This Is the Most Perfect Dress for Surviving a Summer in the City

Photo credit: Design by Michael Stillwell
Photo credit: Design by Michael Stillwell


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Here at T&C, we pride ourselves on our discerning eye for quality. With Tried & True, our editors will give you an inside look at the pieces they simply cannot live without.


Summer in the city—it's the best and also the worst. While I'm lucky enough to have a place outside of NYC to escape to when the temps reach scorching highs and the air gets unbearably thick, most of my summers are spent here. And this year especially now that I'm back in the office twice a week and my social calendar is once again jam-packed with social gatherings.

But as fellow city girls know all too well, the relentless weather and oppressive humidity often pose a problem for our summer style: How can one look cute and comfortable at the same time in the NYC heat? The answer lies in an easy, breezy linen dress, particularly Reformation's Desiree linen mini dress.

Last summer, when I just so happened to stop in Reformation's Lower East Side store (to escape the brutal heat, of course), I came across this airy mini number in a periwinkle hue and knew straight off the bat it was about to be my most-worn dress of summer. Indeed, I wasn't wrong. I wore it over and over again from late June to August for Prospect/Central Park outings and casual dinner dates, to the point where people started to notice—I fully intend to do the same this season, too.

What makes the Desiree the most perfect dress for surviving a summer in the city is how lightweight it is. The linen frock—which is also available in mellow yellow gingham and floral print—is a breeze to slip into and serves as the ultimate solution on 85+ degree days when even denim shorts feel too heavy to put on. Equally as notable: the fitted bodice that accentuates all figures, the convenient adjustable straps that tie over the shoulders, and the mini silhouette that makes your legs look like they belong to Cindy Crawford. The ruffled hems at the neckline and skirt also add a flirty and feminine touch, and there's a smocked back bodice that makes it stretchy and all the more breathable. In other words, it's the type of dress that will score you compliments all summer long.

Being that it's made from linen, there's obviously not much you can do to prevent wrinkles and creases with every wear—but if you ask me, that just adds to the piece's charm and appeal. So to conclude, I leave you with this: for a beat-the-heat summer dress that is dressy but not fussy, simple but not boring, comfortable but not schlumpy-looking, your best bet is the Desiree. You can thank me later.

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