How to Pair Summer Dresses with Sneakers
Any excuse to wear summer dresses is a great one. When the weather is hot, you want nothing more than to stay cool, comfortable, and stylish all at once. Airy, breezy dresses help you achieve the look you want without sacrificing your comfort when temperatures spike. And there’s a dress for every warm-weather activity on your itinerary, whether you’re headed to a backyard barbecue, a pool party, or meeting up with friends for Sunday brunch.
It’s easy to put a fancy spin on your dresses. The right accessories and a pair of heels can make even the most casual styles look a little more pulled together. But what if you prefer to dress down your look? You can easily make that a reality by wearing your dress with a pair of sneakers. Here are a few styling suggestions to keep in mind.
Try a Midi Dress With Kicks
You don’t usually see a midi dress with anything other than a pair of heels, slides, or sandals. But they happen to look awesome with sneakers too. The midi is available in everything from dressy floral prints to casual cotton jersey styles. Both lend themselves well to sneakers.
Try the dressier style with a pair of crisp white leather sneakers for a timeless look from top to bottom. The all-leather, all-white variety is the darling of the athletic footwear world. It’s been that way for decades, only now it’s graduated from the sports world and immersed itself in mainstream fashion—and with good reason. It’s incredibly versatile, and you’ll like the way it easily dresses down a dress that otherwise looks more posh with pointy-toe flats. Then, with a simple jersey midi dress, step into a pair of slip-on canvas sneakers. It’s a sporty accent that plays well with the inherently effortless vibe of the dress.
Wear a Maxi With High Tops
Maxi dresses for women are prized for their enduring comfort. They provide additional coverage for those days when you don’t want to wear a shorter length but also don’t exactly want to step outside in long pants. Maxis are also airy, forgiving, and available in a wide range of styles. It’s a go-to choice for almost anything on your schedule, whether you’re meeting friends for coffee or enjoying date night with your significant other.
A pair of high-top sneakers brings some balance to the flow of your dress. The shoes are naturally casual with a seriously sporty vibe about them. The dress, by contrast, is simple and breezy. To create some definition between the two without calling too much attention to their stark differences, try an unstructured maxi dress. One that’s a little more relaxed and less tightly defined is ideal, as it conveys a more easygoing vibe that complements the laid-back and relaxed feel of the shoes. Throw on a denim jacket if it’s a little windy outside to complete the look.
Step Into Low Tops With a Mini
If you’re wearing a short T-shirt dress, you’ve already won half the summer wardrobe battle. There’s almost no better choice for helping you keep your cool on those balmy days and evenings. Plus, tee dresses are easy to dress up with a statement necklace and a pair of metallic sandals. And on the flip side, they probably look most at home with a pair of sneakers out of every other dress style in your closet.
That’s because the T-shirt dress is inherently laid-back in that quintessentially cool, unbothered, completely nonchalant way. It’s the ultimate “throw it on and go” piece, the type you can wear to lunch, the movies, a concert, or a casual date without a second thought. Of course, it’s designed with your comfort in mind, so it only fits that your footwear should follow suit. A pair of low-top kicks is the perfect partner for this easy dress style. If your dress is a neutral color, try a bright shade on your feet, or vice versa.
Rock a Skater Dress With Chunky Sneakers
Skater dresses are a bit like fit-and-flare dresses, with fitted tops and flared skirts. They’re wonderfully versatile and perfect for your date nights, special events, and dressier outings with friends, yet equally casual when paired with simpler footwear.
A pair of chunky sneakers are a great choice if you don’t mind a pair that adds a few inches to your frame. This style has reigned supreme in the shoe world for a few years now, largely because they’re so versatile and easy to wear. They complement the playful spirit of the skater dress perfectly and somehow also look right at home with wide-leg trousers and T-shirts and sleek midi skirts and cropped tops. Have some fun making them an integral part of your wardrobe.
Sneakers make a fresh and casual alternative to your usual sandals and ballet flats. With so many different options, you’ll find it’s pretty easy and straightforward to wear them with a whole range of different summer dress styles.