Recommendations for cool, office-appropriate summer dresses?

[Mincepietastic]

So we're being called back into the office for four days a week and I think I am seriously lacking in clothes for this.

The office gets seriously hot over summer - it's been up to 30 degrees and humid. So I have been trying to find some dresses to keep cool and that would be an easy grab and go thing to put on in the morning. But I never really wear dresses now and can't seem to find the right thing.

I'm blonde, very pale, size 14. I used to be pear-shaped but with peri I'm basically pudgy all over and 32DD. I suit and like bright colours (pinks, corals and reds), but I also don't want to be overly conspicuous at work! Prefer shoulders to be covered.

If I found one or two I really liked, I would be prepared to spend up to 150. Help!

That just takes getting used to! When I first started wearing dresses I felt soooo fancy, but once I got used to them they became a staple, a go to for the complete outfit that's super comfortable. Get a dress you really like, put it on, and don't look in the mirror, just go about your day in your nice dress!

I’ve bought a lot of dresses from finery recently.

I would wear this to the office

https://eu.boden.com/en-eu/products/women-orla-short-jersey-shirt-dress-navy-d1394nvy

Long sleeves might not be what you are looking for but I like the cut and think it would be very easy to wear

Some of these are gawd awful. I’d feel like an inpatient in an asylum.

Currently over your budget but would this fit the bill when it goes into their sale? I've bought all my Wyse dresses on eBay & Vinted.

https://www.wyselondon.com/products/otti-midi-dress-guava-red

On budget - also a red version with some embroidery, but it's a bit dearer.

https://www.boden.com/products/women-arabella-linen-blend-dress-pink-heather-d1527pnk

Also Boden. Other colours are available!! I just don't know what ones you'd wear as you only mentioned pink/coral/red shades. I like it in the green stripe - very work-appropriate IMO.

https://www.boden.com/products/women-ivy-linen-midi-dress-pink-peony-d1510pnk

Also in navy or blue stripe.

https://www.boden.com/products/women-irene-linen-midi-dress-highland-green-d1723grn

Also in rust embroidered.

https://www.boden.com/products/women-ivy-cotton-midi-dress-verdant-green-meadow-scatter-d1535grn

Also in yellow or animal prints!

https://www.boden.com/products/women-irene-puff-sleeve-cotton-dress-multi-botanical-flourish-d1662mil

https://www.boden.com/products/women-cary-cotton-midi-dress-bright-blue-varigated-stripe-d1523blu

Same dress as above.

https://www.boden.com/products/women-cary-cotton-midi-dress-multi-ornamental-stamp-d1523mul

https://www.boden.com/products/women-mollie-linen-shirt-dress-pink-punch-gingham-d1512pnk

Lovely - & if it's too much, there are other colourways!

Like this one.

https://www.boden.com/products/women-mollie-linen-shirt-dress-chambray-d1512blu

Not sure if you do bias-cut, OP?

https://www.finerylondon.com/products/mela-rust-broderie-anglaise-cotton-midi-dress

Also in olive or navy.

https://www.finerylondon.com/products/piper-red-cotton-midi-smock-dress

Currently out of stock in 14, but worth signing up for a notification?

https://www.albaray.co.uk/products/lila_botanical_dress_ss23

https://www.monsoon.co.uk/east-devyn-woodblock-print-midi-dress-pink-1001115789.html

https://www.pinkcityprints.com/products/moghul-border-matilda-dress

https://www.nobodyschild.com/products/eliza-midi-dress-2614661003

https://www.nobodyschild.com/products/saffy-midi-dress-2614435004

https://www.seasaltcornwall.com/fen-violet-linen-midi-dress

https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/productpage.1329327002.html

I am a pudgy size 16 and like dresses from Crew. They are so easy to wear and don’t need ironing!

I wear lots of nobody’s child dresses for work, they have some lovely light cotton ones. I also rate Sainsbury’s, they quite often have nice cotton dresses in.