The best bouquets come in dress form. This I can say as something of a floral dress connoisseur with 25-odd floral dresses from Dôen, Ulla Johnson, Isabel Marant, and many more hanging in my closet.
I've tried to define what makes floral dresses so irresistible, and this is what I've landed on: The best floral dresses exist a little outside of trend cycles and TikTok commentary; they can be both pastoral and urban, modern and steeped with fashion history, all depending on the cut of the neckline or the length of the skirt. Then there's all the variety to be found in the floral patterns themselves, with a timeless quality above all.
"We try to steer clear of trends and paint prints that will still look great years after you first bought it—like that true vintage dress you love years after," Orlagh McCloskey, half the duo behind one of my favorite floral dress-centric brands, RIXO, tells me about her label's patterns. "We're so inspired by vintage items that we've sourced in antique fairs over the years, whether they're prints, wallpaper, or clothing, and I think taking inspiration from these really keeps our designs classic."
Done right, a floral dress can make me want to drop everything and run through a field while a Florence + the Machine album blasts from an invisible speaker. The freewheeling vibes are impeccable. But we're dressing for real life; we can't go barefoot and un-accessorized. RIXO cofounder Henrietta Rix makes the same quick adjustment to both her vacation and weekday floral dresses: "My favorite styling tip for everyday wear is to add a belt at the waist and some vintage jewelry."
Ahead, find the best floral dresses organized by silhouette and pattern, from the most indulgent designer gems to the nice saves done up in tulip and daisy prints. Go get your flowers and an instant dose of wardrobe optimism.
Floral Minidresses
Plant at least one floral mini in your closet. The ultra-mini hemline is one of the infinite aughts trends making a comeback, but there's more merit to the style than the industry's current nostalgia trip. In silky slip fabrications or linen wraps, these floral minidresses will keep you cool all summer—and they'll accentuate a party heel like no other.
Floral Midi Dresses
Presenting your five-second spring, or summer, outfit. From bold, wallpaper prints to ditsy daisy patterns, this crop of floral midi dresses has just the right hemline for wearing with sneakers and sandal heels alike. A-line linen from Reformation has a daytime feel, while RIXO's lace-trimmed florals and SIR the Label's open-back midi are garden party material.
Puff-Sleeved Floral Dresses
Power puff shoulders take a floral dress's spring aura up several notches, in both mini and midi lengths. Approach your outfit the same way you would style a flouncy babydoll dress and opt for a chunky sneaker or platform boot. "The key is a heavy weight sole to balance the flounce and femininity to the look," fashion and accessories editor Jaclyn Alexandra Cohen reminds us.
Vacation Floral Dresses
Turn on automatic email reply and slide into one of these out-of-office dresses. Tropical prints laced with palm leaves and hibiscus flowers are an equally beachy alternative to crochet or neutral linen. Look for flourishes like halter necklines and waist-defining cutouts to fit the Tulum (or Ibiza, or St. Lucia) dress code.
Floral Maxi Dresses
Floor-length florals can go in a few directions. Try a high-neck, long-sleeved style with a sculptural boot for work; off-the-shoulder floral maxis are summer wedding guest material. And for an average Saturday in June? Relaxed, tiered styles from Matteau or Jerusha are made for picnics in the park—just add a sun hat.
Moody Floral Dresses
Floral dresses aren't all pastels and prairie references. With shades like dusky violet, navy blue, and forest green as a base, these blossom-covered dresses let you embrace your inner Brontë sister. They also possess a year-round sensibility perkier florals can't beat, whether you layer yours with a long-sleeved tee or wear it under a sweater during colder months.
Jacquard Floral Dresses
Baby showers? Graduations? An impromptu tea party? Jacquard floral dresses are another great option for semiformal dress codes and a hint of Old World elegance. Instead of an all-over print, these dresses get their textured botanical flourishes from patterns woven into the fabric. Puff-sleeved and tiered versions lean into a chintzy parlor look, but some of our favorite jacquard florals juxtapose the prim fabric with shorter hemlines and tiny tie straps.
Halie LeSavage is the fashion commerce editor at Harper's BAZAAR. Her style reporting covers everything from reviewing the best designer products to profiling emerging brands and designers. Previously, she was the founding retail writer at Morning Brew and a fashion associate at Glamour.
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