The 16 Best Off-The-Shoulder Dresses

You’ve probably seen Hill House Home’s Nap Dress just about everywhere by now. So if you’re waiting for it to come back in stock, or want to add a few similar pieces to your collection, consider this prairie dress. Made of a breezy, Swiss dot-textured cotton blend, it has a lightweight, woven feel that stretches at the neckline, shoulders, cuffs, and bodice. Its puffed sleeves can be worn either on or off the shoulder, and it comes in nearly every dreamy pastel color you can imagine, in addition to timeless black.

• Available sizes: X-Small — X-Large
• Available colors: 15

Say hello to your new go-to fall/winter occasion dress. Complete with an elegant straight neckline, short sleeves, and a back slit, this form-fitting sheath looks way more expensive than it actually is. It doesn’t look like your typical sweater dress, but it’s made from a substantial, sweater-knit material that stretches just enough to skim your curves.

• Available sizes: X-Small — X-Large
• Available colors: 3

And here’s your new go-to spring/summer cocktail dress. This swingy dress features an elastic neckline (with a ruffled overlay) that’s designed to stay off the shoulder without creeping up — in fact, several Amazon shoppers confirm that this is the only off-the-shoulder dress they’ve ever worn that actually stays off the shoulder. If you’re not into bright colors like orange (seen here), green, or yellow, you can also pick it up in black.

• Available sizes: Large — 4X-Large
• Available colors: 4

Maxi dresses have long been a warm-weather staple, so this off-the-shoulder dress is worth making room for in your closet. Its smocked bodice and straight neckline hit all the trend-right notes, while its stretchy fabric and front slits keep things easy-breezy. You have plenty of floral prints to choose from, but if you want to get extra prairie-chic, you can also go with a gingham pattern. Take a cue from Ashley Greene and style this with Birkenstocks and a wide-brim hat for an effortless daytime look.

• Available sizes: X-Small — 3X-Large Plus
• Available colors/prints: 23

Here’s another Nap Dress-like off-the-shoulder dress (because you can never have too many prairie dresses for the summer). Like the first pick, you can wear this one both off the shoulder and on, and it also has a lightweight, non-stretch finish. It’s accented with a tiered, ruffled neckline and sleeves, as well as a ruffled hem that moves beautifully with you.

• Available sizes: Small — XX-Large
• Available colors/prints: 10

This floaty gown is ideal for those hundreds of summer weddings suddenly on your calendar. Made from layered chiffon, it has a ruffled, stretchy neckline with an ethereal drape, plus a thigh-high slit in the front. The front has a pin-tucked, belted look and empire waist for some structure, while the back is smocked for extra comfort.

• Available sizes: 4 — 12; 14 — 26
• Available colors: 13

This dress is the epitome of spring/summer style. It embodies Trina Turk's signature SoCal aesthetic, with its mango-colored floral lace, swingy A-line silhouette, and breathable organic cotton and polyamide construction. Plus, the ruffled trim at the neckline looks sweet worn both off the shoulder and on.

• Available sizes: X-Small — XX-Large
• Available colors: 1

With a lightweight, breathable construction, this off-the-shoulder dress will become another summer staple. It’s rife with sweet (but sophisticated) details, like fluttery sleeves, eyelet detailing, a scalloped hem, and ruffled necklined. It comes in virtually every color you can conceive of too, from bold shades like cobalt blue and hot pink, to softer tones like pastel purple and baby blue.

• Available sizes: X-Large — 4X
• Available colors: 22

With over 12,000 perfect Amazon ratings, shoppers particularly love this dress because it looks and feels way more expensive than it is. Made from a cotton blend, the fabric is stretchy but substantial, and it’s cut in a modified skater silhouette with a high-low hem — a silhouette that lends itself equally well to formal or casual dressing, depending on your accessories. It comes in every classic color, but you can also opt for something bright like yellow or fuchsia to make a statement.

• Available sizes: X-Small — XX-Large
• Available colors: 11

Doesn’t this dress make you want to dance? Its tiered, layered silhouette is made of pleated chiffon, but it’s surprisingly versatile — its natural home is at a party, but you can just as easily dress it down for daytime wear with flat sandals. It’s partially lined for extra coverage, whether you opt for a dark shade, pastel, tie-dye, or any other of the 20 colors and patterns. Depending on how this fits your particular frame, you can even pull the top layer down and wear it as a strapless dress.

• Available sizes: Small — X-Large
• Available colors/prints: 20

There are so many ways to wear this maxi dress — like off the shoulder, on the shoulder, and strapless, just to get you started. It’s casual enough to wear while running errands, hanging out with friends, or even as a beach cover-up, but you could dress it up for date nights and summer parties, too. Its stretchy fabric and side slits offer comfortable, breathable wear, while convenient pockets ensure you’ll reach for this dress again and again.

• Available sizes: X-Small — X-Large
• Available colors/prints: 20

This sheath dress makes an office-appropriate silhouette feel a little more daring. Fluttery bell sleeves add unexpected volume, while grippy silicone at the neckline holds the neckline in place. A color like this (or pastel pink, canary yellow, or cobalt blue) would be perfect at a summer wedding, but you could always get it in black to elevate your LBD collection.

• Available sizes: 2 — 16
• Available colors: 16

You can never have too many floral dresses (especially when they have on-trend puffed sleeves). This floral chiffon mini dress features a ruched bust and faux-belted front that create a textured look, while its smocked, open back makes it feel a little bit sultry, too. Wear it with white sneakers and a baseball cap for a low-key vibe, or elevate it with chunky jewelry and your favorite heels; you really can’t go wrong.

• Available sizes: Small — XX-Large
• Available colors/prints: 11

Norma Kamali is the queen of taking typically restrictive silhouettes and spinning them into something relaxed and understated, but still elevated. This off-the-shoulder dress takes notes from a classic fishtail evening gown, yet made comfortable with a stretchy jersey fabric. But don’t think you’ll look like you’re wearing a T-shirt dress — the textile is anything but casual. Plus, it’s pretty much a blank canvas for accessorizing — though if you wanted the dress to do the work for you, you could opt for this same silhouette in faux leather or velvet.

• Available sizes: X-Small — X-Large
• Available colors: 1

This swingy dress is the perfect blend of retro and modern. Its decorative button detailing and belted waist harken back to ‘80s styling, but the high-low hem and off-the-shoulder neckline feel so current. The ruffled hem gives it a kicky feel, while a functional drawstring at the waist allows for a precise fit.

• Available sizes: Small — XX-Large
• Available colors/prints: 12

Admittedly, it’s not technically off the shoulder, but this cold-shoulder dress is too cute to leave out (plus, cold-shoulder styles are making a comeback — thanks, Dolly). With a faux-wrap silhouette, it has an elastic waistband, side ties, a front slit, and adjustable straps for a customizable fit. Choose from a range of floral and botanical prints — this one skews classic, but you can also find tropical prints that are ideal for beach vacations.

• Available sizes: Large Plus — 3X-Large Plus
• Available colors: 10

Ease your way into the dress-over-pants throwback trend in this twist-front off-the-shoulder top. With an asymmetric hem that hits mid-calf at its longest point and tunic-length at its shortest, it's a great way for non-dress people to experiment with dresses — or to switch up your typical dress collection. Though it looks elegant, it’s made from a soft, T-shirt-like material that makes it super comfortable to wear.

• Available sizes: XX-Small — 3X-Large
• Available colors: 17