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
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Emma Spedding, Editor
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Emily Dawes, Affiliates Editor
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Remy Farrell, Shopping Editor
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Maxine Eggenberger, Acting Assistant Editor
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Eleanor Vousden, Beauty Editor
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"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
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Up Next: The 12 Best-Selling Dresses That Have Our Seal of Approval This Summer

Emily Dawes is an editor, stylist and writer with over 12 years in the industry. Known for impeccable taste, our readers trust her advice, especially in her column, expensive-looking high street buys. Working forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK since 2020, Emily has been a contributing editor, branded content editor and affiliate editor. Now, as senior shopping editor, she leads the e-commerce content strategy. After obtaining a BA in English and American Studies from Nottingham University, Emily landed at The Mail on Sunday’s YOU. As the magazine’s fashion editor, she travelled the globe to style and direct fashion editorials and celebrity cover shoots. As a freelancer, she has styled Grazia cover shoots, developed brand marketing and content plans and worked with VIP clients including Elizabeth Day.
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