20 White Dresses You Need For Your Next Spring or Summer Getaway!
Best White Dresses Over 40!
I don’t have an exciting beach trip planned any time soon, but I can still dream, right!? When I’m thinking about vacation, I immediately start dreaming up what I’ll wear. And if it’s a spring or summer vacation, the first thing that pops into my head?? Gorgeous, chic white dresses! I can imagine myself walking along the beach in a fabulous, flowy dress. But finding the ideal white dress is not easy. The fit and fabric must be perfect…and, as you get older, you also want the length to be just right.
Even if you don’t have a beach vacation planned, you can still wear a gorgeous white dress for other special occasions like showers, Easter, Mother’s Day, graduations, or on the occasional date night. To help with your white dress hunt for the spring/summer, I’ve rounded up 20 white dresses! Including two I recently purchased, LOVE, and will be wearing all spring/summer! If you have an upcoming trip, grab one of these gorgeous white dresses before they’re gone!
If you have a wedding or special occasion coming up soon, make sure you check out this post next! I shared 22 wedding guest dresses you’ll love!
This white Waimari midi dress is SO gorgeous and perfect for spring/summer. It’s one of those white dresses you can dress up or down depending on the occasion. It has beautiful eyelet detailed fabric, a scalloped lace hem, and a flattering v-neckline. The thick smocked waist panel is also super flattering and slimming. And the longer length is perfect for women over 40 who may not love or feel confident about their legs. I often get requests for tops and dresses with sleeves and this dress has roomy puff sleeves that will keep you covered without adding heat because…the entire dress is 100% cotton which means it’s lightweight and breathable. I styled it with a pair of See by Chloe espadrilles wedges. I have a few other pairs of See by Chloe espadrilles in different colors and styles…they’re all super comfortable (for heels), easy to walk in because of the platform, and have an easy buckle for quickly getting them on/off. I’d wear this look to dinner on a beach vacation, baby shower, graduation, or Easter celebration…the possibilities are endless! You can even dress it down by wearing it with some cute flat sandals.
We shared budget-friendly options for this entire outfit in this post as a part of our For Less Friday series if you’re interested!
Another great option for any spring or summer occasion is a LWD (little white dress)…specifically a mini dress! This mini dress is also by Waimari and has a lot of the same details…gorgeous eyelet fabric, scalloped lace hem, and a flattering v-neckline. The length of this dress is obviously shorter than the midi, but it’s not too short! The v-neckline is also a little bit lower so that’s just something to consider. It has a looser, roomy fit because it doesn’t have the smocked waist…it’s actually a kimono-style dress so it opens and buttons up in the front. I love that you can throw this on over a swimsuit for lunch with some sandals while you’re on vacation or wear it with wedges for dinner. I’ll probably even wear it with sneakers this summer!
Keep scrolling for 18 more white dresses for summer and spring that you’ll LOVE!
Keep scrolling for links and more information on each of the dresses in the graphic above. And let us know which dress is your favorite in the comments below!
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Fun Feminine Hem
This first dress by Rhode is perfect for a beach vacation! I have it in a green and white print and love it. It has a lot of material but since it’s 100% cotton it’s super lightweight and will keep you cool. It has a removable braided belt to help create a waist, wide sleeves, and a flattering godet hem. It also comes in red and pink, which I love! I wore my green version of this dress in Mexico to breakfast, then out on bike rides to the beach over my swimsuit. I felt so cute and comfy in it and got lots of beachside compliments.
This Alexis dress has a unique eyelet fabric that’s so beautiful. I love that the lining is short but the rest of the eyelet fabric extends to a midi length. It’s a chic way to wear a mini dress without actually wearing a mini dress and you still get the added coverage on the legs.
If you’re looking for a casual LWD for spring/summer, you’ll love this white maxi dress by LoveShackFancy! It’s fitted through the chest and shoulder, so you feel a little more polished and put together on top. But the bottom is flowy and effortless for that casual feel. The website recommends sizing up one size.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably remember this gorgeous For Love & Lemons dress from about four years ago. It’s a sexy mini with a shorter hemline and open back. I love how the lines on the front are strategic and super flattering, creating a defined waist. It has a slightly flared skirt to provide forgiveness around the hips, butt, and thighs (great silhouette on many body types). Because of the back, you will have to wear pasties, a Nubra, or no bra, depending on what you’re comfortable with. I love how feminine yet sexy this dress is. It’s perfect for cocktail events, showers, date nights, etc.
Staud makes beautiful dressed in classic silhouettes with modern twists. This dress has a flattering A-line silhouette with a corset-style bodice, chic scoop neckline, and puff sleeves. I love that the puff sleeves only go to the elbow so you get arm coverage while staying cool and not having to mess with pushing your sleeves up all day. The midi length is also perfect!
If you’re looking for that one dress you can throw on when you’re in a hurry this spring/summer…this is it! It’s casual enough for you to wear with sneakers and a denim jacket for running errands or with sandals for a day on vacation. Oh…and it’s only $39 and comes in 4 colors.
This cute little white dress by WAYF has an elastic waistband to cinch the waist, puff shoulders, and an A-line skirt…the trifecta for creating an hourglass figure. It also has a crossover v-neckline, layered ruffle hem, and pretty eyelet fabric…for $118!
L*Space is a wonderful brand to look at if you need some classic vacation must-haves like coverups, swimsuits, and sundresses. This dress can double as a coverup and the fabric dries super quickly!
If you liked the look of #5 but want more arm coverage and a looser fitting bodice, this Cinq a Sept dress is for you! This boho-style dress has a tiered skirt, billowy fit, longer puff sleeves, and is a cotton blend so you’ll stay cool.
This chic LWD has a cinched waist, puff sleeves, a flattering v-neckline, and 100% cotton fabric. This is another one of those super versatile dresses you can wear with sneakers to run errands, sandals for lunch, or wedges for dinner.
If you liked the mini dress I’m wearing in this post but don’t like the price tag, this is a great alternative. It doesn’t have a v-neckline…but it does have pretty eyelet fabric, a scalloped hem, and puff sleeves!
The key to wearing cutouts over 40 is finding a dress with strategic cutouts! This A.L.C. dress is the perfect example…the cutouts are right under the bust, which is typically the smallest part of a woman’s body. The capped sleeves and longer hemline contrast the amount of skin you’re showing. And it’s 100% cotton so it’s very cool.
This simple LWD dress by Steve Madden is a great option if you’re looking for something that’s simple to throw on and be out the door in minutes. It would also be a great beach coverup! It’s only $79 and comes in three colors.
This Waimari dress SO beautiful! I love the one-shoulder neckline and statement tie detail at the shoulder. The fabric and scalloped hem are so pretty. And the slit at the leg adds the right amount of sexiness to the dress.
This cotton poplin Free People dress is another option that’s super versatile for spring and summer. It has buttons down the front, a longer hemline in the back, and bell sleeves with elastic cuffs.
If you liked the look of #13 but aren’t ready to try cutouts that show that much skin, this is a great alternative! The cutouts on this Wayf dress are only on the sides and don’t extend to the back so you get more coverage!
This Derek Lam cotton mini dress has some pretty feminine details that make this dress a basic with a twist…the bows on the flattering waist panel, pleating throughout, and the full tiered A-line skirt. I also love the v-neck, short sleeves, and cotton poplin material.
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[…] on a crossbody bag for easy access to your essentials too. By the way, if you’re looking for white resort wear dresses, you can find outfit ideas […]
[…] information recently about swimsuits (one-pieces and bikinis), coverups, denim shorts, white tops, white dresses, maxi dresses, and more that you won’t want to […]
[…] week and she brought along this pretty white dress. If it looks familiar, you might be thinking of the dress featured in this post back in March. But this one has some differences we want to highlight. Primarily, how this dress is SO unique in […]
[…] have a slightly lower heel. Both pairs are comfortable and would look lovely with Easter dresses, white dresses, Mother’s Day dresses or just jeans and a cute top like I’m wearing […]
[…] looking for more dresses for spring/summer, I shared some great wedding guest dresses here resort-ready white dresses here, and stunning maxi dresses […]
[…] summer fabrics like cotton and linen. So now is the time to stock up on some white tops and dresses if you don’t already have them in your closet. I recently purchased the two gorgeous white […]
Thanks for remembering us big busted women in your summer dresses. Can you direct me to your site that showed white feminine blouses for us big busted women. There’s one in particular that had long sleeves ruching under bust, v neck. I may have been silk or chiffon. Thanks your site is just fabulous!
Im short, 5’ 3” with long slender legs.
No hips, small butt and not much waist.
Im the upside down triangle.
I have most trouble with tops both because of my high waist and ample bust.
Suggestions?
Didn’t purchase your specific suggestions, Erin, but I did get a really cute zebra slip dress and a sweater through your link. I’m an XL and I have difficulty finding fashionable clothes sometimes. Thanks for putting walmart on my fashion radar! I know their XL’S fit perfect. ❣
Hi Erin, let me start by saying that I love you! I think your great, your YouTube channel is fabulous and i look forward to your videos. I really like the 3 white dress options that you gave but they are SUPER Expensive!!! I’m 40years old a mom of 6 and a college student, i can’t spent $160 on one dress. I love makeup,shoes AND fashion, can you give some more affordable OPTIONS please? Thanks.
Sincerely,
Tiffany Bell
Thank you for your feedback, Tiffany. I’m so sorry that these three exact dresses are on the pricier side, but we always offer a range of options from walmart to saks. we just did another post on white dresses under $100. Did you see that one?? Thanks! erin xo
Hi Erin, I,Ve been watching your utube channel for the past year. I love your style and that you
Share all of your knowlage with us. EspeCially those of us who are Long Past our twenties, yet still want to look attractive and fashion frward. Also that you take the time to make sure that you address all womens body shapes, so that every womAn can feel beautiful. Thank you
If you are searching for a perfect pair of winter boots, then this is the post for you! We breakdown all of the key things you should consider when looking for the best winter boots.
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[…] on a crossbody bag for easy access to your essentials too. By the way, if you’re looking for white resort wear dresses, you can find outfit ideas […]
[…] information recently about swimsuits (one-pieces and bikinis), coverups, denim shorts, white tops, white dresses, maxi dresses, and more that you won’t want to […]
[…] week and she brought along this pretty white dress. If it looks familiar, you might be thinking of the dress featured in this post back in March. But this one has some differences we want to highlight. Primarily, how this dress is SO unique in […]
[…] have a slightly lower heel. Both pairs are comfortable and would look lovely with Easter dresses, white dresses, Mother’s Day dresses or just jeans and a cute top like I’m wearing […]
[…] looking for more dresses for spring/summer, I shared some great wedding guest dresses here resort-ready white dresses here, and stunning maxi dresses […]
[…] even more gorgeous white dresses for spring/summer, make sure you check out this post […]
[…] has 20+ options! Or if you’re searching for that perfect white spring/summer dress, check out this post […]
[…] summer fabrics like cotton and linen. So now is the time to stock up on some white tops and dresses if you don’t already have them in your closet. I recently purchased the two gorgeous white […]
3 and 13 are the ones I most see myself wearing.
Thanks for sharing your favorites, Michele! Great choices!! ~Erin xo
Thanks for remembering us big busted women in your summer dresses. Can you direct me to your site that showed white feminine blouses for us big busted women. There’s one in particular that had long sleeves ruching under bust, v neck. I may have been silk or chiffon. Thanks your site is just fabulous!
SO glad this one was helpful for you, Annie! Thanks so much for reading… I think this is the blog you are thinking of | https://busbeestyle.com/flattering-tops-for-big-busts/ Have a wonderful week! ~Team Busbee
[…] you’re looking for more white dresses, check out this post! I also shared white resort dresses here, maxi dresses here, and Easter dresses […]
Im short, 5’ 3” with long slender legs.
No hips, small butt and not much waist.
Im the upside down triangle.
I have most trouble with tops both because of my high waist and ample bust.
Suggestions?
Didn’t purchase your specific suggestions, Erin, but I did get a really cute zebra slip dress and a sweater through your link. I’m an XL and I have difficulty finding fashionable clothes sometimes. Thanks for putting walmart on my fashion radar! I know their XL’S fit perfect. ❣
Hi Erin, let me start by saying that I love you! I think your great, your YouTube channel is fabulous and i look forward to your videos. I really like the 3 white dress options that you gave but they are SUPER Expensive!!! I’m 40years old a mom of 6 and a college student, i can’t spent $160 on one dress. I love makeup,shoes AND fashion, can you give some more affordable OPTIONS please? Thanks.
Sincerely,
Tiffany Bell
Thank you for your feedback, Tiffany. I’m so sorry that these three exact dresses are on the pricier side, but we always offer a range of options from walmart to saks. we just did another post on white dresses under $100. Did you see that one?? Thanks! erin xo
Hi Erin, I,Ve been watching your utube channel for the past year. I love your style and that you
Share all of your knowlage with us. EspeCially those of us who are Long Past our twenties, yet still want to look attractive and fashion frward. Also that you take the time to make sure that you address all womens body shapes, so that every womAn can feel beautiful. Thank you