35 Summer Dresses for Sweat, Suitcases & Staying Stylish in the Heat

What I’m Shopping for my Summer Vacation

Hi there,

Summer travel is calling, and I’m dreaming of my upcoming summer family trip (a lot more on this later!). But I’ve also been dreading one thing: packing for the heat. I’m not a light packer (never have been), and to make things harder, I usually prefer separates over dresses, which means more bulk and more decisions. But with rainforest-level humidity, city sidewalks that radiate like stovetops, and suitcases that have to serve my whole family, I’ve officially become a woman on a mission: I must find the perfect hot-weather dresses that are lightweight, chic, and make me actually want to ditch my separates, leaving more room for the inevitable shopping and souvenirs I’ll be bringing back (not to mention lower my mental load every morning as I try to decode what I packed).

I’m talking all-day, city-to-resort easy dresses. Pieces you can sweat in, stroll in, stuff in a carry-on, and wash in a hotel sink without looking like you’ve given up. Bonus points if they don’t wrinkle like an origami project. I’ve always loved cotton gauze, and would buy most of my dresses in that fabric, but I have to say: after scouring the internet (and believe me, I am a professional scourer!), there are very few cotton gauze dresses out there (if any) that are worthy of the word fashion with a capital F. There is a huge market gap for real fashion cotton gauze dresses, and designers who really care about women (especially the ones in midlife who usually run hot…) should be addressing this! Please come up with better options in this miracle fabric, and I promise you that you’ll make tons of money. But I digress…

I opened up my search to expand to other fabrics, and looked for dresses that were breathable, washable, packable, and somehow still give that elusive “I just threw this on and I feel fresh and stylish” even when you're secretly melting. Scroll down for the full edit : I prepared 5 mood boards that go from shirt, column & straight, long & flowy, feminine & tailored, and knit dresses for a total of 35 fabulous options. Now I have solid options for my trip and will hopefully pack lightly.

Speaking of fashion and style, don’t forget to mark your calendar: on May 22nd, Susan Sandler and I are hosting our Salon series in East Hampton with stylist and entrepreneur Jessie Freschl. We’ll dive into style, entrepreneurship, body image, and how to get dressed in a way that actually feels good. It’s the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend, the perfect moment to pause, connect, and get inspired before the summer chaos sets in. RSVP at rsvp@matriark.com (details below). More events are coming, and we are doing another fun giveaway for our Founding Members, so make sure you upgrade to paid subscription to secure an invitation.

Alright, onto the edit. Remember that we deserve to show up for ourselves, feel good, and wear something fabulous even when we’re sweating, planning, and juggling everyone else’s needs. Now if only I could figure out my shoes, what to do with my frizzy hair once the humidity hits 95%…

Sending love,

Patricia