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This Ruffled Midi Dress

Alessandra Rich Ruffled Polka Dot Midi Dress

This Ruffled Midi Dress

Alessandra Rich Ruffled Polka Dot Midi Dress

Have you ever seen a stranger wearing a piece that's so good, you're compelled to walk right up and ask where they bought it? That's more or less the backstory for how I first laid eyes on this Alessandra Rich dress. A visitor to my office was wearing this polka dot midi with layered necklaces and a bright kitten heel, and the rest is shopping history. Pay special attention to the shoulders: The slight volume comes from bows laid flat across the shoulder.

This Tie-Dye Shirt Dress

ba&sh Klore Dress

This Tie-Dye Shirt Dress

ba&sh Klore Dress

There's no shortage of button-down shirt dresses to shop for spring. But instead of a classic white poplin or chambray blue, I'm drawn to ba&sh's moody tie-dye print. Cinched with a belt and paired with a directional sandal heel, it's both classic and cool.

This Modern Midi Dress

Karen Kane Colorblock Midi Dress

This Modern Midi Dress

Karen Kane Colorblock Midi Dress

Now 30% Off

When it's your day to commute and you're not in the mood for a suit set, this Karen Kane dress is the answer. It has a conservative length and neckline for the office, but the contemporary colorblocking feels unexpected.

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This Twisted Dress

TOVE Iona Twisted Smocked Midi-Dress

This Twisted Dress

TOVE Iona Twisted Smocked Midi-Dress

Now 60% Off

Dresses with a smart knot at the center and a flowing skirt are some of Tove's best pieces. They're understated from a color or pattern perspective, allowing the structure to really shine. I always get the most questions about what I'm wearing in a Tove dress—particularly, "Do you know if it's still available?"

This Body-Hugging Dress

Mara Hoffman Mereba Dress

This Body-Hugging Dress

Mara Hoffman Mereba Dress

Mara Hoffman dresses have a special ability to make whoever's wearing them feel a little more confident. Her designs embrace bodies, more than simply covering them up, especially where her signature popcorn fabric is involved. This new arrival elevates the clingy material from simple tank dresses to an evening drop-skirt dress with a stunning open back.

This Flowing Tank Dress

Staud Wells Dress

This Flowing Tank Dress

Staud Wells Dress

I've worn this Staud dress more times than I can count since ordering it last summer. It made its maiden voyage at New York Fashion Week, where some of my harder-to-impress fashion friends gave it a ton of compliments. The skirt has substantial shape and movement, but it doesn't feel heavy, and the square neckline is universally flattering.

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This Zig-Zag Fringe Dress

Simon Miller Spiral Dress

This Zig-Zag Fringe Dress

Simon Miller Spiral Dress

Now 30% Off

The details that give party dresses their oomph—taffeta skirts, dramatic cutouts, anything with sequins—lean on the impractical side. But this fringed midi has a simple knitted sheath as its base, which strikes me as the ideal mix of comfortable and party dress code approved.

This Whimsical Floral Dress

Dôen Ischia Dress

This Whimsical Floral Dress

Dôen Ischia Dress

If there's a casual midi dress worth ordering in multiples, it's Dôen's Ischia dress. I have it in two separate floral prints and am eyeing this blue for spring. These have the ethereal, dreamy quality I love in all of Dôen's pieces, plus an added comfort factor in the adjustable neckline and waistline. It's weekend farmer's market material with a low leather sandal, but with a slip underneath and an oversized blazer on top, I also wear this dress style to the BAZAAR office—and often.

This Wide-Collar Midi Dress

Sandy Liang Opa Poplin Sailor Midi-Dress

This Wide-Collar Midi Dress

Sandy Liang Opa Poplin Sailor Midi-Dress

Sandy Liang's downtown uniform and the many women wearing it were some of my favorite sightings throughout fashion month. A midi dress with a giant nautical collar and nipped-in waist is definitely a specific look. But after taking styling notes from Liang's biggest fans, I can image this with everything from a fluffy fleece jacket and her hard-to-find Mary Janes to flat sandals and a straw bag.

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This Watercolor Dress

Stine Goya Elizabeth Satin Dress

This Watercolor Dress

Stine Goya Elizabeth Satin Dress

Now 60% Off

Moms-to-be in my circle have been saying maternity dresses that fit their usual style are hard to find. According to reviewers like the one below, Stine Goya's bright lineup also works through the second and third trimester. Bump-friendly details include a higher smocked waist that can adjust with a changing body.

Shopper review: "Such a fun dress!! I am pregnant and this dress works great. I bought my pre pregnancy size and it’s very comfortable."

This Electric Knit Dress

Hanifa Laia Knit Dress

This Electric Knit Dress

Hanifa Laia Knit Dress

Sweater dress season always starts earlier and ends later than I expect. This Hanifa midi dress brings the spring energy even when it's still below freezing. (Plus, the exaggerated neckline and leg-slits make this knit so much sexier than your usual blanket sweater.)

This Bubbly Drop Waist Dress

Khaite Marsden Dress

This Bubbly Drop Waist Dress

Khaite Marsden Dress

Bubble hems are back, baby, and Khaite's is the most elegant take I've bookmarked so far. The skirt deserves all the attention, so keep accessories minimal with a low strappy sandal and a little top-handle bag like Savette's symmetry pouch.

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This Cherry Red Dress

Reformation Bryson Dress

This Cherry Red Dress

Reformation Bryson Dress

No single garment puts me in a happier mood more quickly than this Reformation dress. The sweetheart neckline and little cap sleeves frame dainty necklaces to perfection. And the color? It's even better person—usually when I'm heading out the door for dinner.

This Velvet-Trimmed Dress

Batsheva Clemmie Dress in Blue Stripe

This Velvet-Trimmed Dress

Batsheva Clemmie Dress in Blue Stripe

Now 60% Off

Striped cotton midi dresses are in heavy supply as soon as the temperature rises above 65 degrees. While I always love an uncomplicated midi, I'm drawn to the unexpected edge of this Batsheva take, with its crisscrossing velvet ribbons on the chest and sleeves. It feels a little daring because it's covered up, and that attitude will only be amplified with a big, bad, chunky loafer. For a heavier, fall-appropriate take, the Clemmie dress also comes in denim.

This Wild Printed Dress

Ganni Leopard Wide Midi Dress

This Wild Printed Dress

Ganni Leopard Wide Midi Dress

With its fall 2023 collection, Scandi brand Ganni is unveiling a new look that's heavy on suiting separates and structured dresses. But the label is still keeping its playful energy in the dress department, in the form of this wavy leopard print midi. It's a canvas for patent leather accessories in bright tones to really stand out.

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This Cami-Dress Hybrid

Siedres Paige Lace Cami Dress

This Cami-Dress Hybrid

Siedres Paige Lace Cami Dress

Now 40% Off

Siedres has been high on my dress shopping radar ever since Shopbop fashion director Caroline Maguire flagged it as one of her favorite emerging labels last year. Fast forward to the present, and the brand has delivered a slinky, open-front dress I'm dying to layer over another satin slip or with—gasp!—jeans and a little bra top.

This Strappy Gown

Ulla Johnson Phoebe Strappy Tiered Midi-Dress

This Strappy Gown

Ulla Johnson Phoebe Strappy Tiered Midi-Dress

A friend recently asked me for help choosing a dress for her birthday outfit. I sent her this one, along with a few others from the list you're reading now. From the vibrant coral color to the keyhole bodice detail and all those little shoulder straps, it's a midi dress for when you want to be the center of attention.

This Tropical Bodycon Dress

FARM Rio Amazonia Night Long Sleeve Midi Sheath Dress

This Tropical Bodycon Dress

FARM Rio Amazonia Night Long Sleeve Midi Sheath Dress

Now 40% Off

I'm admittedly not much of a bodycon girl, but this dress from Farm Rio has made me do a one-eighty on clingy dresses. First, because the print is such a fun, slightly mysterious take on summer botanicals. Second, because reviewers like the one below say it's comfortable enough to wear for hours on end.

Shopper review: "Wore for a company dinner, and received compliments all night. Fabric is stretchy/breathable, but doesn’t lose its shape. "

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This Drop-Waist Dress

Maeve Maeve Sleeveless Flounce Dress

This Drop-Waist Dress

Maeve Maeve Sleeveless Flounce Dress

Some of the best midi dresses are the most simple, like this size-inclusive tank dress with a drop-waist, classic color, and pockets. When you want a dress that looks effortlessly polished and feels like your favorite T-shirt, this is it.

Shopper review: "I’m happy I went for this dress. It feels amazing on, the color is a great!"

This Midi for Movement

Attersee The Fringe Dress

This Midi for Movement

Attersee The Fringe Dress

I've noticed a bit of a trend among the most stylish women I follow on Instagram: Whether they're fashion directors at a luxury retailer or designers in their own right, they're all wearing emerging label Attersee when they're really dressing up. I can imagine them (or myself!) swishing to a summer gala in this fringe-hemmed linen midi.

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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