My Ideal Summer Night Is Dining Alfresco in These Pretty Dresses—See Them All
Everything feels better when you do it in a dress. That feeling is increased twofold when it comes to sitting down for a delicious meal outside. From the comfortable breeze to the orange sunset glow, nothing tops dining alfresco in a pretty dress while taking in the summer scenery. In fact, it's pretty much all I want to do right now. My humble balcony has seen more scrappy candlelit dinners than I'd care to admit.
You technically don't have to dress up every time you enjoy a plate of pasta outdoors, but wearing a nice dress surely enhances the experience. Should you, too, have many evenings of alfresco dinners ahead, take time to consider the below dresses. From elegant silk numbers to low-key floral pieces, each is exactly what I envision wearing on a warm night while downing a glass of wine and a delectable cheese plate. Even if you prefer to eat indoors, these dresses are simply so pretty that you're bound to wear them for at least one occasion this season. Scroll on to shop my favorites and see some summer inspiration.
Next up: How to Shop for a Vacation Without Buying Things You'll Never Wear Again
Indya Brown is a fashion editor, stylist, and writer living in Los Angeles. After graduating in 2016, she joined The Cut as a fashion assistant, eventually working her way up to fashion editor. While New York has been her home for over 10 years, she moved to Los Angeles in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 for a new chapter where she started working atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , focusing on emerging designers, rising trends on and off the internet, interior design, and BIPOC creatives and brands. Aside from her work atBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , Brown is also a freelance stylist and writer, working on national print and video commercial campaigns for Sephora, The Independent, and Cadillac. Her bylines also include Harper's Bazaar, Vox, and The New York Times.
-
Taylor Swift Just Figured Out How to Make Pretty Summer Dresses Look More Fashion Person-y
To Via Carota with Dakota Johnson, mind you.
-
I Spend a Month in Greece Every Summer—31 Chic Zara Vacation Essentials I'm Eyeing for My Next Trip
Now, let's just hope it all fits in my luggage.
-
Nordstrom's Summer Dress Game Is Strong—These Are the Ones I'm Obsessed With
Chic, easy, and under $250? Count me in.
-
35 Incredibly Chic Finds I Immediately Shared With My Fashion-Editor Friends When I Found Them
They're so good I want them all.
-
Gigi Hadid Wore This Dress Trend With Rubber Flip-Flops in NYC, and Now, Everyone Else Will Too
Havaianas never looked so good.
-
Brand Layering: The Art of Knowing Which Labels to Pair With Each Other
The ultimate styling hack.
-
I'll Know You Have Good Taste If These 30 New Arrivals Are Already in Your Shopping Cart
A little summer wardrobe update.
-
I Live for Vacation Dressing—These Are the 52 Exact Items on My Summer 2025 Wish List
I went a little crazy.