2026 Summer Dress Thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have this dress in two prints now and am thinking about getting it in solid black this year: https://wearpact.com/women/apparel/all%20dresses%20&%20skirts/fit%20&%20flare%20open%20back%20maxi%20dress/wc1-w2x-pty

I don't like this year's prints as well as last year (a little too swirly and/or high contrast) but it's a super easy to wear dress. The top fits so nicely and it's easy to layer various things over it (an open linen shirt for a casual look, a lightweight bomber for something sporty, a cropped cardigan for more preppy), but I can also wear it with nothing when it's hot and the open back is very pretty.

I'm pretty small-chested so the built in bra is enough for me, though I sometimes wear a stick on bra for more lift.

It's the rare dress I can wear on vacation, to a school event, or to run errands on the weekend and feel equally good in each setting.

Ahhh this is so cute I wish pact worked for me but it doesn’t, sigh.

Is it a length thing? I had ordered a maxi dress from them previously and it was soooooo long and the shape made hemming look weird and I almost gave up, but then I got this dress and it's the perfect length -- it's a few inches above my ankles so closer to a midi length but does not hit at the biggest part of my calf which is a thing I hate about a lot of midi skierts/dresses.

It's just a crazy flattering dress, I get so many compliments on it.

Sadly it’s not a length thing. I seem to be allergic to the clear elastic the seem to sew into every single one of their seams. It’s such a bummer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have this dress in two prints now and am thinking about getting it in solid black this year: https://wearpact.com/women/apparel/all%20dresses%20&%20skirts/fit%20&%20flare%20open%20back%20maxi%20dress/wc1-w2x-pty

I don't like this year's prints as well as last year (a little too swirly and/or high contrast) but it's a super easy to wear dress. The top fits so nicely and it's easy to layer various things over it (an open linen shirt for a casual look, a lightweight bomber for something sporty, a cropped cardigan for more preppy), but I can also wear it with nothing when it's hot and the open back is very pretty.

I'm pretty small-chested so the built in bra is enough for me, though I sometimes wear a stick on bra for more lift.

It's the rare dress I can wear on vacation, to a school event, or to run errands on the weekend and feel equally good in each setting.

Yeah, +1.

I don't know what happened. I fell in love with Pact last year, but this year I found myself hating their dresses because of the bad prints.

They are extremely hit or miss with their prints, sometimes they are subtle and cute and other times just look really suburban.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People with eyes looking at you is not an excuse I am using to justify wearing shapeless frocks. Of course, you wear what you like though. Your body, your choice.

DP. People who use the pretentious word "frock" when they could simply say "dress" sound absurd.

Do they? Do they sound "absurd" or just really old?

Absurd: extremely silly or ridiculous.

Pretentious works too. I'm sorry those words are too much for you to understand.

[Anonymous]

Ugh we can't let the arguing over tuckernuck and the use of the word "frock" kill the summer dress thread! Or maybe the cold snap killed it haha. I know I certainly am not wearing a dress this week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have this dress in two prints now and am thinking about getting it in solid black this year: https://wearpact.com/women/apparel/all%20dresses%20&%20skirts/fit%20&%20flare%20open%20back%20maxi%20dress/wc1-w2x-pty

I don't like this year's prints as well as last year (a little too swirly and/or high contrast) but it's a super easy to wear dress. The top fits so nicely and it's easy to layer various things over it (an open linen shirt for a casual look, a lightweight bomber for something sporty, a cropped cardigan for more preppy), but I can also wear it with nothing when it's hot and the open back is very pretty.

I'm pretty small-chested so the built in bra is enough for me, though I sometimes wear a stick on bra for more lift.

It's the rare dress I can wear on vacation, to a school event, or to run errands on the weekend and feel equally good in each setting.

Yeah, +1.

I don't know what happened. I fell in love with Pact last year, but this year I found myself hating their dresses because of the bad prints.

They are extremely hit or miss with their prints, sometimes they are subtle and cute and other times just look really suburban.

ugh yes. Just looked. They look like 60 year old-wearing, walmart prints.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I opened this thread hoping to find some cute summer dresses. Very disappointed to find a lot of sacks with loud prints.

I have no idea why so many posters are against shapes and waists.

Same.

The dresses have no waists because the women recommending them are fat.

Actually I feel like it’s the really skinny women who wear the shapeless no waist dresses. They look “breezy” on someone twiggy but look llle a tent ln th rest of us.
My big gripe is that at some point manufacturers moved the waist up on dresses — I feel like I need a drop waist to hit my natural waist. These short waisted dresses all make me look so pregnant. I would buy many more dresses if I could find ones with a proper natural waist. I have sometimes bought the Boden “tall” fit just to get the waist right.

I can’t wear the shapeless sack dresses because I’m too busty. They don’t sit right on a full bust and then they billow out from your chest and make you look really big in the middle. I also obviously need to wear a bra and can’t stand strapless bras so that adds an additional layer of complication.

Personally I have better luck with separates - shirts and skirts or skorts. Then I can get the fit that I need.

I have big boobs (DD) but shapeless dresses look great on me because I am tall and have thin arms and legs.

Dressing well is about understanding your proportions (separates look terrible on me, as they do most short waisted people)

Ah! You are the one! I posted originally about shapes/waist. I am a tall and thin, but a rectangle. I still need a defined shape in my clothes.

I bet you’d actually look good in them. The models are all tall rectangles and wear these shapeless dresses confidentially. I think they are good on rectangles and inverted triangles but if you are a pear shape or an hourglass shape they are just going to make you look a lot heavier than you are, or potentially pregnant. Pears an hourglass need a defined waist and a skirt with a little swish in it. Like the pact dresses posted or this;
https://www.quince.com/women/women-s-tencel-jersey-midi-wrap-dress?color=navy&size=m&g_network=g&g_productchannel=online&g_adid=703845811807&g_acctid=978-058-8398&g_keyword=&g_adtype=pla&g_keywordid=aud-2279058146067:pla-295800756202&g_ifcreative=&g_adgroupid=169608750891&g_productid=43225644662954&g_merchantid=128669708&g_partition=295800756202&g_campaignid=21417780217&g_ifproduct=product&g_campaign=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=&utm_term=43225644662954&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21417780217&gbraid=0AAAAAC4ZeNa2ttT433P0TMBDpuCq0y9xg&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv-LOBhCdARIsAM5hdKc_l8yon_GKMgHlfudOF7eHYUOCrybIC0qDjlDMURw5lbQNhx-EGVcaAgDVEALw_wcB

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh we can't let the arguing over tuckernuck and the use of the word "frock" kill the summer dress thread! Or maybe the cold snap killed it haha. I know I certainly am not wearing a dress this week.

I'm still in it! I posted the Pact dress on the last page.

These threads often suffer because people get mad when anyone posts a dress that wouldn't work for them personally or isn't their style. It's so pointless. This thread is full of dresses that are not for me, but then there are some that look cute and I'd be willing to try. I don't comment on the dresses that are not for me. That's the key.

I get very tired of the posts that are like "get out of here with these dresses that don't work for my specific body type, age, and lifestyle!" Calm down. This thread is not your personal shopper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I opened this thread hoping to find some cute summer dresses. Very disappointed to find a lot of sacks with loud prints.

I have no idea why so many posters are against shapes and waists.

Same.

The dresses have no waists because the women recommending them are fat.

Actually I feel like it’s the really skinny women who wear the shapeless no waist dresses. They look “breezy” on someone twiggy but look llle a tent ln th rest of us.
My big gripe is that at some point manufacturers moved the waist up on dresses — I feel like I need a drop waist to hit my natural waist. These short waisted dresses all make me look so pregnant. I would buy many more dresses if I could find ones with a proper natural waist. I have sometimes bought the Boden “tall” fit just to get the waist right.

I can’t wear the shapeless sack dresses because I’m too busty. They don’t sit right on a full bust and then they billow out from your chest and make you look really big in the middle. I also obviously need to wear a bra and can’t stand strapless bras so that adds an additional layer of complication.

Personally I have better luck with separates - shirts and skirts or skorts. Then I can get the fit that I need.

I have big boobs (DD) but shapeless dresses look great on me because I am tall and have thin arms and legs.

Dressing well is about understanding your proportions (separates look terrible on me, as they do most short waisted people)

Ah! You are the one! I posted originally about shapes/waist. I am a tall and thin, but a rectangle. I still need a defined shape in my clothes.

I bet you’d actually look good in them. The models are all tall rectangles and wear these shapeless dresses confidentially. I think they are good on rectangles and inverted triangles but if you are a pear shape or an hourglass shape they are just going to make you look a lot heavier than you are, or potentially pregnant. Pears an hourglass need a defined waist and a skirt with a little swish in it. Like the pact dresses posted or this;
https://www.quince.com/women/women-s-tencel-jersey-midi-wrap-dress?color=navy&size=m&g_network=g&g_productchannel=online&g_adid=703845811807&g_acctid=978-058-8398&g_keyword=&g_adtype=pla&g_keywordid=aud-2279058146067:pla-295800756202&g_ifcreative=&g_adgroupid=169608750891&g_productid=43225644662954&g_merchantid=128669708&g_partition=295800756202&g_campaignid=21417780217&g_ifproduct=product&g_campaign=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=&utm_term=43225644662954&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21417780217&gbraid=0AAAAAC4ZeNa2ttT433P0TMBDpuCq0y9xg&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv-LOBhCdARIsAM5hdKc_l8yon_GKMgHlfudOF7eHYUOCrybIC0qDjlDMURw5lbQNhx-EGVcaAgDVEALw_wcB

I think that dress is cute but not a summer dress -- in that fabric, it should be sleeveless or cap sleeves at the most. I would roast in that in DC in July, even if I was going to the office (my preference is sleeveless or very short sleeves and then I put on a cardigan or light jacket in the office).

I do agree with you on how dresses work on different body types. I used to be be more of a rectangle or inverted triangle, but have gained weight in recent years and have actually hips and a bit of a belly now (and no, not happy about it and trying to address it but menopause is what it is). I used to be able to wear those loose shift dresses and they were comfortable and flattering, but now they don't work. At first I thought I just needed to size up, but then they become more sack like. I am learning to embrace fit-and-flare and other cinched waist styles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh we can't let the arguing over tuckernuck and the use of the word "frock" kill the summer dress thread! Or maybe the cold snap killed it haha. I know I certainly am not wearing a dress this week.

I'm still in it! I posted the Pact dress on the last page.

These threads often suffer because people get mad when anyone posts a dress that wouldn't work for them personally or isn't their style. It's so pointless. This thread is full of dresses that are not for me, but then there are some that look cute and I'd be willing to try. I don't comment on the dresses that are not for me. That's the key.

I get very tired of the posts that are like "get out of here with these dresses that don't work for my specific body type, age, and lifestyle!" Calm down. This thread is not your personal shopper.

DP - still here, too! I love the Pact dress you posted, PP, thank you! I'm 5'8 with broad shoulders and too sweaty for my own good, so this dress in black looks ideal

I posted about Marine Layer early in the thread and am the PP who loves the Corinne Maxi Dress. I don't like the addition of buttons this year, but last year's version was the best in terms of top fit and pocket construction, so am considering getting an older model to add to my collection.

Next week's temperatures will be well in the 80s, so let's keep this thread going!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh we can't let the arguing over tuckernuck and the use of the word "frock" kill the summer dress thread! Or maybe the cold snap killed it haha. I know I certainly am not wearing a dress this week.

I'm still in it! I posted the Pact dress on the last page.

These threads often suffer because people get mad when anyone posts a dress that wouldn't work for them personally or isn't their style. It's so pointless. This thread is full of dresses that are not for me, but then there are some that look cute and I'd be willing to try. I don't comment on the dresses that are not for me. That's the key.

I get very tired of the posts that are like "get out of here with these dresses that don't work for my specific body type, age, and lifestyle!" Calm down. This thread is not your personal shopper.

DP - still here, too! I love the Pact dress you posted, PP, thank you! I'm 5'8 with broad shoulders and too sweaty for my own good, so this dress in black looks ideal

I posted about Marine Layer early in the thread and am the PP who loves the Corinne Maxi Dress. I don't like the addition of buttons this year, but last year's version was the best in terms of top fit and pocket construction, so am considering getting an older model to add to my collection.

Next week's temperatures will be well in the 80s, so let's keep this thread going!

Marine layer has some nice ones! I really like the camilla maxi dress https://www.marinelayer.com/collections/gals-dresses/products/camila-maxi-dress-8?_pos=11&_fid=a081d4a48&_ss=c but when I tried it last year one size was too small and the next size up was too big.

This year I am also looking forward to bring back my somerset dress from anthro (I am not sure if this one is "over" in terms of trendiness but I still love it) and the Katerina dress which is also super flattering. Although I am not busty, I feel like if you were very busty the dress would still look good but with a different vibe haha.
https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/the-katerina-button-front-dress5?color=040&searchparams=q=katerina&type=STANDARD&quantity=1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I opened this thread hoping to find some cute summer dresses. Very disappointed to find a lot of sacks with loud prints.

I have no idea why so many posters are against shapes and waists.

Same.

The dresses have no waists because the women recommending them are fat.

Actually I feel like it’s the really skinny women who wear the shapeless no waist dresses. They look “breezy” on someone twiggy but look llle a tent ln th rest of us.
My big gripe is that at some point manufacturers moved the waist up on dresses — I feel like I need a drop waist to hit my natural waist. These short waisted dresses all make me look so pregnant. I would buy many more dresses if I could find ones with a proper natural waist. I have sometimes bought the Boden “tall” fit just to get the waist right.

I can’t wear the shapeless sack dresses because I’m too busty. They don’t sit right on a full bust and then they billow out from your chest and make you look really big in the middle. I also obviously need to wear a bra and can’t stand strapless bras so that adds an additional layer of complication.

Personally I have better luck with separates - shirts and skirts or skorts. Then I can get the fit that I need.

I have big boobs (DD) but shapeless dresses look great on me because I am tall and have thin arms and legs.

Dressing well is about understanding your proportions (separates look terrible on me, as they do most short waisted people)

Ah! You are the one! I posted originally about shapes/waist. I am a tall and thin, but a rectangle. I still need a defined shape in my clothes.

I bet you’d actually look good in them. The models are all tall rectangles and wear these shapeless dresses confidentially. I think they are good on rectangles and inverted triangles but if you are a pear shape or an hourglass shape they are just going to make you look a lot heavier than you are, or potentially pregnant. Pears an hourglass need a defined waist and a skirt with a little swish in it. Like the pact dresses posted or this;
https://www.quince.com/women/women-s-tencel-jersey-midi-wrap-dress?color=navy&size=m&g_network=g&g_productchannel=online&g_adid=703845811807&g_acctid=978-058-8398&g_keyword=&g_adtype=pla&g_keywordid=aud-2279058146067:pla-295800756202&g_ifcreative=&g_adgroupid=169608750891&g_productid=43225644662954&g_merchantid=128669708&g_partition=295800756202&g_campaignid=21417780217&g_ifproduct=product&g_campaign=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid_search&utm_campaign=&utm_term=43225644662954&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21417780217&gbraid=0AAAAAC4ZeNa2ttT433P0TMBDpuCq0y9xg&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv-LOBhCdARIsAM5hdKc_l8yon_GKMgHlfudOF7eHYUOCrybIC0qDjlDMURw5lbQNhx-EGVcaAgDVEALw_wcB

I think that dress is cute but not a summer dress -- in that fabric, it should be sleeveless or cap sleeves at the most. I would roast in that in DC in July, even if I was going to the office (my preference is sleeveless or very short sleeves and then I put on a cardigan or light jacket in the office).

I do agree with you on how dresses work on different body types. I used to be be more of a rectangle or inverted triangle, but have gained weight in recent years and have actually hips and a bit of a belly now (and no, not happy about it and trying to address it but menopause is what it is). I used to be able to wear those loose shift dresses and they were comfortable and flattering, but now they don't work. At first I thought I just needed to size up, but then they become more sack like. I am learning to embrace fit-and-flare and other cinched waist styles.

NP.
I have the Quince wrap dress and the fabric is very thin. I wear it in the summer without issue, though I do run cold.

I also love the Linen Fit & Flare Midi Dress. I have it in two colors and it is extremely flattering and easy to dress up or down.

https://www.quince.com/women/100-european-linen-fit-flare-midi-dress?color=deep-navy&gender=women&tracker=collection_page__%2Fwomen%2Fdresses__All+Products__6

[Anonymous]

Critics aside, I love these threads. Nice clothes are so hard to find these days. Thanks to all who post. I’m still searching.

[Anonymous]

I got this dress from Quince and it is really flattering:
https://www.quince.com/women/lightweight-crepe-lace-inset-midi-dress?color=true-black&gender=women&tracker=collection_page__%2Fwomen%2Fdresses__All%20Products__118

Also it is a pretty good dupe of this reformation dress:
https://www.thereformation.com/products/woodson-dress/1312497BLK.html?dwvar_1312497BLK_color=BLK

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got this dress from Quince and it is really flattering:
https://www.quince.com/women/lightweight-crepe-lace-inset-midi-dress?color=true-black&gender=women&tracker=collection_page__%2Fwomen%2Fdresses__All%20Products__118

Also it is a pretty good dupe of this reformation dress:
https://www.thereformation.com/products/woodson-dress/1312497BLK.html?dwvar_1312497BLK_color=BLK

What is your shape/size like if you don't mind sharing since it is flattering?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Critics aside, I love these threads. Nice clothes are so hard to find these days. Thanks to all who post. I’m still searching.

Me, too. Keep them coming and ignore the dud posters.

Anyone have suggests for a tall hourglass with a stupid big matronly chest. It makes me look so large in everything even though the rest of me is not.