Summer dresses - Style predictions for this season

Check those thermometers! The weather is warming up, which means summer is on the horizon. This is the perfect time to get your mind on the subject of summer dresses and which to add to your wardrobe this season.

As is the norm in summer, Australian women will be embracing shorter dresses in cool and comfortable fabrics—anything that’ll stop us feeling hot and sweaty! But style is important too, so let’s have a look at which particular dress styles are set to be trending this summer. This season’s top styles mix romantic elements with down-to-earth practicality. There’s also an ever-growing focus on sustainability, with women seeking summer dresses made using plant-derived fabrics.

Let’s take a peek at the summer dress styles predicted to dominate the fashion scene this hot season.

White Dresses

There’s nothing groundbreaking about a white dress, but the simplicity the white dress brings is predicted to be a drawcard this coming summer. White dresses look great in the summer light, and offer a fresh, crisp look (as long as you can manage not to spill your coffee on them). This time round, you’re likely to see white dresses embellished with broderie anglaise or lace, sometimes, in a contrasting colour. These intricate textures bring a feminine and vintage vibe to a white dress.

White dresses are ideal frocks for picnics, brunches and visits to the coast. In terms of accessorising, they work well with neutral accessories, like tan sandals, woven handbags and minimal jewellery. Essentially, the dress should be the focal point.

Dresses with Sheer Elements

Add a sheer element to a summer dress, and immediately, it’s a little more eye-catching. This might be why this season, sheer fabrics are making an appearance, with designers building in sheer details into dresses. It might be a sheer underlayer on a layer linen dress, a sheer sleeve on an evening dress, or a sheer panel on a midi dress. Why sheer? Sheer elements offer a soft, romantic look to your outfit. These transparent or sheer elements can also look quite alluring, depending on the dress.

For an evening dress with sheer sleeves, skirt or panels, pair it with heels, a glossy handbag and bold lipstick. For a more casual day dress with sheer elements, pair with sandals or wedges, a lightweight shoulder bag or purse, and some delicate jewellery.

Midi Dresses

This is pretty much a given, but midi dresses are predicted to trend this summer. They’re just such a practical length, and can be worn to work, casual day events, and out at night.

This summer, expect to see plenty of floral and abstract print midi dresses, but also watch out for midi dresses in muted colours, like soft pastels, beiges, and earthy tones.

Midi dresses can easily be dressed up or down, depending on where you’re heading to. If you want to go for a casual-yet-stylish look, consider adding a woven belt, simple jewellery and roman sandals. For an evening look, swap the flat sandals out for heels or wedges, add a small handbag with strap, and a statement bracelet.

Puff Sleeves

Expect to see a dose of romance and drama in this summer’s collection of dresses, with puff sleeves trending. These are not likely to be a full-blown puff, but something a little more subtle, with loose puff sleeves ending around the mid-upper arm to the elbow. What’s so great about puff sleeves? Aside from making a bit of a statement and adding a dramatic vibe, puff sleeves add volume around the upper arm, which can balance out a dress overall. This season, puff sleeves will be particularly popular in midi dresses, but you’ll see them on short and maxi length dresses too.

For a day look, stick with the girlyness of the puff and pair your puff sleeve dress with Mary Janes or ballet flats and a strap handbag. For the evening, wear with heels and a clutch for a dressier look.

Casual Dresses

Australian women enjoy heading out of the house (or staying in) in truly comfortable, casual dresses during summer. Bonus points if the dress is made in a breathable and lightweight fabric, like linen, cotton or viscose. Basically, we want to look and feel cool, in a staple dress we can wear in a range of settings. This is where casual dresses come in, and as usual, they will be popular this summer. 

Available in various styles, casual dresses have an inherently relaxed look, meaning they tend not to bother with embellishments, aren’t overly structured, and can be comfortably worn while you do all those practical life tasks. And yet, a good casual dress will also be stylish.

Casual dress styles likely to trend this summer are figure-hugging stretch dresses, shirt dresses, A-line dresses, shift dresses, and wrap dresses. Popular casual dress fabrics will include jersey, cotton, linen, viscose, chambray and denim, and it’s predicted that neutral colours will be common, although bold prints are also set to be a thing. Look out for summer dresses with handy pockets to store your sunnies or phone!

Basically, casual dresses work well on most figures, and don’t require a lot of thought when it comes to styling. They can be dressed up or down with a few easy tricks, and can transition easily between occasions. This is the perfect kind of dress to wear with your summer sandals or sneakers, a tote bag or woven bag, big sunnies and a bit of minimalist jewellery if you like (or no jewellery at all). Don’t forget your summer hat!

Floral Maxi Dresses

Will floral maxi dresses ever not be in style? It seems not, as there is a strong uptake in sales of floral maxi dresses, perfect for summer. Floral maxis are quintessentially feminine, with either bold or delicate floral prints in a range of sumptuous colours that bring pleasure to the eye. They tend to be made in flattering cuts, and many have empire waistlines, which creates a feminine silhouette.

Your floral maxi dress will be suitable for a range of occasions in summer, including beach parties, barbeques and daytime weddings. Aim for floral maxi dresses in lightweight fabrics (a popular choice will be viscose). In terms of styling, pair your maxi with wedge heels or strappy heel sandals. They can even look good with roman sandals if you’re heading to a more casual event. Add a delicate chain necklace or bracelet, a woven shoulder bag or basket purse, and a wide-brimmed hat and you’re set!

Eye-Catching Print Dresses

Expect an injection of fun this summer with print dresses trending. We’re not just talking florals, but also playful abstract prints that will draw attention to your dress in all the right ways. Prints may include botanical motifs, oversized paisley and summery graphic prints of palm trees, beaches and rainbows. Colours will be bright, with blues, oranges, yellows and greens standing out in particular. These are fun summer dresses you’d wear out to a party or to a park date with your mates.

In terms of styling, take advantage of the fun prints by adding accessories like bags and jewellery in bold colours, rather than the standard neutrals. You can also add geometric jewellery for a fun final touch. Reflective sunnies will work well too!

Sustainable Fabric Dresses

Sustainability is a focus for many Australian fashion lovers, no matter the time of year, however summer is when sustainable fabrics really shine. Eco-friendly fabrics, made from plant-derived fibres, are known to feel cool during summer, wick moisture away from the body, and breathe, so that you don’t get overly hot and sweaty. Linen is trending in particular at the moment, so expect to see a whole lot of linen dresses on the streets this summer, and organic cotton is following close behind as a sought-after dress fabric. In terms of style, both loose fitting dresses and more structured frocks are likely to trend.

In addition to being eco-friendly, linen and cotton lend themselves well to versatile, minimalistic designs that can be easily dressed up or down. Whether it’s a simple A-line cotton dress or a belted linen shirt dress, these eco-conscious choices will look perfect at work and at weekend events like day parties and shopping expeditions. 

Look out in particular for dresses featuring asymmetrical hemlines, tiered skirts, or puff sleeves if you want to add a little more interest to your dress. Styling wise, consider pairing your sustainable fabric dress with similar natural and earthy accessories, such as a woven bag, hemp canvas shoes, and a straw or felted-wool wide-brimmed hat.

Boho Dresses

Boho dresses have been a crowd favourite for years, but with all the summer festivals approaching, it’s a certainty that they’ll be popular. With their relaxed designs, cute embellishments like embroidery and tassels, and loose-fitting sleeves, boho dresses are considered a sure thing in the summer fashion stakes.

You’ll find boho dresses in bright abstract prints, paisley and florals, and also in more muted tones and earthy colours, such as mustard yellow, burnt orange, and sage green. Pair a boho dress with a fringe bag, layered necklaces and flat sandals or ankle boots. 

Black and White Dresses

Black and white dresses are set to be all the rage this summer, giving wearers a modern and  chic appearance. Whether it be a mainly white dress with black embellishments, or a black and white all-over print, this monochrome trend makes dressing up easy, as your dress will do all the work—you just have to wear it.

Black and white dresses look perfect in a range of day gatherings, and also striking at night. In terms of accessories, it’s a good idea to stick with monochrome shoes (black, white or tan), and a neutral colour handbag. Add some metallic statement jewellery with these dresses, if jewellery is your jam.

Have fun summer dress shopping with Femme Connection this season! See our Summer Collection for dresses and other must-have items like summer tops, pants and skirts.