I Challenge You Not to Swoosh Around in These Beautiful Maxi Dresses
From floral to muted colours, these are the maxi dress styles to note.


I have many, many dresses in my wardrobe. Some are short-sleeved; some are long. Some are printed; others are colour-block. But even the most dedicated collector can have gaps in their collection, and admittedly, there's one specific style I've been guilty of neglecting–maxi dresses.
I put this down to my 5'3" frame and the lack of spare time to get to the tailor, but I've always found shopping for maxi dresses somewhat of a chore. As such, I tend to stick to midis and minis, which require zero alterations. Lately, however, the plethora of pretty maxi dresses my favourite influencers have been wearing to usher in the summer months have been getting my attention.
It's easy to see the sudden appeal of a maxi dress. For the most part, they keep you covered, which is ideal for the changeable weather we're currently experiencing. Still, the attraction goes way beyond practicality—there's something downright fabulous about wearing a maxi dress. My guess is all the swooshing potential. After a couple of years spent dressing for comfort and very little else, I'm all for wanting to feel fancy in my clothes again.
So I set out to find the best summer maxi dresses out there for every style and budget. Below, you'll find the fruits of my labour—20 maxi dresses so beautiful you'll be tempted to burn your joggers. Scroll below to see them, and I guarantee you'll fall back in love with dresses again.
SHOP THE BEST SUMMER MAXI DRESSES:

Maxine Eggenberger is Who What Wear UK’s Deputy Editor and has over fourteen years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and authoritative content for Who What Wear UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, talent interviews self-styled shopping stories and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, leads the editorial team in their search and keyword planning, works closely with the fashion and beauty team on strategy and continues to pen many of her own articles. Prior to Who What Wear UK, Maxine's contributed to publications including Grazia, InStyle Marie Claire, Elle and Look, amongst others.
-
Ankle Boots With Dresses Are Out—This Is the Shoe Trend Those With Cool Style Are Wearing Instead
Alexa Chung is one of them.
-
Too Hot to Think? Try These 33 Chic Summer Finds From Revolve That Basically Style Themselves
Matching sets and lovely lace styles.
-
My Love Language Is Summer Linens and Cottons—J.Crew and Anthropologie Speak It Fluently
Heat-wave approved.
-
Linens, Trousers, and Button-Downs, Oh My! These 30 Banana Republic Sale Picks Are Summer Magic
Up to 60% off.
-
These 30 Simple Yet Elevated Picks From the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Are Giving Major Rich Vibes
Hello, instant confidence boost.
-
I'm Manifesting Chic Summer Outfits: 25 Affordable and Stylish Walmart Deals That Fit the Bill
Just about everything is under $25.
-
I'm a Gen Z Shopping Editor—These Are the Coolest Pieces on Reformation, Revolve, and Shopbop RN
They're giving NYC It girl.
-
When I'm Not Shopping Amazon Prime Day, It's These Chic Deals (Ahem, J.Crew, COS, and Banana Republic)
On-trend finds you won't want to miss.