As an editor at Who What Wear, I spend a considerable amount of my week looking for new dresses, so this time of year, I also have an accidental side hustle as a “dress hunter” for my friends. My WhatsApp conversations have been dominated by talk of wedding-guest dresses. The most common question I receive is “What do I wear when the ceremony is going to be at a hot destination?” In this case, I’d recommend you avoid polyester and anything that will exacerbate the stickiness. In fact, I’ve been asked this question five times this month already.
As I said, the first thing I’d look out for is the material. Avoid anything too synthetic; instead, opt for cotton, linens and silks. It can be tempting to think you have to wear as little fabric as possible to keep cool, but if you’re wanting to be a little more covered up, there are plenty of sleeved dresses with breezy shapes that will stop you from overheating. Below I’ve identified the four dress styles which will fare best in the heat, with dress options to cover all budgets.
