2026 Summer Dress Thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have this in a solid and a stripe. I'm also pear-shaped and it's super-flattering: https://www.quince.com/women/linen-dress?color=sky-blue-mariner-stripe&gender=women&tracker=collection_page__%2Fwomen%2Fdresses__All+Products__7

Quince is on the level of Shein trash.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Love this one:

https://www.cos.com/en-us/women/womenswear/dresses/mididresses/product/twist-detail-jersey-midi-dress-blue-1327026002

I like this dress but I don’t think it’s a sundress.

[Anonymous]

OP again. I have one dress from Pact that I like well enough except the built-in bra makes me look completely flat.

Quince has been very hit or miss for me re: quality but the linen dress looks nice and the price is right. May give that one a try.

The cos one is pretty but seems like it would be hot and reads more dressy to me.

Lilly isn't my thing. Even the simpler styles have a ruffle or something about them that makes them look too cutesy to me.

Banjanan is beautiful but outside my budget. Not looking to spend $300 on a weekend run-around dress.

[Anonymous]

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.

Loose and breezy can be good for the sweltering summer months.

[Anonymous]

Marine Layer, maybe?

https://www.marinelayer.com/collections/gals-dresses

I have several of the Corinne Maxi dress before they added buttons and love them, but they may be more dress than you're looking for. The quality is good, though, and I like the fabric a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a few Pact dresses. The built-in bras function like chest minimizers for me (D-cups smashed into Bs). Most of the time, I'm so happy to go without an additional bra that I don't mind.

I got a lacy dress last year. I’m small chested and I think it was fine on me — didn’t really act as a chest minimized. Liked not worrying about a bra and it packed well for vacation. I’ll note that the cotton jersey is heavier than a lot of brands so maby it will wear longer but maybe wasn’t quite a soft feeling as some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Lily if you avoid the louder day-drinking-at-the-country-club prints? A little over budget, but might work well:

https://www.lillypulitzer.com/dresses/

https://www.lillypulitzer.com/abralynn-linen-shirtdress/021994.html?dwvar_021994_color=4923W1

https://www.lillypulitzer.com/upf-50-luxletic-kathy-flounce-dress/021947.html?dwvar_021947_color=4013XI

https://www.lillypulitzer.com/elsey-shift-dress/019197.html?dwvar_019197_color=6513J0

https://www.lillypulitzer.com/dresses/?start=60&sz=60

Just no - too cringe

I love the day drinking at the club description for LP. Every once in a while I see a cute LP dress but I feel like I am so not a LP person that I worry I’ll regret it. My teen daughter, I think, might be a future LP person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m similar size/shape. This one another influencer posted and I was so surprised at how flattering it was. I bought it in two colors.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3Q8388K?

I think that would look cute on my teen. I’m afraid that’s the kind of dress that would be hard on a woman of a certain age, of which I am. I’m not OP though so maybe it would work for her.

[Anonymous]

I love Ciao Lucia’s cotton dresses and you can often find them on sale or on secondhand sites like The RealReal. Also check out LinenHandmadeStudio on Etsy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Marine Layer, maybe?

https://www.marinelayer.com/collections/gals-dresses

I have several of the Corinne Maxi dress before they added buttons and love them, but they may be more dress than you're looking for. The quality is good, though, and I like the fabric a lot.

I really like that Camilla one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted the amazon dress and for context, I don't normally buy from amazon. However the dresses are 100% cotton and I'm 5'3 and 135lbs. Got lots on compliments on them during vacation.

I'm similar to you and which dress did you post? There are a number of Amazon dresses above your post, thanks.

[Anonymous]

I’m the pp who posted the Quince dress. I also find their stuff to be a mixed bag but this one is a winner.

I have some Marine Layer stuff. The Corinne is great but is more of a sophisticated beach cover-up, super casual. The Camilla is very pretty but low cut—I have to be very specific about what bra I wear with it but ymmv.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the suggestions. I've looked at Karma East in the past, after seeing it recommended here, and it's not generally my style (the prints are a bit much and a lot of them are shapeless) but I like the Vivien style and may give it a try.

Title Nine I really dislike the prints (I probably should have mentioned I don't like loud prints). Some of the solids look okay but I already have similar athleisure-type dresses and don't really need more.

I like the Tuckernuck dress but not on me. Same with those inexpensive Amazon ones. Like the idea but I feel like you need to be tall and willowy to pull them off. I'm shorter and pear shaped so that kind of thing looks frumpy on me.

As an example of something I bought and liked:

https://evereve.com/products/kayleigh-knit-mini-dress-red?variant=45896527708325

Got this in both colors. It doesn't look like much in the picture but it's really flattering and comfortable. And inexpensive, cotton, bra friendly.

I feel like athleta has a similar style dress?

[Anonymous]

https://us.boden.com/products/women-tilda-jersey-t-shirt-dress-navy-d1603nvy?variant=48819645907196