When it comes to the best dresses, these are always the easiest things to wear to ease yourself out of summer and into cooler temperatures. Luckily, this year's autumn midi dresses are built for just such things – and they'll even be great for the colder winter weather, too.
Unlike the warmer months, where long summer dresses take centre stage, dresses with sleeves and midi hemlines become the norm once temperatures drop and the seasonal changes are set in motion. Even the best slip dresses and bodycon dresses can be utilised during the autumn season and can be paired with a leather jacket or trench coat. The options for chic transitional fashion are ultimately endless.
Keep reading for the key autumn dresses for 2024 - some of which will already be in your wardrobe - and notes on how to wear them from now until next spring.
The Best Autumn Dresses 2024, At A Glance
Best Cord Dress: Monsoon Alana Cord Zip Midi Dress
Best Denim Dress: Aligne Gabriella Denim Dress
Best Slip Dress: COS Lace-Panelled Silk Slip Dress
Best Knit Dress: Ganni Black Bouclé Maxi Dress
Best Shirt Dress: Arket Oversized Shirt Dress
Best Midi Dress: Ghost Sophia Spot Satin Midi Dress
Best Maxi Dress: Ninety Percent Priam Dress
Best Mini Dress: Veronica Beard Wasta Denim Mini Dress
Cord Dresses
If you want a dress that's going to keep you warm as the temperatures drop, corduroy is always a good idea. This season more than previous years, there's an abundance of cord styles, from shorter hemlines to midi lengths.
www.nobodyschild.com
One of many things that Nobody's Child does so well is length – the brand's 'midaxi' styles hit at just the right point on your leg to ensure they're as flattering as possible. This dress is easy enough to wear all day, every day but still feels more special than your average day dress.
www.aspiga.com
Made from responsibly-sourced cotton, Aspiga's dress has a lovely silhouette with just the right amount of stretch in it. Available in this glorious wine colour or in teal, wear with heeled boots and tights for extra warmth.
www.monsoon.co.uk
Swap your lighter workwear for this zippered shirt dress. You could even layer a fine knit roll neck underneath when it's really cold – and just hope the office heating isn't on full blast.
Denim Dresses
A denim dress will be one of the hardest-working pieces in your wardrobe because of its year-round wearability. Style with two-strap sandals in summer and knee-high boots in winter. As just seen at Copenhagen Fashion Week, it can also look great with a denim jacket over the top – think of it as the new and improved Canadian tuxedo...
www.thereformation.com
Reformation's white denim pencil dress couldn't be a sharper option for office days where you want to make an extra bit of effort. Layer over a fine-gauge polo neck when bare arms are no longer an option.
aligne.co
Aligne's denim midi has sold out more times than we can count – it's comfortable, easy to wear, made with 100% organic cotton and produced with 80% less water than regular denim. Buy it while you still can.
Slip dresses
Granted a slip is not the most wearable of items but you don't have to opt for transparent fabrics in autumn temperatures. The beauty of the slip, after all, is its layering potential – add cardigans, tights and oversized blazers, which you can then shed for party season.
www.cos.com
This COS lace-panelled slip dress has been styled over a pair of wide-leg jeans on its website, which is great starting point if you're wondering how to make it work for the colder months.
www.marksandspencer.com
M&S has bought heavily into leather (and faux-leather) for autumn, including this moss green slip dress with on-point lace trims.
Knitted Dresses
The knitted dress has become a seasonal power player – and this year is no different, working with trainers, heels, on its own and under jackets. For peak cosy points, double your dose of wool by wearing a chunky cardigan around your shoulders.
www.ganni.com
Ganni's peekaboo knitted maxi dress proves once and for all that knitted dresses can definitely be a sexy proposition.
www.cos.com
Slightly oversized without being too big, this dress will soon become the thing you want to wear every day throughout autumn/winter, especially with its on-trend scarf neckline.
Shirt Dresses
It's always good to have a shirt dress on standby for the officewear side of your wardrobe. And from neat knee-length options that can be layered over a polo neck to oversized silhouettes that you could wear open with tees and tailored slacks, there's a shirt dress for every style personality this autumn.
www.arket.com
This oversized shirt could either be worn buttoned-up as a shirt dress or left undone over a tee and tailored black trousers for work, giving you a 2-in-1 option that won't let you down.
www.joseph-fashion.com
Made of a lustrous viscose whose subtle woven texture feels smooth against the skin, Joseph's twill shirt dress will be hanging in your wardrobe for years to come.
Midi Dresses
A printed midi dress is a wardrobe hero, especially printed styles that can easily be dressed up or down. Whatever your preference - polka dots, stripes or florals - there's a midi that will ease you into an autumn frame of mind.
www.ghost.co.uk
Ghost has cornered the market when it comes to printed midi dresses, like this navy-and-white polka dot number that's cut on the bias.
www.warehousefashion.com
Puff-sleeved and square-necked, Warehouse's take on checks gets our vote for autumn.
Maxi Dresses
An ankle-sweeping hemline might usually be associated with gowns on the red carpet but there's no stopping you wearing one for every day, especially if you choose a maxi dress in jersey or with a minimal silhouette.
ninetypercent.com
Ninety Percent's fluid dress is ruched, draped and the definition of a maxi dress that feels as chic as it does comfortable.
www.st-agni.com
Meghan Markle is a big fan of St Agni, whose minimal dresses can be dressed up or down for any outfit eventuality. This smokey olive shade is a neutral with a point of difference, while the square neckline is still trending for autumn.
Mini Dresses
A mini dress is still fair game for autumn. Whether you're after a cocktail dress, or something for the daytime, seek out styles with long sleeves that can be styled with sheer tights, knee-high boots and an overcoat that brushes the mid-calf.
rixolondon.com
The tiger-print mini is already selling fast, but the black and gold version is available in all sizes (UK 6-26).
www.net-a-porter.com
Veronica Beard's denim mini dress is such a versatile option for autumn. Pair with knee-high boots or ribbed socks and retro trainers while it's still warm enough to leave the house without a coat.
Hannah Banks-Walker is Grazia's head of fashion commerce. She has previously written for the likes of Harper's Bazaar, The Financial Times, Glamour, Stylist, The Telegraph, Red, i-D and The Pool on everything from fashion to curly hair (hi!) to the patriarchy. Not necessarily in that order. Find her on Instagram and Twitter. But please don't look for her MySpace profile, which until now was the last time she wrote about herself in the third person