Casual Dresses Australia

So, let’s look a little closer at casual dress, and which popular styles you’ll encounter in Femme Connection’s collection this season.

The charms of a casual dress

Casual dresses are a primary wardrobe pick for many women, no matter the season. A casual dress strikes the perfect balance of style and comfort. It’s simple, yet smart in its design. It’s made of a fabric that’s pleasant to wear, yet is of a decent and durable quality. 

It’s easy to mix a casual dress with other items, and it works extremely well in a capsule wardrobe. You can easily dress it up or down, depending on the occasion, and styling is relatively simple (a casual dress doesn’t need a lot of additions).

The dress for all seasons

In autumn, your casual dress might be in a tunic-style, made of a dense and sturdy fabric like denim or corduroy, and worn over base layers like turtleneck sweaters, leggings or tights. In winter, it might be a soft dress in cotton jersey, or a comfy and warm wool or synthetic knit fabric, and worn beneath outer layers like cardigans, jumpers and jackets. (Scarves, hats, bags and the right pair of winter boots bump up the style factor.)

In spring and summer, a casual dress is a super simple choice for a warm day. Throw it on, strap some sandals to your feet, grab your hat and sunnies and out the door you go! The casual spring/summer dress is ideally lightweight and in a breathable fabric, so that it can handle perspiration (cotton and linen are perfect).

Casual dress prints and colours

In the warm seasons, casual dresses in light shades come into their own. Think pastels and white. Bright colours, particularly citrus, work well too. 

Florals, paisley, and nautical prints, or simply solid-coloured dresses, also look fresh and new in spring and summer light. Boho print dresses are another favourite in the warm months, as they give off that airy, free-spirited, summery vibe.

In winter, neutral tones like black, grey and navy casual dresses look elegant. Warm, rich colours, like burgundy, red, burnt orange, mustard, forest and emerald green, mauve and royal blue are also popular (wear what suits your skin and hair tones). You can also opt for fabric patterns like check and houndstooth, or for prints like intricate floral prints in deep tones, and abstract and animal prints.

 

Popular casual dress styles at Femme Connection

Layer dress

The layer dress is one dress you’ll see a lot of in Femme Connection’s collection, and there’s a good reason why we love it (and stock it in a range of colours). These 100% cotton dresses are made in Italy, which means they have hot Italian summers in mind, which translates well to Australian summers, where we need practical, lightweight and cool options that are also easy to care for. These layer dresses are partially lined, so there’s no worries about your dress being see through, and they drop down in an easy, loose fashion around the waist, making for a super comfortable dress.

The Boho dress

An eternal favourite with the more free-spirited amongst us (or those who want to nurture a free spirit vibe) the boho dress will, as always, be a popular choice in the warm months. 

Boho dresses have been popular for literally decades. They tend to include intricate and visually captivating prints, in a range of colours, most commonly, paisley and floral prints. Boho dresses can come in any length, whether that be short, midi, or maxi. Maxi length boho dresses are particularly popular, and can be worn during all seasons (you just might need to add base layers in winter). 

In summer, a maxi-length boho dress is a sophisticated and feminine option, and can easily be styled with a leather or woven handbag, strappy heels or roman sandals. A variety of hats work well with a boho dress, including fedoras, felt wide brimmed hats, straw hats, floppy sun hats and more.

The boho dresses in Femme Connection’s collection tend to draw in below the bust, (they either come with a waist tie or are elasticised) making for a very feminine shape. Then they hang loose from the waist down, making for a very comfortable dress that flatters pretty much everyone.

Linen dress

Linen dress is a classic, and most people aspire to own at least one of these elegant items. Linen is super breathable, which is handy in spring and summer. Add to that, the more you wear a linen dress, the softer it becomes, and who doesn’t want to throw on a lovely soft dress?

The linen dresses in Femme’s collection are all made in Italy from 100% linen (no synthetics included). They mostly come in either knee to midi length, in a relaxed fit. Some come with handy pockets, and others are in a double layer style, creating a very chic, asymmetrical look. We have long sleeve and short sleeve linen dresses in a range of prints including polka dots, florals, and leaf prints, and also solid colour dresses.

One thing you must know about linen (if you don’t already) is that it can crease when you sit down. Don’t fight it! It’s one of linen’s natural charms!

The shirt dress

Shirt dresses offer that mix of business and pleasure. They have the structured collar of a shirt, but then drop down into a comfortable dress. Some are more structured than others, and come in at the waist, with maybe a belt included. Others hang loosely, allowing for easy movement.

Femme Connection has some great button-up shirt dresses available, with V-necks, collared necklines and mandarin collars. They are made in Italy with soft 100% linen that already has a worn-in feel. They have roll up sleeves and a functional front pockets at the bust, for putting in your sunnies or cards. (We also have a super cute short denim shirt dress with puff sleeves, but be quick on the uptake because that one is sure to disappear fast!)

Shift dress

Shift dresses are an ever popular style. Their simple design gives off chic, yet practical vibes. With a shift dress, the fabric falls from the shoulders, straight down. Sometimes there are darts at the bust, but not always. They tend to come with a round or boat neck.

A shift dress is a great everyday dress that’s perfect for spring and summer dressing. As the waist is not shaped on a shift dress, you need to be mindful of how you layer it. You don’t want to lose the shape of the dress by adding outer layers that will draw the dress in. So, think about more loose hanging outer layers, like a denim or faux leather jacket, or an open cardigan, to wear with your shift dress.

Floral dress

A floral dress (or five) is essential in spring and summer, but depending on the print, they can work at any time of the year. But there’s nothing that makes you feel more free and feminine on a warm breezy day than wearing a floral dress. 

You can get floral dresses in a range of lengths, styles, and fabrics. They can be worn to pretty much any occasion, and have an eternally feminine vibe about them. If you’re feeling fresh and flirty, opt for a floral dress in a lightweight fabric, perhaps with puffy or flute sleeves and some frills, and enjoy the occasion knowing you look wonderful. 

The maternity dress

For those with a baby on the way, there’s never a time when you need casual dresses more. After all, the last thing you want is to feel constricted in an overly structured dress. You need something that allows space to move and for the inevitable belly expansion!

When looking for a maternity dress, choose ones that are either loose around the waist, or that tie above the waist, which will give you plenty of room. 

The midi and maxi dresses in Femme Connection’s casual dress range are particularly good as maternity wear, as many come with an elasticised waist, allowing for ample stretch around the tummy, yet still appearing shapely. Most come in viscose, which is lightweight and soft, yet also breathable, so it’s a very practical fabric for maternity dressing.

Caring for your casual dress

You’re likely to have your casual dresses on rotation a lot, so it’s important that you handle them the right way. Here are some tips on caring for various popular casual dress fabrics.

Linen

Wash in cold water in a mesh laundry bag on a gentle cycle, or even better, by hand. Air dry to prevent shrinkage. Iron while damp to smooth out wrinkles, or use a steamer for a crisp finish. Or don’t iron at all!

Cotton

Machine wash in cold or warm water with like colours on a gentle cycle, and tumble dry on low heat or air dry to prevent shrinking. Iron as needed on a cotton setting for a smooth finish.

Jersey
Machine wash in cold water on a gentle cycle, and tumble dry on low heat or lay flat to dry to prevent stretching. Ironing is not usually necessary with jersey, but if you do, ensure you use a low setting.

Viscose

Use a mild detergent and either a low machine setting, or cool hand wash. Viscose fibres can shrink or weaken when exposed to heat, so avoid the tumble dryer, and instead, lay your dress flat to dry. Iron on low, ideally while the dress is still slightly damp.

Wool

Hand wash in cold water with a mild detergent. (Never wash in hot water—it will likely shrink!). After washing, ease your dress back into shape using your hands, then lay it flat, out of direct sunlight to dry. 

Silk

Hand wash in cold water with a gentle detergent or dry clean to preserve the delicate fabric. Air dry by laying it flat and avoid direct sunlight, then use a low-heat iron or steamer to remove any wrinkles.

Get your casual dresses today!

Femme Connection has plenty to offer when it comes to casual dresses. Our range includes boho dresses, linen dresses, layer dresses, shirt dresses, shift dresses, floral dresses, and maternity dresses, so there’s a comfortable, feminine and practical casual dress there for you, suitable for a range of occasions and seasons!

Our casual dresses are available in a wide range of sizes, and there are plenty of colour and print options to choose from. So check out our collection and enjoy the good feelings of wearing a casual dress this season!