Ode to the summer dress — a year-round favourite

I’ve become a big fan of summer dresses in the last few years. In fact, I can wear dresses all year long, layering them with jeans and blazers or my favourite oversized pullovers. I just feel dresses are so forgiving to the ever-changing female body. And they are such sentimental pieces because of the way they hug and flow down your body, embracing every curve and imperfection. Somehow, I can’t quite think of my jeans or blouses in the same way. Can you? 

I remember a very particular summer dress in my wardrobe (which, by the way, I still have), which I used to wear right after giving birth to my second child. I would wear it with sneakers and ballerinas, with flip flops and mules, just about anywhere and for every occasion: a long stroll with the baby stroller along the lake, an evening out with other mums, or when I had to rush to the doctor for God knows what reason. (There are plenty of them when you have a 2-year-old and a newborn baby!) Because of the vibrant flower print, you couldn’t spot a single stain on that dress. Did you know, by the way, that mums become very clumsy for some reason right after the birth? And not to mention the yellowish spots from lactating breasts… 

Wearing that summer dress, I felt so safe and so shielded from the rest of the world that didn’t have to know about my changing body and my insecurities. I remember wearing that dress with a belt and without one; with my denim jacket, my blazers, and my hoodie even. The dress didn’t need ironing or any hassle. I think that was a dealbreaker. 

Ever since that time, I just knew dresses won’t let me down, ever. And even now, further into motherhood, I feel so good wearing dresses. They are easy to throw on and so versatile. You don’t have to think about what to combine them with and you can style them up or down with a simple accessory depending on the occasion. 

And there’s another thing I love about dresses: how effortless and yet elegant they look and feel, and the profound sense of freedom and graciousness they add to your step. It’s something rare to feel once you pass your early thirties… 

Just the thought that one dress can do all that for you — elevating your daily experiences and lifting up your spirit — is quite amazing, isn’t it? 

Below is a visual list of all my fave dresses from this summer, which are excellent transitional pieces, too. Wear with a blazer or a chunky sweater in fall and you will feel at the top of your game:

Max Mara Dress, FW 2019/2020

SUMMER DRESS And Other Stories