THINK of the best maxi dresses as the elegant older sister of mini skirts. A summer must-have for every generation.
From barbecues to baby showers, every summery occasion is made that little bit prettier when there's a maxi dress involved.
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We can thank French designer Jacquemus for bringing bold, pop colour maxis to the forefront of fashion, and labels like Ganni for all the prints.
Many designers are also incorporating bustiers into their maxi dress designs, taking full advantage of the popular corset trend.
Long dresses are so timeless, ideal for spicing up your summer wardrobe whenever the warmer months creep in.
We're calling it: you don't need a reason to treat yourself to one of the best maxi dresses – take a look at our top 20 to see why.
1. ONLY Women's Onlvivi Sl Maxi Dress Noos WVN
- (AD) ONLY Women's Onlvivi Sl Maxi Dress Noos WVN, from £17.32 fom Amazon – buy here
Who knew that you could find pieces as chic as the ONLY Women's Onlvivi Maxi Dress on Amazon?
In a slouchy, tiered silhouette, this bohemian dress is made from 100 percent cotton and comes in white, beige or black.
2. Amazon Essentials Women's Short-sleeve Waisted Maxi Dress
- (AD) YESNO Women Dresses Casual Beach Swing Dress EJFUK, £21.99 from Amazon – buy here
Made from 100 percent cotton, YESNO's Swing Dress is for our more-is-more bargain hunters out there.
When you're wearing a statement dress like this, all you need is minimal jewellery and a natural face of make-up.
3. Floaty Pleated Midi Dress
- Floaty Pleated Midi Dress, £95 from &OtherStories – buy here
The Tiger King hype might have died down, but we're still obsessing over wild animal prints.
&OtherStories' Floaty Pleated Midi Dress is elegant enough to dress up or down. And it's made from recycled polyester – ever-green queen.
4. Asos Design Maxi Tea Dress with Bias Cut Panels and Tie Details in Red Floral
- Asos Design Maxi Tea Dress with Bias Cut Panels and Tie Details in Red Floral, £55 from Asos – buy here
This Maxi Tea dress by ASOS Design is definitely wedding guest attire that'll have your partner wanting you to catch the bouquet.
The tie details and puff sleeves are really flattering for your figure too; all you need to finish the outfit is some creamy gold sandals.
5. Never Fully Dressed Sadie Striped Woven Midi Dress
- Never Fully Dressed Sadie Striped Woven Midi Dress, £79 from Selfridges – buy here
Rainbow stripes are officially glamorous, thanks to Never Fully Dressed's Sadie dress.
Complete with an off-the-shoulder cut, this tiered maxi is as quirky as it is classic.
6. Orange Watercolour Print Tassel Tie Wrap Maxi Dress
- Orange Watercolour Print Tassel Tie Wrap Maxi Dress, £35 from PrettyLittleThing – buy here
We can envision the Orange Watercolour Print Tassel Tie Wrap Maxi Dress from PLT being worn on a rooftop in London, surrounded by sparkling fizz.
The balloon sleeves and wrap front make this tie-dye dress oh-so Instagrammable. Time to grab some tinted shades and get your selfie on.
7. Asos Design Sweetheart Neck Maxi Dress
- Asos Design Sweetheart Neck Maxi Dress with Pephem in Gingham, £35 from Asos – buy here
Giving us all the sunny picnic vibes, Asos Design's Sweetheart Neck Maxi Dress is literally made to be worn in summer.
From the exaggerated puff sleeves to the sweetheart neck, it ticks off so many trends.
8. Caught In Motion Maxi Dress
- Caught In Motion Maxi Dress, £98 from Free People – buy here
When you're looking for pretty dresses, Free People should always be on your radar. The Caught In Motion Maxi Dress says it all.
Cut from a linen-cotton blend, this airy fairy dress will make you look like a delicious marshmallow, in a good way.
9. Mango Printed Long Dress
- Printed Long Dress, £69.99 from Mango – buy here
Mango's Printed Long Dress proves that maxi dresses can look sophisticated too. We'd probably rock up to the office in this.
As part of Mango's Committed range, it's also been produced using sustainable fibres, reducing environmental impact.
10. Roman Orange Tie Dye Print Layer Midi Dress
- Orange Tie Dye Print Layer Midi Dress, £65 from Roman – buy here
If you wear Roman's Orange Tie Dye dress to your friend's wedding or birthday, you might upstage them. But, it's a risk we're willing to take.
Tie dye makes everyone happy, ruffles are gorgeous and orange is the most summery colour out there. We rest our case.
11. Free People Love Story Maxi
- Love Story Maxi, £188 from Free People – buy here
Marrying bohemia with summer love, the Free People Love Story Maxi is one you'll want to dig out every year when the sun comes out.
It's made from a really soft stretch-fabric that suits any figure, finished with a little keyhole feature on the back.
12. Urban Outfitters Kiss the Sky Black Beloved Picnic Maxi Dress
- Kiss the Sky Black Beloved Picnic Maxi Dress, £38 from Urban Outfitters – buy here
Urban Outfitters clearly understand that dark florals can be such s a sultry choice.
In a floaty lightweight style, this dress is perfect to take from daytime to drinks in the evening.
13. Mango Vent Cotton Dress
- Vent Cotton Dress, £49.99 from Mango – buy here
Mango's Vent Cotton Dress is a tangerine dream, featuring chic cut-outs and a slanted tier skirt.
If you ask us, it looks a lot more expensive than £49.99.
14. Roman Multi Floral Belted Maxi Dress
- Multi Floral Belted Maxi Dress, £55 from Roman – buy here
Jump on the '70s comeback bandwagon with Roman's Floral Belted Maxi Dress. All you need to accessorise is some big shades and bigger hoops.
The frilled short-sleeves droop beautifully, creating a shape that'll work well on any figure.
15. Asos Design Cross Waist Halter Maxi Beach Dress in Coral
- Asos Design Cross Waist Halter Maxi Beach Dress in Coral, £30 from Asos – buy here
Coral shades look amazing in the sun, so when you're wearing the Asos Design Cross Waist Halter Maxi Dress, you'll be waiting for golden hour.
As it's a halterneck style, the back has pretty tie-detailing and the cut out is ideal if you want to subtly show off your cleavage.
16. Phase Eight Narissa Square Neck Abstract Print Dress
- Phase Eight Narissa Square Neck Abstract Print Dress, Black/Ivory, £89 from John Lewis – buy here
The Narissa dress by Phase Eight could pass as being from a high-end designer, but it's less than £90.
Square necklines, monochrome and figure-skimming fits are some of our favourite maxi dress details.
17. Boohoo Polka Dot Bardot Puff Sleeve Maxi Dress
- Polka Dot Bardot Puff Sleeve Maxi Dress, £25 from Boohoo – buy here
Off-the-shoulder dresses will always be a little bit dressier, so Boohoo's Polka Dot Bardot Puff Sleeve is fit for those summery special occasions.
The shape skims your waist, finished with a gorgeous ruffle border around the bottom. In short, it's the prettiest of pretty.
18. Matalan Soon Green Palm Print Maxi Dress
- Soon Green Palm Print Maxi Dress, £25 from Matalan – buy here
Bringing back J.Lo's iconic jungle moment on a budget, Matalan's Soon Green Palm Print Maxi Dress is such a good find.
Among the positive reviews, one person writes, "What a bargain! Feels and looks like a much more expensive dress."
19. Bird & Knoll Ida White Cotton Maxi Dress
- Bird & Knoll Ida White Cotton Maxi Dress, £195 from Harvey Nichols – buy here
It's worth investing in a classic white dress like Bird & Knoll's Ida White Cotton Maxi Dress because they're so timeless.
Of course, this luxury dress is made from 100 percent cotton. We just love the ruffled trim across the top.
20. Zibi London Orange Satin Abstract Maxi Dress
- Zibi London Orange Satin Abstract Maxi Dress, £55 from New Look – buy here
Ending on an arty note, the Zibi London Orange Satin Abstract Maxi Dress looks straight off the high-fashion runway.
Combining orange, pink and black, this soft satin dress is made to be teamed with clunky black sandals and eyeliner.
Now that we've tempted you with the best maxi dresses, you should probably check out the best sunglasses to shop now too.
Here are the best puff sleeve tops.
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