Out of Hundreds of Dresses, These Are the Ones Our Editors Are Actually Buying
I would go so far as to say Who What Wear editors are obsessed with dresses. Even those of us who aren’t technically "dress people” still applaud the power of a great frock. And when you think about the versatility of this simple wardrobe hero—the fact that you can pick one great dress and you’ve got a ready-made outfit to wear for so many different occasions—it’s hardly surprising, is it?
We love dresses so much that if you were to ask us to list every style on our wish lists right now, this page would take hours to scroll through. There are just so many styles out there to choose from across high-street, designer and more independent labels, let alone all the vintage gems you can find. But when it comes down to it, sadly we’re not able to invest in every single style we’re dreaming about. So to cut this down and make it really incisive, I asked all our editors to name three dresses they’re actually going to be buying this summer—the top-tier styles we truly believe are good enough to own ourselves.
Keep scrolling, and you can see and shop our picks for the season. I won’t pretend it wasn’t hard for all of us to cut it down to just three styles, but at least you can be confident these dresses are the best of the best.
Hannah Almassi, Editor in Chief
SHOP HANNAH'S PICKS
"Something I can waft around the house and garden in, feeling like the true bohemian I secretly want to be."
"Many of my favourite white dresses are quite worn out now after decades of use, so this will be a wonderful replacement I know I'll wear on repeat for a long to come."
"I love a kitsch summer piece, and this postcard-printed number ticks that box!"
Emma Spedding, Editor
SHOP EMMA'S PICKS
"I just got this dress in pink, and it's such a beautiful fit that I now have my eyes on it in white too."
"I love everything about this dress—the colours, the print and the shape. Yes yes yes!"
Emily Dawes, Affiliates Editor
SHOP EMILY'S PICKS
"This is such an easy but impressive dress I know I'll be able to turn to on days when I need a confidence boost."
"After seeing Remy Farrell (our shopping editor) come into the office in this dress, I had to order it for myself straight away. The colour is just so juicy, and the gathered detailing makes it really flattering as well."
"Another great throw-on dress. (Are you noticing a theme here?) I just love an effortless but impactful style, and this ticks those boxes, especially for heatwaves and holidays."
Remy Farrell, Shopping Editor
SHOP REMY'S PICKS
"Light and airy, statement sleeves and bold and beautiful colour, this romantic midi ticks all of my boxes."
"Holiday-ready linen dresses don't get prettier than this."
"I love this sunny shade of clementine orange, but the asymmetric shoulder-tie detail makes this dress all the more special."
Maxine Eggenberger, Acting Assistant Editor
SHOP MAXINE'S PICKS
"White dresses are my absolute favourite thing to wear, and this number from Dôen, with its shirring, flounces and broderie embroidery, is too beautiful for words."
"I own a handful of Reformation dresses and find they hug my hourglass figure like no other brand can. With its full skirt and gingham print, this dress is how I like to channel cottagecore."
"Aje's chic, contemporary silhouettes are made for the summer social season, as seen in this cutout khaki-green Frequency dress, shaped to an elegant full-skirted midi length."
Eleanor Vousden, Beauty Editor
SHOP ELEANOR'S PICKS
"When shopping for my trip to Ibiza this year, I came across this ecru, linen-esque dress on Mango and immediately added it to my basket. It's an ideal dress for going out for dinner on a summer holiday, and the shoulder straps tie into a bow, which is a really lovely detail. I sized up on this style, as I found it ran smaller than my usual size."
"Now that press events and dinners are back on the agenda, I desperately needed a formal dress that could take me from work to events, and this ASOS dress fit the bill. The plissé detailing makes it look far more expensive than its price tag suggests. I'm 5'5 but found this to be a little long to wear with flats, but with a mid-heel, it's the perfect length."
"As I took this to the till, I had two people ask me where in the store I found it! I'm going wine tasting for my best friend's birthday in July, and I'm hoping that the weather will soon warm up so I can wear this summery green dress. Not only is the neckline really flattering, but the tie straps can be adjusted at the back, which I appreciate as someone with a smaller bust."
Remi Afolabi, Video Content Creator
SHOP REMI'S PICKS
"I love a printed dress. The contrast of the colour-block stripes looks so sleek on this column-shaped Joesph dress."
"The big sleeves are the star of the show here and elevate this dress's simple silhouette. I love how effortlessly it could work for both the day and evening."
"I don't own a lot of black clothes, but I recently got this black dress from Warehouse simply because of the shirred detailing. I plan to wear this with bright shoes and accessories for summer!"
Up Next: The 12 Best-Selling Dresses That Have Our Seal of Approval This Summer
Emily Dawes is the very definition of a fashion multi hyphenate. An editor, stylist and writer with over eleven years’ worth of experience in the industry, Emily is known for her impeccable taste, elegant outfit choices and being able to spot the next big thing in fashion from a mile off. Our readers loyally trust her advice and shopping suggestions; so much so she began her own column documenting the most expensive-looking pieces on the high street, which has become a top-performing piece of content for theBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing brand.
Emily has worked forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK since 2020 in a myriad as roles, spanning from contributing editor and branded content editor. Now, she holds the position of affiliate editor and is responsible for the brand’s overall affiliate strategy, ideation and content execution. Working closely withBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK’s affiliate manager, Emily has been instrumental in securing and nourishing brand partnerships, surpassing her goals as standard. Leading the team in tentpole shopping moments including Black Friday and Peak Trading, with Emily’s guidance and leadership, teamBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing is in a stronger affiliate position than ever before.
Prior to joining theBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing team, Emily served as YOU Magazine’s acting fashion editor where she managed the fashion team and oversaw all fashion content output for the fast-paced weekly title. Emily is a stylist in her own right, having worked with a slew of VIP clients including writer and television personality, Elizabeth Day, as well as styling and art directing several celebrity cover shoots for glossy print publication, Grazia. Her adept fashion knowledge means brands regularly sought out to work with her as a consultant: previously she has developed marketing and content plans for brands for Cocoon and Edge of Ember. Before entering the industry, Emily obtained a Bachelor of Arts in English and American Studies with International Study from Nottingham University. Fun fact: Emily spent a year studying in America which saw her join a sorority during her time there.
When she’s not working or tracking down the chicest, new-in items to share with our audience, you’ll find Emily bestowing her East London home with her stylish flair, reading everything from the classics to cowboy romance novels and escaping to the country with husband, baby boy and dog, Roo, whenever she can.
Emily is currently on maternity leave.
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