With snow in and out of the forecast in various locales, I can understand why dresses aren't at the top of everyone's priority lists right now. However, I always stay ready for what's to come. That way, I'm not scrambling at the same time as every other fashion person with good taste in dresses, leaving shelves out of stock and me with a closet full of frocks either one size too big or small or in a less desirable color. Getting ahead of the game will never bite you, which is why I'm spending my day preparing you (and myself) for the dress seasons that await us later in 2025.

To lay the groundwork for this task, research was a must. I looked at the spring/summer 2025 runway collections as well as the resort 2025 collections that followed them. I also scoured the market for chic, relevant options to shop and, of course, scrolled on Instagram for what felt like 24 straight hours. My findings? Well, you'll have to scroll down to see those. Ahead, discover seven 2025 dress trends that you'll want to buy up now. They're so good this year that they're bound to sell out before spring.

If you're the type of dresser who prefers simple, tried-and-true basics over flashy silhouettes, materials, and colors, this "trend" is for you. Ralph Lauren, Brandon Maxwell, Alaïa, Max Mara, Simkhai, and more brands took a simpler, more classic approach to dress designing for their spring/summer 2025 collections, crafting maxi-length white polo dresses and collared poplin frocks alike. Off the runway, celebrities like Sofia Richie Grainge and content creators like Marilyn Nwawulor-Kazemaks kept the trend going. Grainge belted her favorite white The Row T-shirt dress, and Nwawulor-Kazemaks styled a voluminous button-down dress with net flats, a Chanel shoulder bag, a silk bandana, and oversize sunglasses—proving that an uncomplicated and timeless item doesn't have to be boring.

Of all the talked-about trends on the spring/summer 2025 runways, powder pink was, by far, the one with the most buzz. Fresh, light, and airy, the elevated pastel was seen at Alaïa, Khaite, Victoria Beckham, and more, and designers used transparent fabrics, voluminous silhouettes, and delicate draping to make dresses in the already-rich-looking color appear more expensive and elegant. From there, celebrities ranging from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Simone Ashley to Ariana Grande (err Glinda) embraced the soft shade, donning it in satin, cotton, and tulle for star-studded events and red carpets throughout the last six months.

Pretty things have been a shining light in 2025. Delicately draped dresses in midi, mini, and maxi lengths appeared across the board on models (including Naomi Campbell) at S/S 25 runway shows for Proenza Schouler, Del Core, Christopher Esber, Stella McCartney, Victoria Beckham, and others as well as on the streets outside of said shows in a mix of pieces by Tory Burch and Zara. No matter what form this dress trend takes, it's going to be beautiful. Really, isn't that all we're looking for from our dresses?

"Elegance" has been one of fashion's most used buzzwords for more than just the short length of 2025 so far, but this year will certainly not be the year it stops being used, especially when it comes to dresses. This dress trend takes cues from multiple chic eras, including the 1950s and 1990s, and mixes in modern touches that make these retro, hypersophisticated dresses feel 2025 at the same time. Brands like Toteme, The Row, and Prada are very much owning this space, but don't fret—more affordable buys that fit the bill are available at stores of the Mango, Zara, Massimo Dutti, and COS variety.

Unlike at other fashion houses at the moment, the person sitting in Chloé's top seat isn't going anywhere—not when she pretty much kicked off one of the mid-2020s' greatest comebacks. Creative Director Chemena Kamali's debut collection for the French brand brought bohemian fashion back from fashion's graveyard, sending silk-chiffon dress after silk-chiffon dress down the runway accompanied by brass belts, clogs, and thigh-high boots. It was a wonder to watch and, as such, made many who were against wearing boho dresses rethink their aversion to the trend. Seeing Sydney Sweeney, Zoe Saldaña, Sienna Miller, and Daisy Edgar-Jones out and about in the designer's pieces didn't hurt the trend's causes either.

Please, never think of halters in a Y2K sense any longer because the controversial neckline has gotten a complete overhaul with the help of designers like Victoria Beckham, Pieter Mulier at Alaïa, Anthony Vaccarello at Saint Laurent, and Catherine Holstein at Khaite. From sleek neutral color options to brighter, poppier patterned picks, there's a seemingly endless supply of high-brow halter dresses available to choose from in 2025. Now, it's your job to pick out one (or more) that is right for you.

Outside of the fashion world, there may be capeless heroes, but inside it, any well-dressed celebutante is wearing one or, at the very least, a dress that features some cape-like detailing. Various versions were seen on the runways last season at Bottega Veneta, Ralph Lauren, Carven, Tove, and Proenza Schouler. Meanwhile, sleek and affordable options have become mainstays at stores like Zara and COS. Basically, capes are everywhere, and if you want to look chic in 2025, you should be wearing them in dress form.

Eliza Huber is an NYC-based senior fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and the intersection of sports and fashion. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 from Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a business degree from the University of Iowa. She's launched two columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top runway trends each season. Eliza lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, watching WNBA games, and scouring The RealReal for discounted Prada.