Thursday, March 30, 2023

The Best Summer Dresses Are Already On Amazon For Under $100

Amazon is a trove of deeply affordable summer dresses begging to be shopped. With a stable of surprisingly shoppable in-house brands, including must-have viral products and high-end dresses curated by Shopbop, the site’s already-expansive selection of closet candy seems to know no bounds. As summer kicks into high gear, if a spendy frock isn’t exactly what you (or your wallet) are in the market for right now, there’s a sea of budget-friendly, casual, and flirty dresses to be unearthed within Amazon’s universe of stuff.

To update our carousel of warm-weather attire, we went digging for the breeziest frocks to add to the cart along with all our other summer essentials (ahem, inflatable pools). And, in the spirit of keeping our finances in check, we limited our search to under-$100 garments only — distilling the bountiful findings into a streamlined must-shop list of everything from pretty tiered maxis to printed minis to laid-back shirt dresses. Ahead, click through our roundup of the best (and most affordable) summer dresses you can score on Amazon.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy or click on something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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Amazon Essentials Women's Sleeveless Woven Shirt Dress


Here's a breezy shirt dress perfect for a picnic or BBQ. It's especially great for petites given its shorter hem: "Love this dress. It’s pretty TTS. I’m 5’3” and a normal medium. This fits great. It falls just above my knee for a perfect length! Hard to fit for the short ladies! Love the pockets too," writes a reviewer.

Shop Amazon Essentials

Amazon Essentials Women's Sleeveless Woven Shirt Dress, $, available at Amazon

AlvaQ Spaghetti Strap Button Down Mini Dress


This simple, loose-fitting spaghetti strap shift has been ranked almost 20K times on Amazon. "I LOVE this dress! It fits perfectly, just above the knee (I'm 5'7"), super flattering. Does not run small, is not tight anywhere, does not show any bulges or bumps. It is lined with a sewn-in thin smooth cotton lining, so it will stay cool during the summer. The perfect dress to wear to a summer wedding, wine tasting, out to lunch, garden party type setting," writes a reviewer.

Shop AlvaQ

AlvaQ Spaghetti Strap Button Down Mini Dress, $, available at Amazon

Prettygarden Floral V Neck Summer Wrap Dress


If you're looking for a wrap summer dress that works generously with various body types, this one might be it. "I finally found a dress that fits and that I love! I am in that middle-of-life stage where my body isn't where I'd like it to be...with my chest and stomach much larger than usual. This dress fits great. It is so pretty and it makes me feel pretty to wear it," writes one reviewer.

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Prettygarden Floral V Neck Summer Wrap Dress, $, available at Amazon

HBEYYTO Short Sleeve Flowy Mini Dress


If you're into a classic babydoll mini dress, the kind that you can simply throw on like an oversized T-shirt, allow this one to be your latest closet reach.

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HBEYYTO Short Sleeve Flowy Mini Dress, $, available at Amazon

Exlura Tie Back Square Neck Mini Dress


It's the tie-back detail that does it for us! "This dress was so light and airy- I wore it to my bachelorette party in August and kept me nice and cool. I’m 5’6, 220 lbs and the XL fit perfect. Highly recommend!" writes one reviewer.

Shop Exlura

Exlura Tie Back Square Neck Mini Dress, $, available at Amazon

Goodthreads Georgette Smock-Back Cami Maxi Dress


If length is what you're going for, this maxi with pockets shows just a hint of ankle. "I bought this dress for a trip to Mexico, and loved wearing it. It was comfortable and breezy in the hot/humid weather," writes one reviewer. "The fabric is flowy and didn't stick to my pear-shaped curves-- it skimmed them and was very flattering."

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Goodthreads Georgette Smock-Back Cami Maxi Dress, $, available at Amazon

DKNY Women's Faux Wrap Dress


Dig a little in the Amazon racks and tried-and-true brands like DKNY will turn up. This flowy number is a bit more put-together, ideal for a summer soiree. "This dress is gorgeous and perfect for wedding season! It’s very comfortable and flattering. If you have a smaller chest, you made need to use fabric tape to keep the top part from falling open when you sit down. I did that and it worked perfectly!" advises a reviewer.

Shop DKNY

DKNY Women's Faux Wrap Dress, $, available at Amazon

Naggoo Ruffle Short Sleeve Mini Floral Dress


How darling is this summer dress! The wrap detail, the crossover top, the ruffle hem, the floral print...this is a frock begging to be seen. "This dress is absolutely fantastic. The fabric is comfortable. It is lightweight with some texture to it. It is not at all cheap feeling. I am a size 8 generally and 5'3", about 150lbs right now. I have a 34D chest. I ordered a Medium. It fits like a dream," writes one enthusiastic reviewer.

Shop Naggoo

Naggoo Ruffle Short Sleeve Mini Floral Dress, $, available at Amazon

The Drop Women's Ana Silky V-Neck Midi Slip Dress


The R29 Shopping team's own Karina Hoshikawa reviewed this unassuming but stunning slip dress a few years ago — and it still remains one of Amazon Fashion's best-kept secrets. Hoshikawa writes, "The color is on point. The price is right. The shipping was free and fast. It's comfortable. It's cute. It can be dressed up or down with minimal styling effort required. But, perhaps best of all, the length was actually a true midi — aka hitting right at the calf on my 5'2 frame."

Shop The Drop


The Drop Women's Ana Silky V-Neck Midi Slip Dress, $, available at Amazon

Free People Let It Happen Mini


If you can believe it, beloved fashion retailer Free People also offers its boho-chic wares on Amazon. This flowy mini dress could work great as a cover-up or even over a pair of cutoff denim shorts.

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Free People Let It Happen Mini, $, available at Amazon

Calvin Klein Women's Ribbed Scoop Neck Midi Dress


We love a classic spring dress. This knit midi comes from Calvin Klein, and it's ribbed, slightly bodycon, and has buttons down the front, which means you could also essentially where it open, belted, and layered over another outfit.

Shop Calvin Klein

Calvin Klein Women's Ribbed Scoop Neck Midi Dress, $, available at Amazon

The Drop Women's Sade Linen Cut-Out Midi


There's no need to fear cutouts. This linen midi dress is both sexy and elegant, with just a sliver and a flash of skin showing at the waist. Plus, sizing goes up to 5X, which means giving this trend a go is likely feasible for most body types.

Shop The Drop

The Drop Women's Sade Linen Cut-Out Midi, $, available at Amazon

KOJOOIN Women's Sheer Mesh Dress


While the model has fashioned this sheer dress into a beach coverup, we think that this dress would be much better suited as a layered piece over, say, a slip dress or bodysuit. The embroidered flowers are also a fun way to lean into the blooming springtime sun.

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KOJOOIN Women's Sheer Mesh Dress, $, available at Amazon

Bsubseach Crochet Cover Up


On the topic of beach coverups, this high-neck crochet style actually happens to be an Amazon "trending" fashion item with its recent spike in sales. It seems like shoppers are ready for seaside adventures, and this dress is a must-pack. "I bought this for a Caribbean cruise and added a floppy hat and cute sandals and I looked (and felt) like a celebrity," writes a reviewer. "I'm not always super confident walking around in my bathing suit but this has just the right amount of skin showing to leave you feeling sexy yet modest."

Shop Bsubseach

Bsubseach Crochet Cover Up, $, available at Amazon

Dokotoo Women's Casual Short Sleeve Side Split Button Down


Because of the button-down design, you could wear this dress in many ways, depending on the occasion and how revealing you want to go. "I bought this for a last-minute outfit to Dubai and it was a HIT...I put on a belt with it and slayed! Now I want every color lol...It is comfy and the material is breathable," writes a reviewer.

Shop Dokotoo

Dokotoo Womens Casual Short Sleeve Side Split Button Down, $, available at Amazon

Ecowish Plaid Sleeveless Summer Casual Sundress


Bring on all the gingham this summer, especially if "picnic in the park" is your vibe. Here's one review that praises all the main highlights you need to know: "Wow this is just as cute in person as it is online. Very soft fabric. PS: It has pockets!! Cannot wait for a perfect spring day."

Shop Ecowish

Ecowish Plaid Sleeveless Summer Casual Sundress, $, available at Amazon

Romwe Women's Romantic Off-Shoulder Mini Dress


Not all spring dresses need to be modest. If going "extra" is on your list — whether it's for a wedding or you simply enjoy princesswear (us, too) — make sure this fluttery, ruffly, showstopper-y dress is in your closet.

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Romwe Women's Romantic Off Shoulder Mini Dress, $, available at Amazon

Kirundo Puff Sleeve Cut-Out Dress


What do you get when you cross a puff-sleeve dress with a cutout dress? Why yes, you get this under-$40 dress that's simply charming and sexy without going too overboard.

Shop Kirundo

Kirundo Puff Sleeve Cut Out Dress, $, available at Amazon

Mitilly Boho Polka Dot Midi Dress


With 4 out of 5 stars and over 14K reviews, this midi dress has shoppers doing the polka for sure. "This is one of my favorite dress purchases of all time! I love a good retro dress and snatched this up when it showed up in my recommendations at such a great price," writes a reviewer.

Shop Mitilly

Mitilly Boho Polka Dot Midi Dress, $, available at Amazon

Zesica One Shoulder Tiered Mini Dress


What has caught our eye about this summer dress is the blend of less obvious (but still all super stylish) fashion trends: the one-shoulder strap, the pleated fabrication, the tiered flounce, and the loose fit. We'd get this in multiple hues for its gentle price point.

Shop Zesica

Zesica One Shoulder Tiered Mini Dress, $, available at Amazon

PYGFEMR Women's Short Sleeve Babydoll Dress


It's no secret that this babydoll dress has very little shape or silhouette to it, but that's precisely the point. We think this would make for a great summer dress if you wanna throw it on and go for an easy weekend. "Since I’m bigger chested, it falls straight in front of me so I'd only wear it with a belt," writes one viewer. "Perfect for spring though & easy to accessorize. So cute!" On the flip side, another reviewer, who prefers to wear this dress loose, writes, "I am older and have that terrible fat menopausal tummy. This goes over it real nice. It’s not hot! It’s a great dress!"

Shop PYGFEMR

PYGFEMR Women's Short Sleeve Babydoll Dress, $, available at Amazon

Halife Casual Spaghetti Strap Midi Dress with Pockets


With 4.1 out of 5 stars and over 9K reviews, this spring dress could be considered one of Amazon Fashion's classic styles. "This dress is so cute and simple! So many ways to style it and fits perfect! I always worry about the straps and length as I am very short and dresses tend to be too long or the top part hangs low on the chest but not with this dress! Only thing I wish is that the material was a little thicker. It's very thin but helps it be a little flowy," writes a reviewer.

Shop Halife

Halife Casual Spaghetti Strap Midi Dress with Pockets, $, available at Amazon

Mitilly Loose Swing Casual Dress


While most of the dresses in this roundup boast a rather traditional construction, this fluttery mini dress has some unexpected details, like an asymmetrical drop empire waist, three-quarter sleeves, and the all-over ruffle hems. Unique? We'd sure say so.

"I don't usually bother writing reviews, but for this dress I had to!! I needed something feminine and youthful and fresh looking AND something that would make me look SLIMMER! JACKPOT!!" writes one enthused wearer. "I'm curvy and this dress drapes - PERFECTLY. I can even get away with wearing this to church - no tights and high heels and still look APPROPRIATE. Ladies, it takes me FOREVER to find something to hide all flaws and highlight the areas I don't mind showing off - and this dress does just that!!!"

Shop Mitilly

Mitilly Loose Swing Casual Dress, $, available at Amazon

Luvamia Denim Short Dress


Did you really think you'd get through an entire dress roundup without seeing a denim style in the mix? What we love best about this mini is the rather fitted silhouette with the varsity-style neckline. "What I surprise!! I had low expectations but was completely wrong!!! I love everything about this dress! The size is perfect, the quality is excellent!! Love!!!" writes one reviewer.

Shop Luvamia

Luvamia Denim Short Dress, $, available at Amazon

Bdcoco V Neck Floral Lace Dress


Yes, we're very aware that this boho maxi dress could also look like a wedding dress (we should mention, it does come in multiple colors!) — but we simply cannot resist a lacy moment for summer. "The cut and color of this dress are very flattering. I'm 5'5" 140lbs and the Medium fit perfectly. You don't have to wear a slip under it, as the skirt and bodice are fully lined and very soft. My new favorite dress!" writes a reviewer.

Shop Bdcoco

Bdcoco V Neck Floral Lace Dress, $, available at Amazon

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