In my opinion, there’s nothing better than finding perfect lightweight summer dresses we can pack for vacation or wear right at home. The best summer dresses for women come in a variety of styles and lengths and today I’m going to share 25 best smocked summer dresses for women over 40. I’ve always been a big fan of smocked dresses and love that they are so popular this year! It’s the dress style I’m reaching for more and more this summer.
Smocked summer midi dresses are always a good idea!
There are so many reasons to love smocked summer dresses and today I’m to so share all the reasons why you will love smocked midi dresses. In fact, I included five of these dresses when I packed for my Nantucket trip this summer. I know that may seem like a lot, however I love how I feel about myself when I wear these cute dresses! Plus, I feel like I look good in them!
Outfit Details:
J.Crew Liberty Floral Smocked Dress / J.Crew Capri Sandals / J.Crew Leather Trim Woven Tote / J.Crew Acetate Earrings in Blue / J.Crew Cape Sunglasses
Smocking, is one of the prettiest design styles you can have in a dress.
Why did I pack so many casual smocked summer dresses for my trip? First of all, they’re very comfortable. Second of all, they’re ultra flattering! Third, I love the full skirts that were so breezy in the wind. Smocking, is one of the prettiest design styles you can have in a dress.
I know the title of this post says, for women over 40, but I want you to know that if you’re a woman under 40 or a women 50 and over, don’t worry. This post is for you too! Every dress I picked out will look beautiful on women of all ages. I also listened to a few readers who asked me to share summer dresses with sleeves. You expressed that you like to have your arms covered and wanted me to include more of these styles. I took this request seriously when planning out this post and now I have you covered!
Not only did I include smocked summer dresses without sleeves, I also included a beautiful variety of cute smocked summer dresses with sleeves. I even influenced myself to order some of these smocked summer dresses to wear on my last summer vacation of the year.
I wanted to answer some questions about smocking, in hopes that this post will helpful to you when choosing the perfect smocked summer dress to order. Plus, see below to shop 25 best smocked summer dresses for women over 40!
What is smocking?
Smocking is an embroidery technique used to gather fabric so that it can stretch. Smocking makes it possible for a garment to be form fitting and flexible or stretch.
Is smocking flattering on all women?
Smocking looks beautiful on all women, of all shapes and sizes. While smocking is an interesting detail in a dress or other garment, it can be quite flattering too! A smocked waist will give you a little shape without sacrificing comfort.
What makes smocking a great choice when purchasing a summer dress?
Smocking allows for a dress to be comfortable, which in my opinion is a very good choice. Sometimes I feel like the smocking detail on a dress is like having an accessory that makes it look really special. Plus, it’s a style that’s super popular this summer and I’m sure for years to come. Join in on the fun and order a smocked dress!
Where can you wear smocked summer dresses?
You can wear smocked summer dresses anywhere. I enjoyed wearing my smocked dresses in Nantucket earlier this summer. They were the perfect casual summer dress to wear while I shopped in downtown Nantucket. These cotton summer dresses were also fun to wear on dinner dates with my husband! Smocked midi dresses are perfect to wear for all your warm weather vacations here and abroad.
Here’s an example of a smocked summer dress with spaghetti straps. This J.Crew Liberty print dress has been my summer go-to smocked dress. I’ve worn it at least 5 times already and still feel in awe of it, every time I wear it. It’s the perfect breezy summer dress and I really had fun shooting photos with the shirt blowing in the wind. This cute dress is literally so much fun to wear, so I made sure to include it with the 25 best smocked summer dresses for women over 40!
SMOCKED SUMMER DRESSES WITHOUT SLEEVES
Who should wear smocked dresses without sleeves?
Any women who’s comfortable with showing off a little skin should wear smocked dresses without sleeves. These dresses can be strapless, have spaghetti straps, or ruffle straps. If you think you fall into this category, then smocked dresses without sleeves may be the perfect summer dress for you! They’re super breezy and fun to wear!
What should I wear with sleeveless smocked summer dresses?
Smocked dresses that are strapless, have spaghetti straps, or ruffle straps make them super breathable and ultra flattering. You will need to wear a strapless bra with these dresses, so I highly recommend this Wacoal Red Carpet Convertible Strapless Bra. It’s supportive and looks great underneath this style dress. It’s the only one I’ve used for years!
Add a fun pair of flip flops, strappy sandals, or sneakers to this style dress depending on the occasion. I enjoy wearing my smocked summer dresses with a pair of J.Crew Capri Sandals or Carrie Forbes Raffia Salon Slides for an easy fun look.
Shop Smocked Summer Dresses Without Sleeves
I rounded up the cutest smocked summer dresses without sleeves for you below. They come in lots of fun prints and colors that are perfect for summer vacations or at home. All of them are lovely, especially a few that I ordered recently to wear during my late summer vacation with my husband. This strapless green floral dress cost under $20 and available in lots of colors. This white smocked midi dress is so cute and this J.Crew Nantucket print smocked midi dress is on my wishlist! So many fun dresses for summer are here for you!
Here’s another example of a smocked summer dress I wore in Nantucket this summer with spaghetti straps that tied at the shoulder. I really loved the tiered maxi skirt of this Wayf Naysa Floral Sundress was so comfortable and perfect to wear out to dinner with my husband. You’ll notice I wore this cotton summer dress with this J.Crew woven tote with leather trim handbag and Carrie Forbes Salon Slides to complete the look. I love pairing these lightweight summer dresses with raffia and straw accessories for vacations. They really make an outfit look cute for summer!
This is an example of a smocked cotton summer dress with ruffle straps. This style dress is very popular this summer and if you can get your hands on a cute summer maxi dress like this, you will love it! The ruffle detailing on the shoulders and the smocking of this Reformation Noreen Dress are sweet and feminine. I feel so girly when I wear this floral midi dress and love it! I wore my favorite J.Crew Capri sandals and a J.Crew straw bag to complete this relaxed vacation look.
My Outfit Details: Reformation Noreen Floral Dress (I’m wearing an XS) / J.Crew Straw Bag / J.Crew Capri Sandals (fits true to size) / J.Crew Acetate Earrings / J.Crew Sunglasses
SMOCKED SUMMER DRESSES WITH SLEEVES
I love a good smocked midi dress with sleeves as shown in the photo below from my first vacation in Nantucket. The fact that these smocked dresses have sleeves lets us wear a regular bra with them. For women that needs lots of support, like me, this is crucial. Plus, these smocked dresses with sleeves gives us an opportunity to wear them for many occasions. They can be dressed up with heels or dressed down for a more summer casual look. I personally love wearing them with sandals, because that’s what I feel most comfortable in as shown in these photos. As I mentioned earlier, the smocking is like an accessory in itself, so you really do not need to add a lot of jewelry to pull off a nice elegant look when wearing smocked dresses with sleeves.
Here’s an example of a smocked fitted dress with sleeves that I wore in Nantucket. I kept this look pretty simple by wearing statement earrings, since it’s has tie detail on the top and I didn’t want anything to get in the way of the neckline. I love styling summer midi dresses for women that only need three things to accessorize the look- a straw bag, earrings, and raffia sandals. A sweet and simple vacation look that looks great in photos!
Shop Smocked Summer Dresses with Sleeves
I’m really excited about sharing these smocked summer dresses with sleeves, because they’re all so cute! Plus, you have more chances to wear these because of the sleeves like church, work, etc. These are so dreamy and perfect for vacation on at home, like this Tory Burch Smocked midi dress, this Madewell sun-faded mint dress, and this Lost + Wander Pick ME Midi Dress that’s actually pictured above. Some are casual summer dress and others can be more dressed up for special occasions.
HOW TO STYLE SMOCKED SUMMER DRESSES
Now that you’ve seen some smocked summer dresses, I wanted to share a few pro tips on how to style this summer casual look that can take you from day to night. I like to keep it pretty simple with a fun handbag, accessories, and shoes. However feel free to style your smocked summer dress any way you want that makes you feel beautiful. There’s nothing better than having fun with your summer wardrobe when life is a little more laid back and vacation is on your mind. Below are some suggestions I’m sharing on how to achieve a cute look with your new smocked summer dress.
What kind of handbag can you wear with smocked summer dresses?
The best kind of handbag you can wear with smocked summer dresses are straw bags. They are perfect for creating a resort style look that these dresses are known for. This J.Crew straw handbag was one that I’m wearing with all of my smocked summer dresses. I also love this pretty J.Crew rattan clutch, and this Mar y Sol round handle straw bag. These handbags are great choices when styling one of your smocked midi dresses for summer.
What are the best shoes to wear with smocked summer dresses?
I also love to keep it simple with shoes too. That’s why I pretty much have two pairs of sandals I wear with all of my summer smocked dresses. My Carrie Forbes raffia sandals were a big investment that was well worth it! I wear them all the time and they are very comfortable. They look amazing with all of my casual summer dresses. I also love to wear my J.Crew Capri Sandals. I’ve been wearing these for years and love how they just complete the casual summer dress look I love to style every summer.
What are the best accessories to wear with smocked summer dresses?
Raffia earrings are my favorite accessory, however I’ve been wearing acetate earrings quite often this summer and love how they look with my smocked summer dresses. They’re an easy accessory to pack for vacation and as I mentioned before, these types of dresses do not need a lot of jewelry to make the outfit. Sweet and simple is the key!
There you have it! The 25 best smocked summer dresses for for women over 40 (or any age). I made sure to include lots of wonderful reasons why you need to add a cute smocked summer midi dress to your wardrobe this year. Whether you wear a solid color smocked dress or has a smocked dress with a floral pattern, you are sure to feel beautiful in your dress, no matter what your age. Don’t forget to add the perfect shoes and accessories to complete your look!
If you would love to see more style inspiration, make sure to read about my first Nantucket vacation. It’s filled with lots of style, pretty summer dresses, and fun tips!
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