. We love this 70s denim dress look on Melis Ekrem - it's the perfect dress for layering up, and then wearing out on a day-trip to somewhere nice. Summer daydreaming vibes, here we come...
2. Floaty Maxi Dresses
An iconic summer dress has to be the floaty maxi dress, and Nadia Anya is styling it perfectly for a UK summer here. While we may not be able to travel abroad this year, summer clothes can still be worn over and over, just with a little extra styling involved! Pair your favourite maxi dress with a leather jacket draped across your shoulders, and a pair of sneakers, and you're brunch-time-ready.
3. Shirt Dresses
If you're looking for a laid-back summer dress that also screams, I've been studying in lockdown!, a shirt dress is the one for you. We recommend going for an oversized shirt in traditional colours - white, blue, black - and then cinching at the waist. Or, style it as Yanin Namasonthi of @idressmyselff does here, with a woollen vest and some gorgeous knee-high boots.
4. Button-Down Dresses
For a summer dress that's equally great for wearing out and WFH, go for a button-down dress! The key here is to look for a dress that actually requires the buttons to hold it together (as opposed to one that simply adorns the front of the dress), to ensure ultimate comfort. We love how Louise Roe styles her button-down midi dress, perfect for walking the dog too!
5. Co-ord Dresses
Ok, this dress style is a little bit of a cheat... it's actually a skirt and bralet! However, we love how good these look together, especially for a sun-drenched afternoon with cocktails in hand. Style yourself simply like Sarah Ashcroft does here, as the outfit really does all the work for you!
6. Cowl Neck Dresses
One dress that's on-trend right now is the cowl neck dress. It's both a style staple - get it in black, cream, or champagne if you want something classic - and making it's way back out of our wardrobes now the hotter weather is here. We especially love this electric blue number that Rachel Leary wears effortlessly with some square toe heels.
7. Animal Print Dresses
Do you remember 2018's leopard print skirt fashion craze? And then 2019's polka dot dress fashion craze? Well, those two had a baby and we're now all about the animal print dress fashion craze! Go for any kind of animal print to really bring out your tan this summer. Sophie Milner shows us how versatile her zebra print mini dress is here too!
8. Multi-coloured Dresses
Summer sun brings out the boho in us, and multi-colour dresses are one of the best ways to go to style yourself a little 60s! CC Mason does exactly that here, transforming her usual glitz and glamour for something a little more country. Pair with cowboy boots - as she does - if you dare!
9. Cover-up Dresses
For anyone that's heading to the beach, a cover-up dress is a must-have! Go for seersucker or floaty cotton fabrics if you're looking to wear your dress over a bikini or swimsuit, or do as Lateysha Grace does here and try something more figure-hugging with swirling cut-outs, right on trend this SS21.
10. Playsuits
For anyone out there who wants a little more movement than I dress can provide, we wanted to also share how good playsuits are for the summer season! This denim number worn by Ling KT has us wishing we were on a Greek island somewhere... Go for denim if you're looking to feel more cinched, or something floaty if not.
11. Little Black Dress
There's a reason why the LBD is a classic - it can be worn anytime, anywhere! And a summer outing is not an exception to that rule. Style yourself like Georgia Toffolo does here with a cute black mini dress and new haircut for the ultimate post-lockdown look.
12. Puff Sleeve Dress
And finally, for the ultimate night-out dress, go for a square-neck, puff-sleeve dress that hugs your curves in all the right places. We love how Yewande Biala looks super sophisticated in her cream mini dress here, conforming to high-low style with a luxury bag in hand.