27 Summery Black Dresses

Vetted according to my personal criteria for what makes one "good."

The three black dresses I wear most often in the summer. The first two, from Merlette and Emily Levine Milan, are sold out, but the third from Sézane is still available. Mine did shrink a little bit the first time I washed it, so if you get it I would recommend hanging it to dry, just to be on the safe side.

The fact that black isn’t often associated with summer is precisely what makes it such a great foil for accessories that are. This is a particularly helpful consideration if you, like me, live in an urban environment and want to spend the next two months wearing turquoise beads and straw totes and silk scarves and sandals without running the risk of looking too beach-y. Easy black dresses are a staple for me in that regard, which is why I get so much use out of the three pictured above. It doesn’t hurt that they also handily conceal sweat stains, and — with the right styling — are suitable for wearing throughout the shoulder seasons unlike many of their lighter-colored counterparts.

So what makes an ideal summery black dress? For starters, it needs to be made of cotton, linen, or a cotton / silk blend. It needs to be comfortable enough to wear on a day of doing errands around the city, or sightseeing in a foreign country. And it can’t look like something a banking analyst would wear to work. Keep scrolling for a market report with 27 (mostly secondhand) options that check all of these boxes.

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Under $100

1. Vintage linen dress with embroidery and crochet details (size 1X, $33.60)

2. Los Angeles Apparel garment dyed tank dress (sizes XS - XL, $32)

3. Vintage 90s cotton dress (size S, $58)

4. Joseph cotton dress (size 2, $82.81)

5. Ralph Lauren cotton dress (size S, $50.99)

6. Non Signé / Unsigned cotton dress (size L, $80.30)

7. Vintage linen dress (size XS, $29)

8. Quince cotton gauze dress (sizes XS - XL, $59)

9. Vintage European cotton dress (size loose M or fitted L, $58)

10. Vintage 80s cotton dress (size XS, $36)

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Under $200

1. COS cotton maxi dress (sizes XS - L, $135)

2. Dries Van Noten cotton dress (size 8, $121.87)

3. Matteau cotton dress (size XS, $171)

4. Vintage 1920s cotton dress (check measurements for sizing, $112.50)

5. Toteme cotton / silk dress (size 8, $133.10)

6. Doên cotton dress (this one is size L for $150 — also saw it here in a size M for $160)

7. Gap × Doên cotton eyelet dress (sizes M - XL are left, $128)

8. Vintage linen Max Mara Weekend dress (size 2, $140)

9. Marni cotton dress (size 6, $168)

10. J.Crew linen dress (sizes XXS - 3X, $168)

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Under $301

1. Tory Burch cotton / silk dress (size 6, $220)

2. Merlette cotton dress (sizes XXS - XXL, $300)

3. Doên linen dress (sizes XXS - XXL, $298)

4. Chan Luu cotton / silk dress (one size, $298)

5. Courrèges cotton dress (size M, $230.90)

6. Marine Serre cotton dress (size S, $211.67)

7. Prada cotton dress (size 4, $242.45)

xo Harling

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Graphic design by Paige Stewart Enslow.