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Frost is nipping at our nose, our winter jackets are full in rotation, and we might not see a sundress again till April, pending the predictions of a weather-predicting groundhog. But that doesn’t mean it has to be all pants and jeans until then. Our first order of business? Curating a carousel of winter dresses to wear all season long. In most cases, winter dresses and fall dresses are similar, with a few tweaks in terms of fabric and cut. A little extra weight to the fabric and a few extra inches of material in key areas will serve you well when you’re up against snow and sleet, or whatever else the season throws at you. Think sweater-like materials and seasonal hues, long sleeves, and mock to high necks. However, we didn’t forget to include some winter-ready mini dresses that can be paired with the season’s best knee-high boots and oversized scarves.
But how do you know which frock fits the bill as we enter the chilliest period of the year, keeping you covered for office wear, winter soirées, and everything in between? To answer this question, we turned to shoppers for their star ratings and reviews on dresses from all our reliable retail faves, including Free People, Anthropologie, Quince, Abercrombie & Fitch, and more. Scroll onward to see the best winter dresses for women that are earning customers’ approval this season.
Welcome to Hype Machine, our hit-list of the top reviewed products across the web — according to a crowd of die-hard shoppers. Call this your 4-star-and-up club, with entry granted by our devoted-to-the-goods shop editors.
Athleta Cozy Karma Sweatshirt Dress, $119
The Best Errand Winter Dress
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars; 423 reviews on Athleta
Meet the sweatshirt dress that’ll take you from chilly morning walks with your fur babies to post-gym workouts and midday coffee or errand runs. The long-sleeve mini has a soft plush interior for extra warmth and convenient thumbholes to hold sleeves in place with side zip pockets to hold your phone, wallet, or other essentials. Sorry, hoodie and leggings, you’ve been replaced by a fashionable and warm winter dress.
“OK, I love this dress. It’s soft and cozy and warm, with a great length and neckline. The dress is perfect for throwing over after a gym or just having a day where you’re being incredibly comfy. I’ve debated it for a while and regret not making this purchase sooner,” writes a reviewer.
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free-est Hailee Sweater Midi, $98
The Best Winter Midi Dress
The Hype: 4.6 out of 5 stars; 116 reviews on Free People
This deep wine knit midi dress is laidback, cozy, and perfect for those I-can’t-be-bothered days. Style it with your favorite chunky lug sole boots and winter coat or faux fur jacket. The slightly oversized sleeves, scoop neckline, and button-front detail add comfy, homey vibes to the one-piece, making it a wardrobe staple you’ll never want to take off.
“It’s everything I have been searching for. The fit is perfect. Although it runs large, it has just enough looseness to flatter my figure and still allow me the cozy feeling of comfort and warmth… I only just received my first one today and have already ordered another in a different color. I’m even wearing it now because I love how it feels. I highly recommend this dress to all,” raves a reviewer.
Shop free-est At Free People
Quince Mongolian Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater Dress, $99.90
The Best Cashmere Winter Dress
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars; 533 reviews on Quince
Treat yourself to a luxe cashmere dress this winter — without breaking the bank. Quince’s Mongolian Cashmere Sweater Dress is priced just below $100 and comes in eight cozy neutral and pigmented shades. The price is truly unbeatable for a cashmere dress, and shoppers agree.
“Ever mindful of ordering online, and with the ever-present low expectations of the final product, for the first time ever, I would rate it a 20 on a scale of 1 to 10! This dress is not just as described, but better. The cashmere is so very soft, obviously high quality, and the fit (both sleeves and lengths – I’m 5’2”) is perfect. I couldn’t be more pleased with this dress. I highly recommend it,” exclaims a reviewer.
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Abercrombie & Fitch Stretch Satin Column Midi Dress, $130 $91
The Best Statement Winter Dress
The Hype: 4.2 out of 5 stars; 24 reviews on Abercrombie
For an “all eyes on me” ‘fit, glide into Abercrombie & Fitch’s Satin Column Midi Dress. The glossy dress has ample stretch and is meant to sculpt your body for a figure-hugging look. You can’t ignore that thigh-high leg slit and spaghetti straps, too, as they add to the sultry vibe. While, in our opinion, the shiny silver is too beautiful to pass upon, the midnight black and romantic burgundy hue is a stunner as well.
“If you can find this dress, make space in your closet! I watched this dress go in and out of stock and finally got my hands on it! This dress has so much given that, based on reviews, I sized it down. I think the fit is so much nicer, sized down, and more ‘Va Va Voom.’ Even though it’s fitted, the dress is so comfortable to move around in,” raves a reviewer.
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Hill House Home The Persephone Dress, $198 $158.40
The Best Formal Winter Dress
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars; 533 reviews on Hill House Home
The modern mock neck, cinched balloon sleeves, and flared swing skirt exude elegance and grace for a timeless piece you can wear to countless events — weddings, holiday parties, dinners, dates, and more. Since the fabric is a bit on the heavier end, you know you’re in for a warm winter.
“Absolutely LOVE Persephone! This dress has not gotten the attention it deserves. It fits in all the right places, looks super sleek, and is the perfect weight for the winter months (I’m in Canada, and it can get cold). I’m not a pants girl, so I love finding comfortable and warm dresses for the winter months. It’s a heavy-weight knit fabric and just beautiful,” shares a reviewer.
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French Connection Babysoft Square Neck Long Sleeve Midi Dress, $98
The Best Winter Midi Dress To Layer In
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars; 24 reviews on Nordstrom
Just because it’s wintertime doesn’t mean figure-hugging dresses get tossed out the window and into the snow. Keep it modest in the front with a square neck, but with a pop of the peek-a-boo leg slit. Despite its minimal details, the beautiful olive-green hue leaves room for you to freely accessorize. Whether you’re heading to a dinner party or soirée, slip into an ankle or knee-high bootie and, for that bit of sparkle, add a chunky cuff bangle and your best pearl jewelry.
A reviewer writes: “The colors are beautiful and unique, and the slits on the sides add a touch of sophistication and are quite flattering. As other reviewers have stated, the dress is long, and the sleeves are too (as they should be), but if you are tall like me or taller, it will fit you very well!”
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By Anthropologie The Thea Twofer Sweater Dress, $180
The Best Colorful Winter Dress
The Hype: 4.2 out of 5 stars; 180 reviews on Anthropologie
Who doesn’t love a good two-for-one deal? Anthropologie has crafted a one-piece that merges a cropped mock neck sweater with a woven midi skirt for a polished dress that requires no styling. Thank you!
“I ordered this is two colors and ended up keeping both! Have gotten so many compliments on this dress and it can be styled so many ways — also very comfortable!” writes a reviewer.
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Lulus Chilly Forecast Multi Knit Turtleneck Sweater Midi Dress, $69 $55.20
The Best Winter Sweater Dress
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars; 33 reviews on Lulus
Oversized sweater dresses are the epitome of winter fashion, and if you add a turtleneck with a Fair Isle-inspired print to it, you’re perfectly outfitted for chilly season. This thick, stretch-knit sweater dress has a turtleneck and tying sash belt to keep you extra toasty while adding a bit of chic detailing atop the charming print. Since the dress has a column silhouette, reviewers recommend sizing down.
“I was truly surprised by how nice this sweater dress is. It is tightly knit, so it’s warm with no chilly air getting through, and you do not need a slip under it. I ordered my usual size of M, and the dress was not too tight or too loose. I do not like sweater dresses that hug my body too much, and this did not do that,” writes a reviewer. “It is long for us shorties, but with the included belt, you can shorten the dress to fit in the middle of your leg. I wore scrunchy knee boots, which set the dress off really well. Overall, a great dress that is very well made.”
Shop At Lulus
Lane Bryant Textured Satin Long-Sleeve Wrap-Skirt Midi Dress, $119.95 $53.49
The Best Winter Holiday Dress
The Hype: 5 out of 5 stars; 4 reviews on Lane Bryant
As you gear up for dinner parties and events, spruce up your collection of holiday dresses with this shiny green satin V-neck dress. The smocked wrap skirt gives a flutter with every step, and the cinched wrists have button cuffs for a polished touch. The best part? The dress also comes with pockets.
“I absolutely love this dress! It’s a beautiful radiant green dress that is elegant and perfect for Christmas Day. The fit is perfect and the fabric is so glossy and soft. I took the model’s inspiration and styled my dress with a black belt too,” exclaims a reviewer.
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Tuckernuck Pomander Place Hazelwood Vivianne Dress, $128
The Best Winter Mini Dress
The Hype: 4.5 out of 5 stars; 405 reviews on Tuckernuck
This lightweight mini dress is the perfect piece to pair with your tights, tall boots, and trench coats. It has a light shimmer to it — perfect for festive gatherings — and is easy to coordinate with accessories for upscale and laidback events alike. The mini dress falls a few inches above your knee and is slightly loose for a comfortable feel.
“This is an amazing dress; the 3/4 length sleeves and turtleneck make this look sophisticated, and the length is perfect. The fabric is warm and makes it a great winter dress. I’ll be wearing this to work all the time this winter,” raves a reviewer.
Shop Pomander Place At Tuckernuck
UGG Aderyn Hoodie Dress, $118
The Best Casual Winter Dress
The Hype: 5 out of 5 stars; 13 reviews on Saks Fifth Avenue
Hoodie season is the best season, and now you can enjoy an oversized version to wear with no pants at home — we’re not judging — or joggers and leggings for outside. Whether your preference of color is black, black, or black, or you’re a girly girl who lives in pink, UGG has both options available to shop.
“I’m obsessed with this hoodie. I have it in black, and I often wear it with tights and boots or a mix of joggers and sneakers. You can’t go wrong with it,” raves a reviewer. “Since I live in Missouri, it’s very warm, so I might wear a tank underneath and either a light jacket or no coat because it’s so warm. Don’t let me forget the pockets. I love pockets, and the hood is a nice feature, too.”
Shop UGG At Saks Fifth Avenue
Bardot Aliyah Midi Dress, $109
The Best Winter Date-Night Dress
The Hype: 4.4 out of 5 stars; 66 reviews on Revolve
From Bardot, consider this bold, semi-sheer dress your one-and-only winter date-night dress. The figure-hugging statement piece is flirty with a crisscross design, front cutout, and ruched design that deserves all the attention in the world.
“This dress is incredible… The mesh and cut-out make it sexy, but the length is perfect to keep it classy,” a reviewer raves. “I’m a true size 4. I tried both small and medium and kept the latter. The small fit was a little shorter and tighter; the medium is more forgiving. Now I just need to be invited somewhere to wear it!”
Shop Bardot At Revolve
Skims Soft Lounge Long Sleeve Dress, $88
The Best Winter Lounge Dress
The Hype: 4.7 out of 5 stars; 1,517 reviews on Skims
Live out your most luxurious winter hibernation dreams at home in Skims’ best-selling lounge dress. Imagine resting on your couch in the drapey slip with a nice mug of hot cocoa and “Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire” playing in the background. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, now you can bring it to life by prepping with the best winter lounge dress.
“I’ve been obsessed with Soft Lounge dresses for the past few months. The long-sleeved version of the slip dress is perfect for colder weather coming up. It can easily be dressed up or down and is just as comfortable as the spaghetti strap version. There are plenty of shades, and I chose Onyx, which is less sheer than the lighter colors,” writes a reviewer. “The only con I can think of is that it’s a bit challenging to wear a bra or bralette with this dress, so it may be too revealing. However, I don’t mind them and I wear them often. If you’re on the fence whether it’s worth it, I wholeheartedly recommend buying it.”
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