A white dress is the worst, I thought. Coffee spills ruin it. Pasta lunches make you look like a total mess. I scrolled past them on the internet and thought to myself, “What a lovely idea, but that’s never going to work for me.” I’ve recently taken notice of what people are wearing, and I was wrong about white. It is not about being flawless and perfect. It is about having a garment that works when everything else seems too heavy, too dark, or too overwhelming. White dresses have an effect on people in ways that no other colour does — they make you feel lighter. Somewhat more like yourself. Less like you’re trying.
You find a white dress that fits your particular time of life and then you have to figure out what type of white dress to get. There is a world of difference between a linen shift that you wear in the middle of the summer and a structured white dress that you wear to a wedding or another event that really counts. They are not interchangeable, nor should they be. For example, a white dress that you could easily wear to a summer garden party will be completely inappropriate for a winter wedding. A flowy white dress that you would wear to the beach would be ridiculous to wear to the office.
Therefore, I’ve spent the last several months testing, styling, and trying to determine which white dresses can genuinely be incorporated into a working wardrobe and which white dresses are simply aesthetically pleasing concepts. Below are ten white dresses that I found to be truly effective and why they worked.
The Sleeveless Classic
This is the one that shocked me the most because it looked so simple that I thought it would be completely impractical. A sleeveless white dress that has a defined waistline and a structural bodice — the type of thing that would typically be seen at a garden party where everyone is wearing fascinators and drinking champagne. However, it is a great option for many more occasions than that.
The reason this works is due to the structure. This dress has opinions regarding how it is to sit, which may seem pretentious until you realise that this actually makes it easier to wear, not harder. When you put the dress on, it does exactly what it is meant to do. You won’t have to spend hours fussing with belts or adjusting things that have bunched up under your arms.
I wore this to a wedding, which was the obvious choice. However, I have also worn this to a date, to a brunch with friends, and to a garden centre on a Saturday afternoon because let’s be honest, who cares if you are buying compost? The key is what you layer the dress with. Alone during the summer, it is pure elegance. Worn with a fitted leather jacket and proper shoes, it transforms into something entirely new — more modern, edgy, less like you are attending something significant and more like you simply like the dress.
One of the only considerations is the shoes. You’ll want to wear shoes that won’t compete with the dress. Obviously, delicate heels will work well, however, white trainers are also acceptable if you are dressing down, and bare feet are perfectly acceptable if you are at home and feeling fancy about dinner. Avoid wearing shoes that are too large and bulky, as this will create the illusion that you are wearing a costume.
This dress allows you to present yourself as intentional, yet not overly concerned with proving a point.
The Soft Garden Dress
This is essentially a white dress made of the softest, most airy fabric imaginable. It is an A-line dress that is sleeveless and floats on your body. The dress is so airy and lightweight that it shines when you move without sticking to your skin. If you have ever worn a dress and spent all day worrying that everyone can see your underwear, this is not that dress.
The entire design philosophy behind this dress is that it simply works. When you put the dress on, you instantly appear to be dressed professionally and put together without doing anything. I wore this to a cocktail gathering at work on a random Thursday night and I genuinely felt more confident than I usually do in most of my “good” outfits. There is something about the way it falls across your body that makes you feel like you have your life together, regardless of whether ten minutes before you were sitting in your pyjamas watching TV.
As far as styling goes, this is the easiest part because the dress does all of the work for you. All you need to do is pair flat sandals with a leather belt and a simple necklace. During the summer, it is perfect for garden parties, outdoor weddings, etc. However, I have also paired this with tights and proper shoes for autumn events and it works just as well. The fabric is flexible enough that it doesn’t appear to be particularly summery when it’s not.
The only major consideration is where you will be seated and whether you care about wrinkles. This dress will wrinkle if you bunch it up in a car, however, it is relatively easy to iron out. It is the type of dress that appears to improve as you wear it throughout the day — it softens, sets, and appears more intentional by evening than it did at noon. This is a nice aspect of a dress that appears as effortless as this one.
The Minimalist City Dress
This is a fully fashioned 3/4-sleeve fitted white dress with a crew neck and absolutely no embellishments whatsoever. It is the type of white dress that makes you look competent. Like you have your life figured out. Like you are the type of person that makes decisions and doesn’t question them.
I wore this to a client meeting and genuinely, it changed how I felt about myself that day. There is something about a white dress that is both plain and well-fitted that makes you appear to be more professional than any blouse and trousers combination I have attempted. It is not flashy, attention-seeking or anything of the sort; it is simply clean and capable-looking. Which is funny, considering that is exactly what most professional environments desire, although they rarely recognise it.
The fit is everything with this dress. The dress must fit you properly, not just hang loosely on your body. If it is too loose, it looks like you gave up. If it is too tight, it looks like you are trying to prove a point. There is a certain sweet spot where the dress simply sits on your body as if it were custom-made for you, and that is when the magic occurs.
In terms of work, you can simply wear the dress as is with some proper shoes and a handbag and you are done. However, this dress is also extremely versatile for casual wear if you style it differently. Trainers and a leather jacket make it suitable for a weekend. A cardigan and ballet flats make it cottage chic somehow. A white shirt dress with a belt is literally the uniform of people who have their lives completely together, which is intimidating, yet also kind of the point. This is a dress that lets you decide what you want to convey, and then conveys it.
The Spot Dress
This is the first time I realised that white didn’t necessarily have to be a solid colour. This dress is white with tiny black spots all over it, which may sound like it would be overwhelming and busy, but it is the opposite. The spots are small enough that from a distance the dress simply appears to be white, but up close, there is something interesting occurring. It adds a sense of playfulness to the dress and takes away the formality of it.
The spots are distinct enough that this dress does not complement anything else very well. Don’t layer it with a million other things, because the spots need space to breathe. Simply wear it alone, maybe with a denim jacket if you’re chilly. That is what is so beautiful about this dress — it makes dressing it up or dressing it down simpler rather than more complicated.
I’ve worn this to garden parties, naturally, as well as to music festivals and casual brunches. This dress is also more stain-friendly than a plain white dress. Stains on the pattern are significantly less visible than stains on a plain white dress. Not that you should intentionally spill anything on your clothes, but it is nice to know that this dress is slightly more realistic about reality.
The fabric is substantial, yet not heavy. It is the type of dress that you can wear all day and still feel comfortable in. Summer garden parties, country vacations, wherever you are going to be outdoors longer than an hour and you want to look respectable without appearing to try too hard. It also photographs well, which is a factor to consider these days, even if we pretend that it isn’t.
The Fitted Tank Dress
Okay, this is basically a white tank top that has been extended into dress length. It is a fitted white tank-style dress with sleeves that come up almost to your shoulders. It is form-fitting in a way that some of the other dresses are not, which sounds like it may expose parts of your body that you wouldn’t normally show, however, it actually creates the opposite effect. Because it is simple and clean, the fit of the dress simply appears to be deliberate and intentional, rather than like you are trying to show something off.
This is my go-to when I am trying to look put together, yet not overdressed. Simply wear it with shoes and you will immediately appear to be more intentional than if you had worn a T-shirt and jeans. There is something about the structure of a real dress that accomplishes this, even if the dress itself is quite plain.
There are many ways to style this dress. In the summer, it is perfect on its own. During the colder months, you can layer it with tights and a long cardigan. Denim jacket will give it a casual air. Structured blazer will give it a professional air. This is one of those rare dresses that actually becomes more interesting the more you style it, rather than appearing like you are messing with something that was fine as it was.
The fit of this dress works best for people that prefer to wear fitted clothing. If you are someone that prefers to wear loose and flowing clothing, this may not be the dress for you. However, if you prefer to know exactly where your waist is, your arms are free, and you can actually move freely whilst wearing the dress, this is perfect. Wear it with white trainers for utter chaos (in a good way) or with proper shoes if you want to appear to be in control.
The Moving Maxi
This is the type of white maxi that makes you feel like you’re in a movie about your own life. The maxi has no sleeves and a low V neckline; and the material is such that it flows when you walk. Not in the sense that it’s trying too hard to flow, but simply in the way that it flows naturally with you.
I wore this to a summer wedding and I truly felt amazing in it. There’s something about a white maxi that simply makes you look more elegant than you probably are. It gives you a feeling of having it all together, whether you’ve had a week of panic about every single little thing or not.
To avoid tripping over the bottom of it, the length should be close to the ground, but not so long that you worry about getting tangled in it. The neckline is low enough to be interesting, yet suitable for most occasions. It’s a rare combination to find a white dress that is both fashionable and functional.
As far as accessories go, you don’t need many at all. If it’s chilly you may want to bring a lightweight scarf. Your jewellery should be minimalist so as not to distract from the dress. Depending on the setting you’re in, you can choose between going bare footed at the beach, wearing flip flops if you’re indoors, or heels if you want to dress up a bit. It works with all three of these options.
The downside is you’ll have to be mindful of your sitting position and movements as the length of the dress provides a lot of fabric that can cause you to trip over. However, the upside is that it encourages you to move with more grace than you would normally, which sounds snobby but feels nice. This is a dress best suited for special occasions, but it’s the type of dress that doesn’t scream “special occasion” which is a good indicator of a good dress.
The Wrap Dress
This is a classic for a reason. It’s a white wrap dress with a tied waist and that classic V neckline that wrap dresses have. One of the beautiful things about this style is that it fits most body types fairly well due to the way it ties.
I’ve likely worn this more than any other dress I own because it’s simply incredibly practical. It works for work if you pair it with the proper shoes and handbag. It works for casual if you pair it with trainers and a jumper. And it works for going out because it’s dressy without being too serious about it. It’s the kind of dress that works for real life.
One of the best features of this dress is that the tie allows you to adjust the fit based on your mood. Tie it loose and it’s relaxed and flowing. Tie it tight and it’s more defined. It’s you controlling what the dress does versus the dress dictating what it does.
For the fabric, you want something with structure so that the wrap portion of the dress stays in place. Loose fabric will simply create awkward folds and bunching that defeats the entire purpose of the dress. On the other hand, you don’t want fabric that is so stiff that it doesn’t drape properly. There’s a balance here and when a wrap dress achieves that balance, it’s truly wonderful.
Considerations regarding the V neckline depend on where you’re going. At work you may want to layer something over it if you’re self-conscious. But honestly, most workplaces are fine with it. The V neckline shows nothing and isn’t aggressive. Pair it with flat shoes and tights for work, or heels and jewellery for a night out. It’s incredibly adaptable.
The Beach Shirt Dress
This is essentially a white shirt but made longer to be a dress. It has a true collar, buttons down the front, etc… You’d wear it as a shirt, and when you make it longer it becomes a dress.
What I love about this style is that it’s simply fantastic for real beaches and warm weather. You can wear it alone, or you can wear a swimsuit underneath it, and then just slide into it once you get out of the water. It’s both practical and stylishly appealing, which is a difficult combination to achieve.
I wore this to a seaside luncheon and it was perfect. It’s neither too formal nor too casual, and it’s also comfortable enough that you wouldn’t count down the seconds until you can remove it. The collar and buttons help to prevent it from appearing too flimsy despite the fact that the fabric is relatively lightweight.
Styling this is easy. During the summer, you can wear it as is. You could add a linen belt to give it more definition if you want. Alternatively, you can simply let it hang loosely, which is rather relaxing. Whether you wear shoes or not is completely up to you. You could wear them, or you could go barefoot, or you could wear sandals or trainers if you want to appear more casual. This is a dress that asks nothing of you.
Unfortunately, the dress tends to wrinkle quite easily because that’s what linen does. However, this is somewhat part of the charm – it appears to be deliberately relaxed rather than as if you’ve attempted and failed to appear stylish. This is a dress for people who are comfortable with appearing a bit rumpled because they’ve enjoyed themselves.
The Off-The-Shoulder Dreamer
This is a white off-the-shoulder dress with soft, gathered material that seems to belong to someone who has their life all figured out, but isn’t worried about demonstrating it. The off-the-shoulder design makes it slightly more interesting than a plain white dress, but not in a way that suggests you’re trying too hard.
I wore this to a summer party and I truly loved it. There’s something about an off-the-shoulder neckline that simply makes you feel a bit special, but not in a way that’s excessive. It’s dressy enough for occasions, but casual enough that you can simply wear it because you like it.
The gathering of the fabric means it’s very forgiving of fit issues. It doesn’t hug you in areas it shouldn’t. It’s comfortable enough that you can almost forget you’re wearing it, which is the actual mark of a great dress, although we never discuss it in terms of that.
With styling, the neckline does a lot of the heavy lifting for you. Therefore, you don’t want to compete with the dress by wearing too much jewellery. With shoes, you can wear anything you like – flat sandals for casual, heels for nights out, trainers if you want to seem effortlessly cool. The dress works with all of these options.
This is genuinely one of those dresses that makes you feel like a better version of yourself. Not in an insecure way, but in an “oh I’m wearing this nice dress and I feel quite nice” way. Which is what we all want from our clothes really.
The Simple Everyday White Shirt Dress
And finally, this is simply a white shirt dress. Crew-neck, sleeves, plain. It’s not attempting to be anything more interesting than exactly what it is. Which is awesome because it means it works for actual life.
This is the dress I reach for on the days I don’t care to think about what to wear, but I also don’t want to look like I couldn’t be bothered. You cannot look bad in a simple white shirt dress. Too casual? Add a belt and proper shoes. Too formal? Wear it with trainers and a denim jacket. It’s a dress that can adapt to whatever you need it to be.
I’ve worn this to work countless times. I’ve worn it to the shops, to brunches, to casual dates, to garden centres, simply lounging at home because it’s comfortable. It’s the most versatile item in my wardrobe even though it’s technically the least.
The fabric needs to be of adequate quality so that it doesn’t become misshapen after washing, but you don’t need anything fancy. Simply a high-quality white cotton or linen blend that will retain its form. That’s it.
This dress doesn’t need styling because it’s practically unstylable already. Simply wear it. If you want to define your waistline, add a belt. If you don’t want to, don’t add a belt. Honestly, it works either way. Choose your footwear based upon where you’re going. Flat shoes for casual, heels for formal, white trainers for sporty, walking boots for hiking. It literally works with everything.
This is the dress you reach for when you want to feel pulled together without actually thinking about it. When you want to feel confident without putting forth effort. When you want to appear like you have your life together even if you’re completely making it up as you go along. Which is, let’s face it, most days.
So, About White Dresses
I thought white was unpractical and boring. Wrong on both counts. A good white dress is not complicated. It’s not trying to be something it’s not. It simply exists as a lovely white dress, allowing you to enjoy your real life.
The key is finding white dresses that work for your actual life and not some fantasy version of yourself. The ones that make you feel like your best version of yourself. The ones that don’t require you to think about.
Wear one. Not only for special occasions. Because you like it, and it makes you happy. That’s what white dresses are actually for.
