Colorful Printed Breathable Dresses for Grown Women
Colorful Printed Breathable Dresses for Grown Women
A lot of time when you are searching for breathable dresses in fabrics like linen, cotton, and tencel, they are n neutral colors that are versatile, but can sometimes be more basic than what you're looking for. It's hard to find colorful printed breathable dresses; it's something I myself search for every spring.
I've learned that while there may be snow on the ground where you live, now is the time to start thinking about and shopping for your spring wardrobe. This is when the new spring collections are launched, and there is the best selection of sizes.
I've been looking at spring apparel thinking of you, the Wardrobe Oxygen community. You already can easily find solid-colored breathable dresses at many retailers in most sizes. But prints are harder, especially when you're looking for brighter colors or bolder patterns. Those are usually kept for synthetic or less breathable fabrics… and styles a grown woman may not wish to wear.
Why I Recommend a Colorful Printed Dress for Spring and Summer
As a fellow grown woman, I am a fan of printed dresses. Yes, they are more memorable, but that isn't a bad thing. It is not wearing the same thing over and over, it's creating a TRUE capsule wardrobe; one that has the perfect thing for each situation and this dress is perfect for all the kinds of situations where you wear it. It's signature style.
We must let go of the idea of rewearing a look is a bad thing. I am inspired by my husband, who I think has great style. He is not afraid of prints or color, and likes to take risks with his wardrobe. Whatever the occasion, he can find something in there positvely perfect to wear. But he takes up less than 1/3 of our closet, with his hangers all comfortably spaced. I on the other hand, even though I try very hard to curate my closet and shop thoughtfully, I take up the rest of the space and could easily fill a bigger closet.
Don't be afraid of prints, they hide sweat, they take the focus from your shape, they feel festive and fun, and depending on the print, add a modernity to more traditional styles. It's not rewearing, it's having signature style!!
Colorful Printed Breathable Dresses for Grown Women
Any woman can wear whatever the heck they want and look chic. Fashion is fluid, and confidence is the best accessory. We're grown women, and 2023 style is taking up the space we deserve. That can be by breaking style rules, by trying a bolder silhouette, by having fun with color, or even choosing a print instead of a solid.
These colorful printed dresses are all from breathable fabrics, primarily cotton and linen. While many other fabrics can be breathable, they may be higher maintenance or not as easily found in bright colorful prints and versatile styles. And while some styles of the breathable dresses below may benefit from a strapless bra (or a small bust), none have cutouts, open backs, or complicated details that require special underpinnings.
Shop the Collage:
Top Row: white floral shirtdress (2-14) | floral caftan (4-16 but also custom) | green and white sundress (XS-XL) | black floral sundress (12W-24W) | green and white shirtdress (XXS-3X)
Bottom Row: black with green dots (XXS-XXL) | black floral (XXS-XXL) | green on green dots (XXS-4X) | colorful Mod print (XS-XXL) | blue and green shirtdress (XS-3X)
Shop the Collage:
Top Row: Paris print shirtdress (2-16) | red and blue off the shoulder self-belt midi dress (XXS-XL) | black floral off the shoulder dress (14W-22W) | black floral belted dress (0-16) | red floral full sleeve midi dress (XS-XL)
Bottom Row: Pink belted fit and flare (00-16) | white floral puff sleeve maxi dress (XS-XXL) | maroon and pink shirtdress (XS-3XL) | pink printed puff sleeve dress (00-16) | red and pink trapeeze shirtdress (XXS-3XL)
Shop the Collage:
Top Row: light blue floral dress (XXS-3X) | indigo and white print shirtdress (2-10) | blue and white tiny floral shirtdress (00-18) | navy and pink print sundress (2-14) | blue and ivory print dress (XS-XXL + custom; this is similar as the Etsy shop I chose when making the collage went on hiatus the following day)
Bottom Row: blue and black shirtdress (XXL-4X) | blue one-shoulder dress (XS-XL) | blue floral maxi dress (XXS-3X + petite) | pale blue stripe shirtdress (XS-3X + petite) | blue floral puff sleeve dress (2-12)
Shop the Collage:
Top Row: bold printed sleeveless dress (2-16) | beige feather print maxi dress (0-20 + tall & petite) | paprika-colored floral dress (XS-XL) | pale pink print belted dress (1X-3X) | brown and yellow pieced print dress (32-46)
Bottom Row: orange floral belted shift (32-46) | brown print sundress (2-18) | tan mixed print maxi dress (XS-3X + petite) | beige floral sundress (XS-4X) | striped maxi dress (XS-XL)
I have to go to a wedding in June need a dress. I 52 can’t be a long dress lol
Love this roundup and am following the comments—I’m always looking for great summer dresses!
I also had to resort to mostly synthetics on my 3-week trip to Malaysia – but these breezy ones did work okay! I bought them with long sleeves and with long skirts (to protect against the sun). Both were heavier/bulkier than I had hoped they’d be in terms of packing, but they did all right.
https://www.eshakti.com/shop/Dresses/Rayon-Crinkle-elastic-ruched-dress-CL0094698
(unlined)
https://www.eshakti.com/shop/Dresses/Crinkle-gauze-drawstring-empire-maxi-dress-CL0085124
(lined)
My daywear was mostly poplin skirt with a rashguard from Lands End.
I had really hoped to find linen in a pattern that was breezy without being a tent–but the few that I tried felt very Adult Baptism rather than coastal art professor.
Eshakti does have a few printed cotton linen options presently! https://www.eshakti.com/search/linen
Alison – sometimes I think you can read minds! I was just looking for a cotton, print dress to take on some upcoming vacations. This is a great mix of choices! I also am very happy that I now have a “Glad It’s in My Closet Dress” from a post you did last year. I’m ready for anything with that dress!
What a resource! Thank you!
Love these, but would love one focused on office-appropriate dresses. Here in DC I live in them because of the swampiness, but am less and less eager to show off my chest and arms around work colleagues. Also, I love bright colors and taking up space, but sometimes too much of BOTH is a lot for DC meetings where all the men are in navy suits!
Are there any of these that you think might stand up well to travel – be less prone to wrinkle or to look okay with wrinkles? I have some synthetic dresses that can handle being crammed in a suitcase but I would love to find some that are more breathable.
Cotton and linen by style will be more likely to wrinkle, but a poplin will be more likely to both hold up and be able to steam out quickly.
I just took a poplin skirt to Malaysia and it did great being packed (and steamed in the shower).
I ordered this from eShakti for a family wedding last summer, one of the first big events we had ventured to in post-Covid times. It is synthetic, but not the kind of fabric that makes you extra sweaty, especially with the body-skimming cut. Plus, it’s very wrinkle resistant for packing and wearing. I resolved to commit to wearing it multiple times and I have!
https://www.eshakti.com/product/CL0091612&Neckline=As%20Shown&Sleeve%20Type=Inset%20cap&Length=As%20Shown
Wow! Great collection.