It’s safe to say that there’s a dominant winner in my summer wardrobe: the simple sun dress. The temperatures in Sydney tend to hover around the 32-40 deg C mark from December through to February, and as I enter my third trimester, keeping cool (while retaining my personal style !!) has been my main priority. I’ve got a generous handful of options that I’ve been rotating through on warmer days. So today, I thought I’d share six summer dresses worth investing in.
Wearing Lune Resort maxi dress (also here), By Far mules (affordable dupe here), Parisa Wang ‘enchanted’ bag (also here), Fedoma Jewellery earrings & ring, Mejuri dome & rolo bracelets
The dresses I’m sharing below are all ones I’ve added to my own wardrobe, and are suitable for women who are expecting, or just love a floaty number. My main priority has been a focus on natural fibres, and I’ve favoured silhouettes that hang loose off the body. But mostly, I wanted to find options that I’d continue to love and wear post-pregnancy too.
SUMMER DRESSES WORTH INVESTING IN
1. Marle Ophelia dress (also here) | I thought I’d start with the ‘Ophelia’ dress from Marle, which is a new addition to my wardrobe. The design is simple; it has two thin straps, and is tiered from the bust down. It’s 100% cotton, which might sound basic, but the tiers alternate between a smooth and grooved fabric (which feels ultra plush). I got this in the white, and went with my usual size, an NZ 8. Because it’s such a floaty silhouette, you get plenty of air flow around your ankles and lower legs. One thing to note is that the white is a touch sheer so nude/skin-coloured undergarments are a must.
2. Matteau tiered cotton dress | You’d be forgiven for thinking that the Matteau and Marle dresses are one and the same, as the design is so similar. This also features that tiered design, but has longer straps and is a little more exposed at the back. It’s also made from a lighter cotton poplin. I found the straps a touch too long on me so I knotted them at the back, though you could easily stitch them up to the desired length to get a personalised fit. I’ve already worn this so much throughout spring, and see it being a major workhorse for summer.
3. Farrow white broderie anglaise dress | This is probably the most feminine style of the bunch, and the best part? It’s on sale for an absolute steal. I actually bought this pretty early on in the pregnancy, as it was discounted a further 25 or 30% off the current sale price. It’s 100% cotton with a viscose lining, has a pretty broderie anglaise cotton to the skirt, ties at the shoulder (adjustable and nursing friendly), plus the smocking makes the bust area so incredibly comfortable. I wear this mostly with a low heeled sandal as I find it’s a good pairing, and it’s also a piece you could layer with a sweater belted and tucked at the waist.
4. Lune Resort white tiered maxi dress (also here) | Clearly, I’ve been a big fan of the maxi dress, and this white tiered one is another lovely option with looks great belted or worn loose. Because there’s so much fabric, it is pretty efficient at hiding the bump early on in pregnancy (if you’re on the hunt for something like that). This dress is really different to all the others as it has a high, collared neckline.
5. Lune Resort green tropical mini dress | You may have noticed that most of the dresses in my wardrobe are a single, block colour. The thing that drew me to this dress the most was the playful, tropical print – an anomaly in my closet. There’s adjustable ties at the shoulder, plus it has a fun, tiered design (perfect for disguising a baby bump!).
6. ASOS black smocked cotton maxi dress | The final dress I wanted to mention is this affordable find from ASOS. Again, it features that smocking detail I love so much, but it also has puff sleeves, which is a major trend for the season. It’s 100% cotton too, with a gauzy element to the fabric, which feels great to wear, even when it’s 30+ degrees.
