I Just Tried On Reformation's Best-Selling Dress, and Now I'm 110% Obsessed

The summer dress that has converted this trouser-loving editor.

Three images of woman wearing gingham dress and black flip flops
(Image credit: @florriealexander)
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We're only mid-way through July and already we have had plenty of heatwaves, giving us a lovely taste of the over-20-degree temperatures that the rest of summer hopefully has in store for us. In this summer mood, all I want to wear is the Reformation Balia Linen dress.

I'll admit, I'm pretty hard to please when it comes to dresses. Whilst there are those who can be spotted in a refined frock all year round, I began introducing dresses back into my capsule wardrobe just a few years ago. With just a few styles in my collection, it means I'm harder to impress than most, and any new addition has to be the perfect fit, easy to style and have an innate elegance that transcends moving trends. I know, it's a big ask, but Reformation's dress ticks all the boxes with ease.

Woman wears gingham print dress from Reformation

(Image credit: @florriealexander)

Coming from a brand that is known for excellent dresses, including one I wore recently (and still can't stop thinking about), for our guide to wedding guest dressing, I naturally had high hopes. Even so, this dress surpassed them.

The silhouette of the dress is what first drew me to it. The V-shape waistline, the scoop neckline and the fuller skirt create an incredibly chic silhouette, primed for both everyday and dressier occasions. With warmer days ahead, it's worth noting the 100% linen fabrication of the dress, which is lightweight and yet far from see-through. Each aspect has been carefully considered for the wearer, with the straps discreetly secured with buttons in the back, which also have extra holes to allow you to adjust for the perfect fit. The back of the bodice is smocked, so whilst the front looks neatly corseted, there's plenty of stretch to keep things comfortable. And yes, it even has pockets.

Woman wears gingham dress and black flip flops

(Image credit: @florriealexander)

For the warmest days, this is exactly how I'll style it: with minimalist sandals and a basket bag. But even if the temperatures do dip, a classic cardigan and ballet flats can take over from bare arms and flip-flops. Trust me, once you try this dress on, you'll be restyling it constantly just to wear it over and over again.

Currently, the style comes in a selection of colours and prints, with additional petite and extended sizing options in selected shades. In terms of sizing, I tend to sit between an 8 and 10 for dresses, and the 8 was a perfect fit.

Keep scrolling to shop the Reformation Balia Linen Dress, and then take a browse at more linen dresses I really rate.

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Florrie Alexander
Florrie Alexander
Shopping Editor

Florrie embarked on her fashion journey whilst studying in Aix-en-Provence, she began to write her dissertation on the history of fashion and landed her first role at Harper’s Bazaar. Following this, she interned for various publications including Elle, Grazia and Marie Claire before joining the fashion team at Conde Nast Traveller. There, she contributed to international photoshoots, styled pages and covers, and produced engaging digital content. Over eight years of fashion industry experience, Florrie has honed her skills from styling e-commerce photoshoots to personal shopping. Florrie first joined Who What Wear UK as a freelancer before becoming the Commerce Writer. Now, as the Shopping Editor, she monitors current trends, new-in styles, wardrobe heroes and how best to style them.

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