Midi dresses that you can wear morning, noon, and night.
Best Midi Dresses
There are few more elegant dress silhouettes than a midi. You’re more covered than a mini dress that falls at mid-thigh; yet not quite as fabric-clad as you are wearing a floor-grazing maxi. It’s a dress length (yes, that’s why it’s called a midi dress) that has come back time and time again: from the draped skirts of the 1930s to the flared of the ‘50s; boho cuts of 1970s to today. And for good reason.
A midi dress also works wonders at striking the perfect balance of sophisticated and youthful, whether you’re headed to the office, brunch with friends, or a cocktail party on the beach.
Once you’ve chosen your hem length, however, the sky is the limit when it comes to what your dress actually looks like. Which is why we pulled together a list of the 14 best midi dresses for summer—that you can wear morning, noon, and night.
Shop our favorites, here.
OUR TOP PICKS
When you can’t choose just one floral, go for a dress that’s tiered with a multitude. This midi dress boasts a colorful array of contrasting ditsy floral prints with a ‘60s-era high neck and tie waist.
You’ll love the added detail of this 3D ruffle along your bustline, adding a whimsical pop to an otherwise simple spaghetti strap silhouette. As such, you can dress it up or down, depending on where you’re headed!
Calling all sarong lovers! This midi dress has your name on it. Though it’s pre-knotted and has proper spaghetti straps that cross in the back, it looks just as effortless as if you wrapped a pareo around your body.
Go dancing through a field of wildflowers in this midi dress, made of a crisp organic cotton poplin in a pale shade of yellow that can’t help but make you smile. Though the straps are quite subtle, the structured bodice of the top gives it a more tailored quality than most.
Transport yourself to an English garden with this smocked-top midi dress in a colorful floral you’ll feel like you’ve been dropped into a Jane Austen Novel. Though you can certainly dress it up with a pair of heels and some jewelry, we suggest you keep it simple with flat sandals and a summer-ready straw bag.
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Dannijo might have been born of jewelry, but they’re really killing it at the slip dress game. Throwing it back to the ‘90s and early-aughts, you can shop a rainbow of hues this summer and beyond. Our favorite new tone for the season is the pale blue that adds just enough vibrancy to your outfit while still remaining classic.
Amazon’s “The Drop” strikes the perfect balance between trendy and timeless, evidenced in part by this tiered tent midi dress that functions equally well as a beach-bound cover up and cocktail-ready one-and-done. Either way, slip into a pair of flat sandals and you’re good to go.
Diane von Furstenberg is the matriarch of wrap dresses, but the brand has taken it to more tailored heights this season, with a crisp crossover midi dress with an exaggerated waist tie and bold black-and-white print.
RELATED: Find Your Perfect Midi Wrap Dress
Be it silk, cotton, or even denim, Altuzarra certainly knows its way around a shirt dress. And, though this crisp white midi dress looks like a classic poplin style from afar, it’s in fact made of the heavier denim weave, giving a little bit of a casual edge to the tailored favorite.
Show a little skin this season with a classic white midi dress that features subtle side cut outs that reach from front to back. Though you’ll be showing a bit more skin than you normally do, the midi length and smocked top balance it out with a bit more modest coverage and youthful detailing.
Though designed like an apron in the front, this midi dress boasts a totally open-back that makes it fit for brunches and cocktail parties alike this summer. What’s more, you gotta love a dress with pockets—amiright?
Go nautical with a blue-and-white striped midi dress this season, mixing in a bit of a bohemian flair. The shoulder-tie straps and tiered silhouette are just two of the many reasons this Zimmermann style is a favorite that returns season after season.
There are few design houses that do whimsy quite like Dolce & Gabbana, so it was a sure bet that they were going to make the dress list, no matter what the length. We love this one for summer because of it’s pasta-centric print, with a gathered skirt and fitted bodice to add a bit of tailoring to an otherwise youthful look.
The ‘90s are alive and well when it comes to the slip dress trend, but few are on point quite like this one. With a high neck and spaghetti straps, the only thing more millennial about this look is it’s baby blue hue.
Pro Tip
😎“Midi” means something different for everyone, but think of the elegant dress length as anything that falls between your knee and your ankle.
Once you go with a midi dress, you’ll never go back. Party dresses, throw-on-and-go cotton shifts, and everything in between…
RELATED: Find Your Perfect Midi Wrap Dress
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