Even if you are usually a firm jeans or pants fan during the cooler months, you may still want to change your outfits up for warmer weather. So, how do you choose the best dresses for older women? Well, if you’ve been following 40+ Style for a while, you’ll already know we never take a one-size-fits-all attitude. But, generally, you may be looking for a longer length and perhaps you prefer to hide a belly or cover your arms. Take a look below at our choices of summer dresses for women over 40…
The best summer dresses for women over 40 – our picks this season
The dresses below range from sporty-style dresses to wear your sneakers with, to those you can wear to a summer party or event.
I’ve also included some jackets, shoes and accessories to wear with them and, if you scroll down, you’ll find a summer dresses capsule with many of the looks put together for you.
Casual day dresses
Of course, you can style any dress casually or more formally depending on what you wear with it, but let’s first take a look at some that lend themselves more to casual dressing.
Massimo Dutti Denim Tucker Jacket – Caslon Sleeveless Tie Back Cotton Maxi Dress – Johnston & Murphy Evelyn Open Toe Sandal Bootie – Marc Jacobs The Leather Bucket Bag – Chico’s Mixed Metals Drop Earrings
stripe dress
Simple, yet stylish, this striped dress (below) is made from cotton so it should keep you cool in warmer months.
The stripes create an elongating effect if you want to look taller and you can always wear a short jacket or a cardigan over the top if you don’t want to bare your upper arms.
We also like the versatility of this one as you could belt it at the waist to create a different look.
Caslon Sleeveless Tie Back Cotton Maxi Dress
twist dress
Another casual option for you, the Caslon dress below has a twist at the waistline that adds a flattering effect. Wear with your sneakers, flat sandals or ankle booties for weekends.
Caslon Twist Waist Organic Cotton Midi T-Shirt Dress
A tiered dress can be a great choice if you’re looking for summer dresses for women over 40. Karen @styledbykaren above chooses a tiered dress with her reptile print sneakers.
Recreate her outfit with this similar dress (another option here), sneakers and sunglasses.
Day to night dresses
Most of the dresses in this list fall into this category, because we feel that the best dresses are those that you can easily take from day to night.
COS Ombré Pleated Tunic Dress – Fly London Yiko Platform Wedge Sandal – Mali + Lili Fiona Vegan Leather Convertible Crossbody Bag – Chico’s Fringe Seed Bead Multistrand Necklace – Me&Hz Tassel Earrings
Ombré dress
The ombre dress (below) has a flattering v-neck and is designed to skim over your belly. You could easily wear over your swimsuit with sandals for your vacation, or you could wear with heels and a clutch bag for a more formal look.
shirt dress
I love a simple white or striped shirt as they go with everything, and the same holds true for a shirt dress like the ones from Massimo Dutti (below).
The tie waist adds a flattering point of difference, and elevates what could otherwise be a very simple look.
Massimo Dutti Poplin Shirt Dress
linen sundress
Linen is always a great choice if you want to stay cool during the warmer months. The red maxi dress (below) is loose fitting and easy to wear, but still looks very glamorous because of the bright red color. It also features mid-length sleeves if you prefer to cover your upper arms.
Chico’s Linen Eyelet Tiered Sundress
puff sleeve dress
If you love a romantic look, then the puff sleeve dress (below) could be for you. You could either match your shoes and accessories to one of the colors in the dress, or you could choose black or metallic shoes and bags.
& Other Stories Puff Sleeve Midi Dress
printed dress
The graphic print on the COS dress (below) give this dress a very modern look. You could wear in so many different ways, from adding chunky sandals to teaming with heeled shoes. You could also add a belt to create a different silhouette.
Paisley print dress
Boden is a great place to look for timeless, mid-length dresses. Plus, because the v-neck style (below) is made from jersey, it would be a good choice to pack for a vacation, as it shouldn’t crease too much.
Boden Short Sleeve Jersey Midi Dress
pink dress
We love dresses that feature asymmetry.
This would be good for vacations as you could easily dress it down during the day with sandals and then add a little jacket and heels for evening.
COS Asymmetric Gathered Midi Dress
red dress
The H&M dress (below) features a flattering wrap style, and sits below the knee. It comes in a choice of the red print (below), or you could opt for black, green or animal print.
green dress
The Lands’ End dress (below) will flatter most figures because of the wrap style, and v-neck. You could team with a denim jacket or cardigan for day, and then add a blazer to make your look more formal.
Lands’ End Cotton Modal Surplice Maxi Dress
Kim @kimair above (read her style interview here) shows how you could wear your summer dress with silver shoes.
Steal her look with this similar dress (other options here and here), sandals, bag, earrings and sunglasses.
You can find more shoe inspiration in this article on silver and metallic shoes that go with everything.
Formal summer dresses
Now let’s move on to some dressier dresses! You could definitely wear these with sandals for a more casual look. But they would also look beautiful for dinner or a more formal occasion.
Nordstrom Satin Border Silk Chiffon Scarf – Whistles Annabelle Cap Sleeve Dress – Lisa Vicky Zealous Ankle Strap Sandal – Mali + Lili Fiona Vegan Leather Convertible Crossbody Bag – Chico’s Shell Gold Tone Bib Necklace
Cap sleeVe dress
A red dress looks beautiful, no matter what the season. You could wear the Whistles dress (below) with black, white or metallic shoes. Or, you could always add a bright pop of contrasting color.
Whistles Annabelle Cap Sleeve Dress
You can find more ideas in this article on how to wear red.
knot dress
Looking for dresses that feature twist details, drapes and ruching can be a great way to hide a belly. The stretch dress (below) comes in pink, black or blue.
TAHARI ASL Stretch Crepe Side Knot Dress
work summer dresses
Now, let’s move onto some summer dresses that you could wear for work. You’ll want dresses that will keep you cool, but also feature a hem and sleeve length that you are comfortable to wear at work.
Nordstrom Relaxed Stretch Linen Blend Blazer – Whistles Abstract Cheetah Silk Dress – Johnston & Murphy Evelyn Open Toe Sandal Bootie – Marc Jacobs The Leather Bucket Bag – Chico’s Mixed Metals Drop Earrings
There are more ideas in this article on work outfits to keep you stylish and cool.
silk dress
The silk dress (below) is stylish, modest, and could easily be worn for work, or for dinner. Plus, because it is silk, it will keep you nice and cool.
Whistles Abstract Cheetah Silk Dress
wrap dress
A wrap style is always flattering. Plus, because the tie-waist dress (below) features a collar at the neckline, it has a professional feel.
& Other Stories Collared Wrap Midi Dress
RUCHED dress
The ruching on the Boden dress (below) helps to hide any lumps and bumps. You could wear with a blazer, or a structured cardigan for work.
Boden Side Ruched Column Midi Dress
Eileen @eileenternullo above chooses a stylish, neutral outfit that could easily be adapted for work, a party or a dinner.
Get her look with this similar dress (another option here), cropped blazer, pumps, bag, earrings and necklace.
Summer dresses in plus size
The wrap style (below) comes in a great choice of colors and prints, and is very figure flattering.
Summer dresses in petite
A dress is a great choice for petites, because you have the same color or print throughout your entire outfit, rather than separates, which can visually draw a line across your body and possibly make you look shorter.
Jackets and cover ups to go with your summer dresses
Let’s move onto some jackets, shoes and accesories that you could wear with you summer dresses.
If it gets a little chilly during the evening or you like to cover your arms, you could wear your dress with a jacket, cardigan or wrap.
Look out for blazers, moto styles, denim jackets and wraps. If you choose a shorter jacket, this will help to create a flattering silhouette as your legs will look longer.
Massimo Dutti Denim Tucker Jacket – Nordstrom Relaxed Stretch Linen Blend Blazer – Sam Edelman Leather Moto Jacket – Nordstrom Satin Border Silk Chiffon Scarf
Dawn Lucy @fashionshouldbefun above (read her style interview here) adds a casual element to her maxi dress by wearing with a cardigan.
She is wearing a maxi dress from Loveappella. Check out this similar cardigan, sandals, handbag, necklace and earrings to complete the look.
shoes to go with your summer dress
Now onto shoes to go with your summer dress. Wearing sneakers with your dress is particularly on trend now. Choosing a pair of white sneakers is a classic choice that will go with all of your dresses.
Or, of course, heels always look good with your dresses. We’ve chosen low heels here and those with a block heel rather than a narrow stiletto, as these are much easier to walk in.
Fly London Yiko Platform Wedge Sandal – Johnston & Murphy Evelyn Open Toe Sandal Bootie – Lisa Vicky Zealous Ankle Strap Sandal – Converse Chuck Taylor® All Star® Low Top Sneaker
Emms @beautifuleveryday_uk above shows how you could wear your dress with flat shoes.
Check out this printed dress (other options here and here) that you can wear with this similar pair of loafers, tote and sunglasses.
accessories to complete your look
There are so many different ways you can style your dress for daytime or evening. Below are just some accessories you may want to add.
There’s everything from a larger bucket or tote to a clutch bag depending on the occasion and what you need to take with you, and some contemporary jewelry to finish your look.
Marc Jacobs The Leather Bucket Bag – Mali + Lili Fiona Vegan Leather Convertible Crossbody Bag – Chico’s Shell Gold Tone Bib Necklace – Chico’s Fringe Seed Bead Multistrand Necklace – Chico’s Mixed Metals Drop Earrings – Me&Hz Tassel Earrings
Jess @elegantlydressedandstylish above (read her style interview here) chooses a beautiful tonal look with her floral dress and accessories.
She is wearing a linen dress from Mango. Check out this similar clutch, sandals, earrings, necklace and sunglasses to complete the look.
You summer dresses outfits in one capsule
Below, you can see how you could put together your summer dresses outfits. You can easily swap around the coats and accessories to create many different looks.
shop the items above here:
What do you think the most flattering summer dresses for women over 40 are? What is your own favorite dress? Let me know by commenting below.
Continue reading:
- Outfits For Summer: The Summer Capsule Wardrobe You Need This Season
- What To Wear In Summer – Our Top 10 Tips & Tricks
- The Best Dresses To Hide Your Tummy
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Feature image by Kim @kimair
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Good and informative. Would like some items for those 5 ft tall
Some of these will also work for women of 5ft tall. For more tips on how to dress when you have shorter height, visit this article https://40plusstyle.com/how-to-dress-when-you-are-short-petite/