I love dresses as much as the next person, after all. They’re the gift that keeps on giving in our wardrobes as the most versatile, all-in-one outfits you can rely on for a multitude of occasions. Of course, this means they’re worth investing in, and a special designer dress will never let you down. But after years of analysing both designer and affordable collections, I’m also of the opinion that you don’t have to spend thousands to get a beautiful, expensive-looking dress you’ll wear again and again. 

Right now especially, our favorite retailers have some incredible premium styles that could easily pass for designer. You know, the kind of dresses people stop you in the street to ask about. As the summer sales come to an end and the new collections are starting to trickle in, there’s a whole new wave of standout frocks waiting to be discovered. So below, I’ve curated an edit of the very best, most expensive-looking ones in my expert opinion. My advice? Don’t hang around on the ones you love most, if I’ve learnt anything in my career, it’s how fast a great dress sells out and how disappointing it is when you miss it. Keep scrolling to shop.