I have been living in the collection of swing dresses I got this summer. A swing dress is easy to wear, utterly comfortable and super easy to style in a dozen different ways. After loving the one I had in the winter months, I was determined to find one that could work for the summer months as well. (The green swing dress was a winter frequent flyer.) And then, of course, I needed a couple in other colors.

To be honest, I’m pretty sure I’ll be taking these dresses to Boston in July to make packing light and allow for a lot of variety. I’ve already worn these dresses dozens of different ways this summer, so here are a handful of ways in which they can be worn. In case you are wondering… The black and bright blue dress can be found here and the navy dress is here. They are all available for under $20.

5 Ways to Wear a Swing Dress:

#1:: As Is

The beauty of swing dresses is ease of wear. They don’t always have to be paired with some other clothing item. You can add an element of interest with your shoes or your purse or even a necklace, like I have in the second look. Sometimes simple is the best and easiest.

#2:: With a Scarf

To me, a scarf is one of the easiest things to throw on to make a quick change to any look - a swing dress is no different. You can go with the simple swing dress and just add a scarf - long, short, square, folded, draped, whatever! Go ahead and have fun experimenting with different ways to wear a scarf with the dress.

 

#3:: Add a Vest.

When the days are hot and you don’t want to add anything to your arms - a vest can be a really great option. Again, a vest is simple, like the swing dress, but can add an element of interest. Plus, if your dress doesn’t have pockets, a vest can give you that outfit element. (Although in truth, all these dresses have pockets, because HELLO - pockets.) I like a cropped vest as much as a longer vest. They both create a different look and feel to the same style dress.

 

#4:: Slip on a Jacket

Obviously, from the three different looks I’ve got with a jacket, this is one of my favorite ways to style a swing dress. This doesn’t work for those of you in really hot summer places, but if you are in Chicago or anywhere else that has cold days followed by hot ones, or even places that have really cold indoor spaces, this is a great option. Lose the jacket when you step outside and slip it back on when you are in the frigid air conditioning.

 

#5:: Wrap it Up

Slightly different from a scarf, a wrap could be seen as something just for the colder months, but it doesn’t have to be that way. This one brings in the stripe trend that is EVERYWHERE these days and adds a little spice to the black dress. I also like this because it is easy to remove if the day gets warm. I’m thinking it will be my travel outfit because those airplanes tend to be chilly so I can curl up with the wrap while still looking chic.