Long summer dresses with a wrap waist and short sleeves

Hearts or flowers on white cotton muslin

Muslin is thin cotton, and in a heat wave that’s exactly what you want against your skin. One white wrap is printed with flowers. Its twin has small pink hearts all over.

We’d pack the floral one for a trip. Wide-brim hat, flat sandals, done. At home it’ll happily meet a friend for lunch with white sneakers on and a denim jacket thrown over your shoulders.

The hearts want a picnic blanket. Or a field at golden hour and a friend with a phone camera. Espadrilles work there, and a scarf in the pink of the hearts.

A long summer dress in muslin looks best in motion, because the hem swings when you walk. Ask whoever’s holding the camera to catch you mid-step.

Evenings by the sea get cool. A thin milky cardigan fixes that, or the same denim jacket you wore in town.

After washing, muslin crumples a little. That’s normal for this fabric. Our advice is a delicate cycle with nothing bright in the load and a hanger to dry on. The steamer handles the rest in the morning.

The pink viscose wrap for a garden wedding

This one’s sewn from lightweight viscose with a floral print, and it’s light and pleasant in the heat. Pink flowers, sleeves over the shoulders, a skirt to the ankle. Say it’s a wedding in somebody’s backyard at four in the afternoon, when the sun’s still high and you’d rather keep your legs in the shade. That’s the long summer dress for it.

Fuller bust? The wrap V works in your favor. Before the big day, tie it, walk around the room and reach across a table a couple of times. If the neckline opens, cross it a little deeper.

On grass, a low wedge beats a thin heel. Flat sandals with thin straps are fine too. One more idea we like is a ribbon in the pink of the print braided into your hair, with a woven bag on your arm. Jewelry can mostly stay home.

Wash it on delicates at 30 °C or lower and lay it out flat to dry, without wringing. For more ideas, see our summer wedding guest outfits.

Frequently asked questions

Does the tie change which size I order?

Go by your bust. The tie handles the waist, and we make each one from XS to XL.

Will the hem drag if I’m petite?

It might touch the top of your foot in flats, so try it on with the sandals you’ll actually wear before you decide.

Which long summer dress works for a city break?

The white floral muslin. It’s fine with sneakers all day and doesn’t look out of place at dinner.

Are there shorter styles for hot weather?

Sure. Take a look at all our warm-weather dresses, or the full list of ankle-length styles if long is what you like.