Art of Style

The Midi Dresses With Maximum Style Mileage

For special events, every day and everything in between, the midi dress balances classic elegance with contemporary flair and is your closet’s secret weapon. Here are this season’s standout styles…

Words Colleen RossFashion assistant Millie Parry
Fashion
In order of appearance: blush dress, Chloé; red dress, Ferragamo; long-sleeved black dress, Valentino Garavani; leopard-print dress, Isabel Marant; light blue dress, Stella McCartney; black V-neck dress, Gabriela Hearst

Eminently elegant and endlessly versatile, the midi dress is your one-stop style solution to looking effortlessly put together. The flattering length and easy slip-on silhouette mean midis can be dressed up with heels, dressed down with ballet flats or knee-high boots, and layered up with blazers and chunky knits when temperatures dip.

  • STELLA MCCARTNEY
    Ruched jersey midi dress
    €476.00
    Select a Size
    36 - out of stock
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  • DRIES VAN NOTEN
    Belted checked crepe turtleneck midi dress
    €383.00
    Select a Size
    34 - out of stock
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    44
  • RÓHE
    Silk midi-dress
    €264.00
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    34 - out of stock
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  • KHAITE
    Elio pleated pointelle-trimmed wool-blend midi dress
    €1,192.00
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    small - out of stock
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    x large - out of stock

For FW24, brands such as Valentino Garavani and Ferragamo have embraced the style’s demure origins with sleek, vintage-inspired silhouettes, enticing colors and feminine details. Debuted on the runway in Paris, Stella McCartney’s ice-blue dress from our NET SUSTAIN edit is cut from slinky jersey (spun using responsibly sourced viscose) with exaggerated shoulders and petal-like sleeves. Echo how it was styled in the show with optic-white boots and an oversized clutch. Exemplifying the season’s taste for sleek, feminine shapes, Amsterdam-based Róhe’s lustrous silk midi drapes effortlessly and comes in a show-stopping shade of red. Wear the hue from top to toe with a rouge lip and matching accessories. Alternatively, embrace the season’s penchant for heritage prints with Dries Van Noten’s checked crepe midi dress. Perfect for the office or a gallery opening, it’s decorated with painterly brushstrokes in neutral tones and has a lightly gathered waist. Complement the elegant turtleneck with sculptural gold hoops and finish with point-toe heels.

  • CHLOÉ
    Pleated silk-georgette midi dress
    €1,974.00
    Select a Size
    36 - out of stock
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  • ZIMMERMANN
    Eden Handkerchief belted floral-print crepe de chine midi dress
    €625.00
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  • VICTORIA BECKHAM
    Gathered floral-print crepe midi dress
    €545.00
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    4 - out of stock
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  • PROENZA SCHOULER
    Tatum ribbed-knit midi dress
    €460.00
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    x small
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    medium - out of stock
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When it comes to event dressing, Jacquemus’ open-back ‘Favola’ midi dress offers the opportunity for your own Marilyn Monroe moment, while Khaite’s pointelle-knit navy number is the epitome of understated city style. Wear yours to a drinks reception with low-heeled mules and a tuxedo-style jacket. Of course, we can’t mention FW24 and not talk about boho – the trend first took hold in Paris, where Chloé’s Chemena Kamali presented a symphony of gossamer-light dresses strewn with ruffles and lace. That same free-spirited ’70s mood could be found at Isabel Marant, whose ‘Nemil’ dress is dappled with a vibrant snake motif first seen on the runway alongside fierce leopard prints. Balance the wispy silk-blend chiffon fabric with glossed-leather boots and a structured bag. Meanwhile, Ulla Johnson’s timeless ‘Lille’ design comes in an elegant black that’s decorated with ruffles enhanced by white topstitching and is perfect for dinner parties.

  • ISABEL MARANT
    Nemil gathered devoré-chiffon silk-blend midi dress
    €695.00
    Select a Size
    34 - out of stock
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  • ULLA JOHNSON
    Lille ruffled crepe midi dress
    €292.00
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  • PROENZA SCHOULER
    Eden reversible ribbed wool and silk-blend midi dress
    €545.00
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  • EMILIA WICKSTEAD
    Jancine shirred Swiss-dot cotton-blend midi dress
    €597.00
    Select a Size
    6 - out of stock
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The models featured in this story are not associated with NET-A-PORTER and do not endorse it or the products shown