Tiered dresses have a reputation problem. Too many of them look brilliant on the hanger and then arrive at a party looking fussy, shapeless, or like they belong at a garden centre opening rather than somewhere you actually want to be. We’ve been through enough disappointments to know exactly what separates a tiered dress that works from one that doesn’t. It comes down to how the tiers are cut, how much volume each one carries, and whether the fabric has enough weight to fall properly instead of puffing out like a lampshade. The dresses in this edit have been chosen because they do the thing tiered dresses promise but rarely deliver: they move beautifully, they photograph well, and they look genuinely considered rather than constructed. Some are bold florals that own a room. Some are solid colours that let the structure do the talking. All of them are party appropriate without being costumey, which is a much harder balance to strike than it sounds. A tiered dress done right is one of the most flattering silhouettes going. These are the ones done right.