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A one-and-done dress is a summer essential, but the best maxi dresses are the most essential silhouette to effortlessly guide you through any sartorial scenario. Headed to a picnic? The leg-covering length is the chic no-brainer for lounging in the grass. Invited to a beachside wedding? The elongated drama will heighten your chances of winning best-dressed. What about all of those rooftop soirées and al fresco brunches? You guessed it: a floor-skimming linen dress. The silhouette’s longline glamour and sense of ease makes any outdoor activity feel instantly chic. Plus, some of these make for the perfect cover-ups to take from the beach to aperitivo hour on your next vacation.
When shopping for a tried-and-true style to add to your closet, start with flowy day dresses by Dôen, Leset, and Matteau. These reliable labels have a myriad of styles, not to mention a host of colorways and prints to shop. For stylish wedding guest attire, look no further than J.Crew or Cara Cara for festive florals that would make for a lovely garden wedding guest dress, or Toteme’s draped butter yellow, for a city-appropriate option.
The most notable characteristic to remember when shopping for one of the best summer maxi dresses is to look for designs that offer versatility, so they can pair well with your go-to sneakers, dainty ballet flats, or classic sandals. Keeping all that in mind, we’ve gathered all our must-have summer maxi dresses in one long list (sorry, we had to, and regret nothing). From Staud’s rainbow stripes to Johanna Ortiz’s enchanting botanicals, discover the best styles to have in your closet, below.
Summer’s Best Maxi Dresses, According to Vogue
The Garden Party-Ready: Dôen Ischia shirred floral-print dress, $350The Elegant Evening Option: Reformation Cyra drop waist maxi dress, $278The Easy Eyelet: Farm Rio Richelieu embroidered maxi sundress, $330The City Wedding Guest Dress: Toteme draped maxi dress, $870The Simple Tank: Éterne tank maxi dress, $225The Sweet Gingham: Posse Lori open-back gingham dress, $440The Flirty Floral: Cara Cara Montreal maxi dress, $895The Breezy Linen: Banana Republic viscose linen maxi dress, $180The Bold and Bright: Proenza Schouler Tala pleated halterneck dress, $1,690The No-Fail Black: Madewell smocked maxi dress, $138
