Summer is officially around the corner, and our top tip to beat the heat, is to add an impossibly airy midi or maxi into your rotation. The best cotton dresses are a seasonal essential as temperatures rise, travel plans kick into gear, and the need for stylish yet breathable outfit formulas becomes top priority.
Lightweight, versatile, and endlessly wearable, cotton dresses are ideal whether you’re strolling through the city or relaxing seaside (and want to look chic doing both). Slipping into a cotton dress is the kind of easy decision that makes dressing in a heatwave feel refreshingly simple.
Vogue’s Favorite Cotton Dresses
- The Minimalist: Toteme sleeveless midi dress, , $290
- The Maximalist Print: La DoubleJ Breakfast dress, $790
- The Charming Print: Dôen Quinley shirred floral-print midi dress, $298
- The Timeless Stripe: Cos striped gathered-waist midi dress, $135
- The Coastal Escape: Matteau shirred cotton midi dress, $520
- The Cutout Mini: Agua by Agua Bendita Otono Bougainvillea cutout mini dress, $324
- The Day-to-Night: Tove Ceres gathered cotton midi dress, $595
- The Bubble Hem: Faithfull Lera cotton-poplin mini dress, $180
- The Budget-Friendly: J.Crew Cecily dress, $168
- The Trending Collab: Gap x Dôen eyelet midi dress, $158
- The Event-Ready: Staud Ari gathered sleeveless maxi dress, $450
Among our current cotton favorites: Toteme’s sleek, minimalist black number, By Malene Birger’s effortlessly cool drop-waist silhouette in the red-hot color of the moment, and Dôen’s signature vintage-inspired feminine florals. Of course, there are plenty more options to choose from. Ahead, our edit the best cotton dresses to wear all summer long—from crisp shirtdresses and smocked midis to styles with barely-there spaghetti straps, playful ties, bold prints, and classic solids. Whatever your summer mood, cotton has you covered.