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How to Style a White Summer Dress – Summer/Winter

I often ask myself how to style a white summer dress throughout the seasons, as I love this style of dress so much and want to wear it as much as possible.

White dresses are timeless and so classy looking, that I find myself reaching for them all the time in summer. I decided that wearing them in summer wasn’t enough for me, and I wanted to try styling a white dress in both fall and winter too, to see if I could create chic put-together outfits with this warm weather staple.

The good news is my little style experiment worked, and I was able to create a seasonal white dress style guide to share with you too! Read on for my EASY fashion tips and tricks on how to wear your summery white dresses throughout the seasons.

How to style a white summer dress

How to style a white summer dress

The best way to style a white summer dress is with natural toned accessories that match the style of the dress. Pair with a rattan bag during the day for a rustic twist, and with an elegant pair of heels and statement earrings during the evening.

Here are six ways to style a white summer dress throughout the seasons, including pictures for inspiration…

1. Pair your white summer dress with a natural toned knit cardigan on summer evenings

white summer dress with knitted cardigan

Depending on where you live in the world, it often gets chilly in the summer evenings. That’s definitely the case here in the UK, and it can be tricky to warm up your white summer dress whilst still looking stylish.

I’ve found the best way to do this is to pair a light knitted cardigan with your white summer dress, in a natural tone such as camel, beige, brown, cream etc.

In the above image I paired my linen blend white summer dress with a tan coloured knitted cardigan. I found this pairing had an ‘old-timey’ charm, which is perfect for the trending ‘cottagecore’ summer style.

A light weight knitted cardigan works best, as it’s not too heavy or stuffy, and will keep your shoulders warm as the sun sets.

2. Match with a rattan bag for a chic rustic twist

white midi dress with rattan bags

Rattan bags are the perfect summer accessory in my opinion, as they never seem to go out of style. Perfect for adding an easy rustic twist to our outfit, the rattan bag pairs nicely with white summer dresses.

They come in a range of natural toned weaves, that will suit your white dress to a tee; another super easy way to add a touch of ‘cottagecore’ whimsy to your summery dress.

3. Accessorise the outfit with a trendy hat to break up the silhouette

White summer dress with hat
Source: Unsplash

Throwing on a hat before you rush out of the door is one of the easiest ways to elevate the style of your outfit. Pairing a brown or stone coloured hat with a white dress is a simple way to give the outfit a pop of instant style, without having to put too much thought into what you are wearing.

Outfit decision fatigue is something I dread each summer, worrying how I will look put-together and feel comfortable without having to spend too much time standing in front of my wardrobe. A simple white summer dress and hat pairing is a super easy way to beat this, as it’s a two item outfit you can put on in seconds, that looks great every time!

Working from home this summer? You may enjoy this article: 10 SUMMER Work From Home Outfits – Style Guide

How to wear a white summer dress in fall

Style a white summer dress in fall by wearing a simple turtleneck underneath to warm up your arms. Pair with heeled ankle boots and woollen socks to transition the dress between the seasons.

dress with boots and turtleneck

An easy way to transition your white summer dress into fall is to layer underneath it. Layering underneath the dress is the best way to maintain the style of the dress and not cover it up, so the silhouette remains.

I find laying a turtleneck underneath works really well, especially if the turtleneck is of a dusty pink colour, as I styled in the above image. A beige or camel turtleneck would also work well, along with white, cream or grey.

Finish off the outfit with heeled ankle boots with a tall shaft – this style of boot is timeless and favoured by celebrities for the simple chic style. Wear woollen socks underneath for that cosy fall feel, and switch out your handbag for a cute backpack in a fall toned colour (as pictured above), such as dark green or ochre.

How to wear a white summer dress in winter

The best way to wear a white summer dress in the winter is to layer a turtleneck underneath for a chic and easy outfit. Wear with a long lapel collared coat and finish the outfit with heeled boots and tights.

1. Pair your white summer dress with tights and a coat

dress with tights and coat How to wear a white summer dress in winter

Just like in fall, an easy way to warm up your white summer dress whilst still looking chic is to layer a turtleneck underneath. In winter you can go one step further by adding black or skin toned tights underneath to keep your legs warm.

Wear a long lapel collared coat over the top for an extra layer of warmth, as styled in the above image on the right. Match the colour of the coat to the palette of the turtleneck for a stylish twist that ties the outfit together.

In the image on the left I paired a black turtleneck, heeled boots and tights with my white summer dress, to create a monochromatic look. I finished off the outfit with a black and white tweed patterned bag and a chunky black belt to synch the waist. Adding a belt to the waist breaks up all of the white of the dress, and completes the monochromatic look.

2. Wear a light beige jumper over the top, or layer up in a turtleneck and chunky scarf.

dress with jumper and scarf

An easy way to style your white summer dress in winter is to layer a jumper over the top of it. Choose a neutral toned jumper to compliment the colour of the dress to look instantly put-together.

A cream, dusty pink, grey or brown toned jumper would also look well for a classy finish to match the shade of the dress. Make sure the jumper finishes at either the waist or just above the hips for a trendy silhouette that doesn’t swamp the dress in bulky material.

Alternatively you can layer over the top of your dress with a chunky scarf, that pairs well with white, as styled in the above image on the right. A chunky scarf is the perfect winter accessory for warming up an outfit, and it looks so stylish too. Finish the outfit with skin toned tights and heeled boots with a tall shaft for warmth.

A note

Thank you for reading my ‘How to Style a White Summer Dress’ seasonal guide – I hope you now feel inspired to head to your wardrobe and style your white summer dresses throughout the seasons!

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