8 Dress Trends: Quince linen dress | $50 cashmere sweater | Sandals | Celine bag | Gold cuff
Dress Season Is Here — The 8 Best Summer Dresses of 2026☀️
I just landed in Palm Springs, and pretty much my entire suitcase is filled with pretty dresses – see everything I packed here! Talk about the easiest thing to wear (and pack) once the weather warms up. It’s officially dress season, and every year around this time the selection is at its absolute best. A while back I took a poll on Instagram asking “What outfits are you looking for?” — and over 350 of you answered! After scrolling through all the comments, I quickly realized that dresses are the answer to pretty much everything. Whether you’re headed to a wedding, a graduation, a cocktail party, or just going on vacation, there’s one for every occasion.
Today’s post is a spring & summer dress edit, and I’m sharing with you the 8 best dresses you could wear for every occasion this season and beyond. Since I have my own events coming up, I’m always doing “blog research” in order to help all of us narrow down the choices. Below you’ll find everything from vacation dresses to pretty cotton florals to everyday casual to a classic LWD. Read on to learn more about the top dress trends of the summer, plus see a little style board inspo. I hope you find something you love! Have fun at all your events 🥂
ICYMI:
My Daughter and I Are 30 Years Apart … And We Keep Buying the Same Things!
Here’s Your Spring/Summer Checklist: 30 Key Essentials
Summer dress inspo
Top row: Blue print dress | White dress | Stripe dress | Green dress | Shell earrings | Gold bag
Bottom row: Eyelet dress | Blue print dress | Green sweater | Print midi dress, more sizes here | Gold sandal | Earrings | Raffia bag
#1 Favorite brand alert: Tuckernuck dresses
Blue floral dress | Sandals | Clutch
You all know how much I love Tuckernuck – and this time of year they shine! I just rounded up some favorites, which you can see here
Other options to consider:
Midi style dresses: Look at this floral one, this green print one, and this pretty white one
Shorter dresses: Look at this top & matching skirt, this eyelet shift dress, and this pretty white one
#2 The Best Vacation Dresses
Left: Farm Rio dress – long version here | Sandals | Clutch | Right: Farm Rio dress | Sandals | Basket bag | Straw hat
Farm Rio is a favorite brand that everyone loves, both here and in Europe. Talk about fun and happy prints! And, they’re well-priced and offer many different styles. While doing some blog research at Nordstrom the other day, I got the inside scoop that these dresses are selling out … understandably. Consider this longer style, as well as this shorter linen one.
Other options to consider
Love the brand Alemais – look at this and this
Anthropologie has a great Farm Rio selection and many are available in petite sizes – look at this, this and this
Shopbop is another favorite dress destination, look at this and this
#3 Cinq A. Sept dresses
Cinq a Sept dress | Loewe tote
I love the brand Cinq a Sept, and they have the prettiest dress options – everything from shorter lengths, midi-styles, pretty silk floral dresses to everything else in between! I have a discount code: SUSIE15 to get 15% off your order. And, if you need a little inspo – click here to watch a video of some of my favorites. See below for a few more ideas:
Love their denim dresses – specifically this shorter one and this midi style one
For wedding guest options, look at this pretty pink one, this blue one and this strapless one
If you have a graduation or daytime event, look at this gingham one, this cotton blue and white one and this floral
#4 It’s Wedding Dress Season
Left: Green dress | Earrings | Clutch | Sandals | Right: Dress | ALC bag | Sandals | Earrings
If you have any upcoming weddings, here are a few dresses I found that will work perfectly;
Nordstrom favorites: look at this long navy one, this gorgeous blush pink one and this one shoulder petite one
This pink Milly dress is pretty, and so is this gorgeous navy one
Other brands to consider include Vince Camuto, Sachin & Babi, Mac Duggal and Eliza J
#5 Bright pretty colors
If you love a little color (like I do), here are some new dresses I just spotted:
Love the brand Simkhai, and I just picked up this pretty blue one, and I have my eye on this longer midi style and this lace trim one
Cara Cara is another favorite brand, and look at this and this
Everyone is loving the brand Staud, and the Wells dress is a best seller – it comes short and long
#6 Linen Dresses: Ideal for Summer
If you’re looking for a stylish dress option to wear in warmer weather, I highly recommend linen. Keep in mind, they don’t have to be perfectly ironed! As a matter of fact, I think they look better when they’re a little more relaxed. Quince makes some of the best ones, and they’re under $100. See below for more favorites.
Other options to consider
Love this shorter everyday dress that comes in so many colors
The one I’m wearing above is also available in lots of different colors – love the pink
This strapless linen maxi dress is also so good
#7 Slipdresses
Quince washable silk dress | Maxi silk slipdress
Slipdresses are a wardrobe essential, and both Vince and Quince make some of the best ones out there!
Love this new Vince slipdress
For a print style, look at this L’Agence one and this Ulla Johnson one
#8 LWD & LBD
Left: White dress | Clutch | Sandals | Right: Dress | Clutch | Sandals
As we move from spring to summer wear, we transition from the LBD (little black dress) to the LWD (little white dress). Pretty, versatile and easy, you might consider having two or three in your rotation.
Love this Vince slipdress I mentioned above, and this Cinq a sept one is so good, I’ve worn it so many times
The Staud dress above is another best seller – it’s so elegant
Don’t forget your undergarments!
It’s smart to have a few lingerie options on hand so you’ll be prepared when you find the perfect dress. I can’t say enough about the Wacoal Red Carpet Strapless Bra — it’s a stylist favorite. Sometimes you need another option, and Nippies are surprisingly good! If you place them lower on your breast and then pull them up and stick the top part, you actually get a little lift (not like a regular bra, but workable, depending on your size and body shape). For shapewear options, I usually prefer these Spanx shorts for tummy control, or these Wacoal shorts for flowy dresses — they are essentials at this point!
Thank you for reading xx
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