22 Best Travel Dresses, According to Editors and Stylish Globetrotters

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Do you agree that your vacation wardrobe should be as relaxed as the trip itself? Travel dresses are easy to pack because they’re versatile and comfortable. You can’t go wrong with these dresses. Just add some stylish sandals, delicate jewellery, and chic sunglasses, and you’re good to go exploring new cities or enjoying a nice dinner.

To make your trip easier, we asked Glamour’s editors, as well as some of our style experts and travel enthusiasts, which vacation dresses they always pack in their carry-on bag, regardless of where they are going. Shop our favourite wrinkle-resistant dresses, dresses with pockets, and petite and tall-friendly options below.

Best Overall: Kinstell Boho Spaghetti Strap Dress

• Avery Matera is a fashion blogger and cofounder of Palley & Co. She praises the lightweight design, affordable price, and stain-hiding colour of this thin-strapped midi dress. I love a black spaghetti-strap midi dress, as it goes with everything. On cooler days, you can add a cardigan. Side pockets allow you to store your phone and lip gloss without needing an additional bag.

The Most Versatile: Hill House Ellie Nap Dress

• Brie Schwartz is Glamour’s commerce director. She says, “This nap dress has endured countless warm weather trips and suffered sunscreen and sweat. It’s not worse for wear.” It’s loose enough not to cling, which is important for summer trips to Europe. If you are a fellow chafer, you can wear slip shorts. You can wear a denim coat if it is chilly. You can also wear it with a sweater on your shoulders. It has plenty of room for growth at the top because of the smocking. Its only downside is that it takes up a lot more space in your bag because of the amount of fabric. However, since you will wear it repeatedly, this is worth it.

Best Minidress: Burtell Sleeveless Minidress

• We always pack a shift dress for our travels because of its versatility and comfort. Amazon’s above-the-knee dress is made from a cotton/linen mix to keep you cool even on the hottest days. Thanks to the A-line silhouette, it’s easy to wear and airy. You can choose from seven different colors, including pastel blue, cherry red, and butter yellow.

Best Linen Dress: Reformation Tagliatelle Linen Dress

• The best fabric to wear on hot days is lightweight linen. Kristina, a fashion writer and editor, loves Reformation’s Tagliatelle dress. She wears it when she is exploring a new city in the summer heat or to attend an outdoor wedding. This dress has been worn on many trips over the years. “I bought it in August 2022 for a trip I took to Italy. It is still a favourite that I pack for all summer trips,“ says the woman. I like the fact that it is versatile enough to be dressed up or down for a night out with different accessories. Versatility is important when travelling. The neckline and cut of this dress are also very flattering.

Does Windsor Dress: Best for layering

• Doen epitomizes easy-breezy romanticism, and Leah Melby Clinton is a big fan. She founded the women’s network group Diana. When I travel, I don’t check my bag. She says that one of the most important rules for packing light is to make sure everything can do double duty. She looks for dresses that can be worn as coverups with bathing suits or sneakers at the pool or beach or for exploring the city. This dress is perfect for summer travel.

Best Active Dress: Lululemon Align High-Neck Dress

• Lululemon is the perfect alternative for those who are looking for something more active. Dresses made of performance fabric are ideal for busy days with lots of walking. This dress has a built-in underwire bra, a liner brief, and pockets. This mini dress is perfect for hiking, tennis or a stroll around the city.

Mini Dress with Lace Trim and Sleeves

• This easy-to-wear Gap minidress comes in three different lengths, but it is our top pick for petite sizes. She says, “I am definitely on the shorter side, and it can be frustrating to hem a dress that has a special hemline like this lace dress.” It’s one of my favorite summer dresses, and it fits perfectly straight off the rack!

Best plus-size dress: Old Navy Fit and Flare Lightweight Gingham Midi Dress

• This wrinkle-resistant dress is made from crinkled Jersey and is much more travel-friendly than the average dress. It can be rolled up and placed in checked luggage. After a long flight, it still looks new, without the need to steam. The top is fitted, while the skirt cascades past the knees. This dress comes in many sizes, including petite and long lengths.

Best Short-Sleeve Dress: La Ligne Andie Dress

• Matera says that a T-shirt dress with short sleeves is the easiest thing to wear, especially while travelling. What I like about this La Ligne dress is that the brand took a very simple, easy-to-wear look and gave it a more stylish twist with a flowing silhouette, an elegant length and a belted-in waist. When it comes to packing, the cotton is of a higher quality, slightly heavier weight that is flattering and is less likely to wrinkle.

Best Smocked dress: The Brand Amelie Dress

• This gingham dress is Matera’s current favourite. It has a smocked design that makes it easy to wear and fits all sizes. “I have been a minidress lover for the majority of my life but am now leaning towards my new love of slightly larger silhouettes. “A midi dress is perfect for any occasion, but a dress with a smocked bodice makes it even more comfortable to wear. It eliminates the need to pull and adjust another silhouette throughout the day,“ says she. This dress has a slim side pocket and elegant cap sleeves to keep essentials handy on the move. The material is also fairly wrinkle-resistant.

Best Shirtdress : Pomander Place Chambray Harris Shirtdress

• A shirt dress is a must-have in every stylish suitcase. It’s the best dress for travelling. This chambray dress can be worn both for a daytime outfit (with flat sneakers) and as an evening look (with kitten heels). This chambray number can also double as a beach coverup. The trapeze shape takes a classic tailored style and elevates it to a more feminine, elevated level. It’s lined, too, which is unusual for this style.

Merlette Paradis Dress: Best Midi Dress

• The ultimate piece to throw on and go is a loose-fitting cotton mid-dress. This style by Merlette is perfect for warm weather because of its eyelet neckline and tiered shape. Mary Kate Boylan is a former fashion editor, stylist, and consultant who says that Merlette’s Paradis dress is her favourite to pack for warm-weather vacations. I love its versatility. You can wear it for lunch, at the pool, or for dinner as the sun sets. You can pair it with a straw bag and sandals or Mary Janes.

Best Slipdress: Anthropologie Aimee Slim Ribbed Knit Dress

• You can’t always beat the comfort of a tank dress. This Anthropologie style skims your body perfectly and has a heavier weight that gives it structure. It also won’t show what you’re wearing underneath. Zoe Weiner Zelin, a beauty and mental health reporter, discovered this dress when shopping for wedding weekend outfits. I had no idea that this tank dress would be so versatile after my wedding era. It has become a favourite for beach trips because it is wrinkle-free and matches all of my sandals. In colder weather, she enjoys it with chunky sweaters and boots.

Best wrap dress: Banana Republic cotton poplin wrap Maxidress

• Wrap dresses are always a favourite, but they’re especially great for travelling. Banana Republic’s breathable cotton dress is perfect for travelling during the warmer months. Its tiered skirt, V-neck and streamlined sleeveless design exude effortless elegance. You can either tie it tighter to your waist if you want a more shapely appearance or looser if you prefer a more relaxed feel.

Best T-Shirt Dress: Free-est Good Feels Slim Midi-Dress

• The Free People dress will be perfect for travellers looking for a T-shirt dress they can wear with ease. It feels like a second layer. It’s a great option for those who want a midi-length dress that won’t ride on your shoulders as you stroll around town. The price is also more affordable than other slinky dresses. Although polyester is not the most breathable fabric, it resists wrinkles and has a touch of viscose to keep things feeling light.

Best Drop-Waist Dress: Lucy Paris Hazel Dress

• This dress is under $100, but you wouldn’t know it by the quality. The top has a structured, flattering design with a drop-waist style skirt that is reminiscent of ballerinas’ uniforms. The skirt is lined, so there’s no need to worry that it will be see-through. Sophia Gonzalez, fashion editor and writer, says that a smocked midi-dress is her go-to dress for travel days. “I will wear it underneath a cardigan or jacket on the plane and then dress it up once I arrive with statement accessories.

J.Crew Cotton Voile Empire Waist Dress

• Matera: “In line with my midi dress journey, I bought my latest travel gown from J.Crew after eyeing it for a few months before making the purchase.“ Matera says that J.Crew’s latest collection is “old J.Crew“, and this dress was beyond expectations. The lightweight cotton fabric, with its adorable print, exceeded all expectations.

Best All-Day Dress: La Ligne Carmella Dress

• Travel dresses are versatile and can be worn anywhere. They only require a change of jewellery or shoes. Through years of travelling, I’ve learned that it is essential to pack one piece that does it all. Grace Wiener is the social media manager at Air Mail. She says that for her, a long cotton gown does it all. This La Ligne dress, with a pair of heels, is perfect for dinners in warm weather. This dress is cute and easy to wear over a bathing suit to go to the beach.

Best Patterned Alix Of Bohemia Silvie dress

• This Alix of Bohemia block-printed dress is the perfect way to embrace your inner flower child on vacation. Wear it over a swimsuit or sandals to go out for a nice meal. Matera says that Alix of Bohemia prints are beautiful and colourful. The weave is also soft and wrinkle-resistant. The dress has long sleeves to provide more coverage. It also features a boho-style flared sleeve.

Best Puff-Sleeve: Doen Ischia Dress

• The classic gingham pattern hides any wrinkles. This pick is lightweight and already resistant to wrinkles. Kate Roman, Shoppe Amber Interiors store manager, says that Doen’s Ischia Dress in organic cotton voile packs well and is a style that transitions from day to night. This summer, with boho dressing in style, this dress is perfect for travel.

Best Sporty Outfit: Free people Hot Shot Bubble Set

• This bubble-hem minidress is on trend this summer. This active mini dress has an athleisure style and matching shorts with built-in pockets to avoid wardrobe mishaps.

Best Designer Dress: Proenza Schouler White Label Clayton Dress

• Coco Paul-Henriot says, “Nothing can take you from exploring the city to dining out like black poplin,“ referring to the fabric’s adaptability to temperature changes and its timeless elegance. When travelling, I like to pair this piece of clothing with colourful sandals and a statement neckpiece for some added personality. It’s made of lightweight cotton and is perfect for hot days. It looks good with sneakers.