11 Dresses That Will Get You Excited for Spring
Usher in the season with color, volume, and—yes—florals
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Just hearing the word groundbreaking in the springtime will elicit eye rolls. But if it’s wrong to say we like florals for spring, then we don’t want to be right! We also want stripes! And color! And cutouts!
For Hunter Bell, founder of her eponymous brand, spring inspires wanderlust. It is a time for her to climb out of hibernation, grab her passport, and put on her brightest—and lightest—wardrobe favorites. “I’m looking to design and shop for pieces that are playful with bright colors and patterns to accompany my adventures,” she tells Bazaar. “Yellow, lime, and pinks are what I seem to be gravitating towards this spring—always with a bit of whimsy and feminine tailoring.”
When you’re out shopping or scrolling for fresh, new finds, there are a few things to keep in mind. “A great fit keeps things very timeless,” Bell says. “An A-line dress will continuously serve you well. Really wearable dresses that you can throw on and look effortlessly put-together in are a great spring investment.”
The designer says her goal is to “create pieces that feel like a special addition to your wardrobe to enjoy for years to come.” From the Charlotte to the Porter, each Hunter Bell dress has a personality of its own. Other designers and brands playing in this fun and feminine space include Dôen, Silvia Tcherassi, and LoveShackFancy.
Ahead, 11 gorgeous picks you’ll want to live in all season.
Kiss away the winter blues in this azure-hued gem from Cara Cara. Wrap a cashmere cardigan around your shoulders on a chilly morning, and finish it all off with a pair of satin mules for the ultimate trans-seasonal look.
A mouthwatering lollipop in garment form, the Pavia dress from Silvia Tcherassi is the colors your wardrobe has been craving all winter.
The Midi Marlowe’s peplum hem offers a smart look for the office, especially paired with a white blazer. After hours, show off the halterneck tie, with playful thick ribbons falling down the back.
Christy Lynn’s Alexa dress—a beautiful tiered creation of organza and camellia—is a glorious choice for a spring wedding in the garden.
With a palette of muted greens and peach, this Raquel Diniz maxi offers a fun twist, with midriff cutouts in the front embellished with stonelike accents, and a bow that ties in the back.
One of Bell’s favorite offerings at Hunter Bell is the Addison dress, a bright cherry-red mini with a drop waist, a hidden-button top, and a flirty skirt.
Dark florals: You’ll see a lot of this moody pattern this season. This Rixo maxi with a plunging neckline is perfect for outdoor dinner parties.
The two-tier Zennia mini in blueberry frost is not only fun to look at, it’s also a lot of fun to wear. The dress is made from a super-soft fil coupé silk blend and snatches in all the right areas: ruching at the bust, shaped waist, smocked back.
This printed neon-yellow stunner from the house of Oscar de la Renta is a bolder way to wear florals this spring.
You know those times when you want to look like you milk your own cows and churn your own butter, but don’t actually want to … do either of those things? This breezy pintucked charmer from Dôen is exactly the farmcore look we’re after this spring and requires no additional work.
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DeAnna Janes is a freelance writer and editor for a number of sites, including Harper’s BAZAAR, Tasting Table, Fast Company and Brit + Co, and is a passionate supporter of animal causes, copy savant, movie dork and reckless connoisseur of all holidays. A native Texan living in NYC since 2005, Janes has a degree in journalism from Texas A&M and got her start in media at US Weekly before moving on to O Magazine, and eventually becoming the entertainment editor of the once-loved, now-shuttered DailyCandy. She’s based on the Upper West Side.
