The Dress Guide: 5 Styles To Take You Through The Season

A dress is the quintessential investment piece – a closet icon that designers are constantly reinventing to create fresh and timeless iterations for every new season. Whether it’s a figure-skimming, lingerie-inflected mini dress for a romantic dinner date, or a bohemian-inspired maxi dress for your summer vacation, there’s always a dress to suit the occasion. Here, we’ve combed through the spring/summer 2026 collections to bring you the best styles for all of the season’s key moments.

When it comes to your workday closet, dresses are an effortless addition, and the sleekest styles demand very little in the way of accessorizing – think loafers or kitten-heel pumps and a tote. A turtleneck dress is the perfect silhouette to wear on repeat to the office, or whenever you want to feel your most confident. Calvin Klein Collection’s ‘Willow’ version from the runway exudes timeless elegance and will segue neatly into eveningwear with a few accessory swaps. Elsewhere, Toteme makes a convincing case for red being the perfect business solution with its gathered wool-crepe maxi – just add heeled thong sandals and a baguette bag to complete a chic city look.

Come evening, this season is all about slinky silhouettes, romantic details, vivacious prints and plenty of shimmer – all are perfect for sundowner soirées and will pack a punch at after-dark events. Meeting the criteria, Saint Laurent’s open-back maxi dress is cut from lustrous satin that beautifully skims your figure, while Toteme’s gathered lemon-yellow midi would work beautifully for a city or destination wedding. Whichever style you choose, pair with sculptural silver earrings and low-heeled mules to keep things effortless. Elsewhere, Stella McCartney’s bright blue mini is the perfect choice for dinner parties – simply pair it with an oversized jacket and mules.

For weddings, garden parties and formal affairs, high-octane is the order of the day, with designers embracing the head-turning possibilities the dress has to offer. If it’s instant impact you’re after, seek out a single shade, like Kallmeyer’s exquisite ‘Matilda’ gown in royal purple, or Elie Saab’s acid-yellow gown. Alternatively, keep things classic with Balenciaga’s black maxi dress. The first look to appear on the spring/summer 2026 runway, it comes in an artfully draped silhouette inspired by the brand’s iconic ‘Sack’ line from 1957. Elsewhere, Rodarte offers a darkly romantic choice for a bridal shower or destination wedding. Complement the black lace trims with matching sandals.