The Best Travel Dresses for Traveling Light

Best Reversible Dress

Do more with less when you pack the best reversible travel dress. The Roma Reversible Wrap Dress from wayre is our go-to when we want to feel comfortable but look polished. Going out with friends? Turn the V-neck to the front. Heading out to a meeting on your business trip? Reverse it to get a higher neckline. Wrap dresses are timeless—just ask Diane von Furstenberg—but this one adds travel features you won't find in other options, with pockets galore and material that repels spills and wicks away moisture. There are zippered pockets at each side and one just inside the front wrap. We put our phone in a side pocket, and that interior one is good for keeping your passport or ID handy through the airport if you don't mind reaching inside the front flap to get it.

The material is super light and flowy, and the travel dress fits true to size thanks to the versatility of the wrap style. It's wrinkle-resistant and packs down super small, making it easy to fit into your packing cube.

• wayre shows models of all sizes on their page, so you'll get a decent idea of what it will look like on your body type
• You get two looks out of one dress with the reversible style

• The V-neck plunges very low
• It tends to blow open a bit in heavy wind, so be sure to wear something underneath if that bothers you

Best Little Black Dress

The Drew Tank Dress from wool& is everything you want in a travel dress. The lightweight Merino wool blend is soft, airy, and comfortable, thanks to the French terry finish inside. If you could make your favorite hoodie lighter-weight and in the shape of a dress, you'd be on the right track for how this dress feels. It looks much nicer, though, which is what you want when choosing the best travel dresses. The dress fits true to size, with a scoop neckline that doesn't gape and a slightly flared style that flatters most body types. It has pockets large enough to fit a phone, and while you can feel the weight pulling down slightly, it's not very noticeable.

Wrinkles aren't very noticeable either, which isn't surprising, since this 2235 gsm dress is made with a blend of 75% Merino wool, 22% nylon, and 3% spandex for wrinkle resistance with just a hint of stretch. It's naturally antimicrobial, too, so you can wear it every night of your trip if you want; just swap out your jewelry and accessories for a different look and hang it up in between. It fits nicely into a packing cube, rolling up to roughly the size of a large T-shirt or two small tank tops.

• It's available in a range of sizes, from XS-3X, to fit nearly any body
• Get it in black for the perfect "little black dress"

• Those sensitive to Merino wool may still feel a little irritated by the fabric, although the blend helps a lot
• Putting gear in the pockets slightly weighs them down

Best for Minimalist Packing

Minimalist packers want to make the most out of their travel capsule wardrobe, so we love that this midi dress from Abercrombie & Fitch becomes a maxi skirt for the ultimate in versatility. The smocked top is stretchy and acts as a built-in bra if you're built smaller on top, but the straps are thick enough to pair it with a bra. It fits true to size, though it's nearly full-length instead of medium if you're on the shorter side of average, like our tester. Luckily, it comes in petite and tall, too, so be sure to check the size guide before you order.

When you want to change things up, unbutton the straps and pull the smocking down closer to your waist to make a skirt. While it rides higher than an average waistline, it's not uncomfortable, even when sitting or after eating, because it's so stretchy. That also gives you options for pairing it with a crop top or a full-length shirt, so you can get lots of looks from one travel dress.

• It rolls up to fit in a packing cube, though it does take up more space than other travel dresses
• A phone stays in place in the pocket, and you don't feel it unless you are really being active

• The cotton/polyester blend wrinkles pretty easily, but it's not as noticeable on such a relaxed style of dress, especially in black
• Abercrombie & Fitch changes styles and stock often, so if you like it, get it while you can

Best Long Sleeve Travel Dress

Merino wool clothing can be worn over and over between washes and is breathable, too; both things we like in travel clothing. So, we weren't surprised to find the Unbound Merino Mini Merino Long Sleeve Dress checked all the boxes. The stretchy double jersey knit is 290 gsm (grams per square meter) for warmth and pairs nicely with leggings for a different look or on super-cold days. We find it to be extremely wrinkle-resistant and easy to pack; it takes up about the same amount of space in our packing cube as an oversized T-shirt. There aren't any pockets, which is a bummer, so be sure to pack a sling if this is your go-to travel dress. It just might turn out to be, since it runs true to size and comes in a variety of easy-to-wear colors.

• You won't have to iron it the first day of your trip
• It's naturally antimicrobial, so you can wear it more often before washing it

• It's on the shorter side, but it's called a mini dress, so that's to be expected
• If wool irritates you, this still might, but it's much softer than traditional wool, and we feel just the slightest scratch on certain points, not everywhere

Best Merino Wool Dress

When you want a travel dress that feels like loungewear but looks much better, go for the Merino A-Line Tank Dress from Unbound Merino. It seriously feels like a nightgown, in all the best ways, but it looks super cute. The 235 gsm Merino wool feels light and airy, not like a heavy wool sweater, and we love the flattering tank neckline. This dress will look just as great whether you're walking on the beach, shopping, or eating at a cafe, so you can bring just one dress to do everything on your trip, or get it in multiple colors to have options. It fits true to size and, even though it's long, it rolls up nicely to fit into a packing cube, taking up about the same amount of space as a large T-shirt.

• It's comfortable whether you're sitting, standing, or walking
• The dress feels cool, which is a testament to Merino wool's breathability

• Surprisingly, the tag is the only scratchy part on this dress, so cut it out if it irritates you
• It has no pockets

Best Midi Dress

Best Budget Travel Dress

When the best travel dresses only cost about $30 when not on sale, you're naturally a bit hesitant. At least, we are. So, we were blown away by how much we love the ANRABESS Summer Casual Midi Dress. It's everything you want in the best dresses for travel: the material is very soft and flowy, wrinkles aren't super noticeable, it's lightweight and packable, and it has pockets! Check, check, check, and check! Okay, that's a lot of exclamation points, but the rayon/polyester blend is so soft that we can't stop petting it, and the neckline is flattering on just about everybody. Putting a phone in the pocket is not a problem at all, and you can't feel it tugging or pulling down as you walk around. We love the little slits up the sides for style and movability, and the cap sleeves are very flattering.

It's easy to roll to fit into a packing cube, and you can use a travel steamer to get out any wrinkles that occur, though you might not even notice them, depending on your chosen colorway. If you want a recommendation, try Deep Blue. It looks good whether you're pale, olive-toned, or dark-skinned.

• The shape looks good on many different body types
• You can lounge around without feeling exposed, but the slits on the side make it look just a little nicer when you need it

• While it doesn't cost much, it might not last as long as more premium travel dresses
• The pockets are thicker than the rest of the dress, so your roll will be a little uneven when you go to put it in a packing cube

Best Versatile Travel Dress

Who knew Talbots had a line of travel clothing? We were happy to discover it, and also to find that it lives up to the hype. The polyester/modal/spandex blend is very comfortable and wrinkle-free, and the ribbed texture will hide any creases you do manage to press into the fabric. It rolls nicely into a compact, uniform shape for your packing cube, so we're bringing it on every trip. It has a comfortable built-in bra and is flowy, with a super-versatile style. Even though it's a "little black dress," you can really dress it up or down depending on your shoes and accessories. Wear it to the tennis court and out to dinner, just swap your sneakers for sandals and some jewelry.

It fits fairly close to size, but while some users recommend sizing up, we say that the size you choose depends on your measurements. In our tester's case, her bust and hips indicated one size, and her waist another. She went with the larger size, and it was a little big in the bust. If your measurements don't fit nicely into one box, go with the bust and hips, as the waistline is more forgiving.

• It looks just as good with athletic shoes as it does with dressier accessories
• You can get it in regular or petite

• It has no pockets
• You might want to try two sizes if your measurements are on the borderline

Best Linen Dress

Linen is lightweight and breathable, so we love wearing it on vacations to warmer destinations. Unfortunately, it wrinkles easily, but don't let that dissuade you from packing the Athleta Retreat Linen Dress for your next trip. This is the best travel dress for trips to beachside resorts, cruises, and anywhere you want to feel light and airy. The cotton liner gives the dress some structure, so it doesn't droop the way linen sometimes does in humidity. Plus, it prevents any undergarments from showing through. If you take care to roll it neatly when it's freshly washed and pressed, it won't be too wrinkled when you reach your destination. If it is, touch it up with a travel steamer or hang it in the bathroom while you shower, then tug out the creases.

The A-line shape flatters most body types, so we think it's worth it, and this one fits true to size. The pockets are great and strong enough to hold your phone without dragging down the travel dress as you walk around a new place. We love the Calla Lily white colorway, but you can also get it in black if you're nervous about wearing white.

• It dries quickly if you do work up a sweat
• The EUROPEAN FLAX™ is super soft

• Like most linen travel clothing, it still wrinkles easily
• It rolls up to fit into a packing cube, but it takes up more space than other short dresses for travel due to the cotton liner

Best Maxi Dress

When you're heading somewhere bright and sunny, you want to feel cool but also protect yourself from the sun. The Corrinne Maxi Dress from prAna is made from a soft, stretchy, recycled polyester/elastane knit that offers UPF 30 protection from the sun and doesn't wrinkle. This tank-style travel dress has a built-in bra that's supportive and fits well, as does the rest of the dress. Following the size guide ensures a good fit, unless you're super short. Our tester is 5 feet 5 inches tall, and it falls to her ankles. Unfortunately, it's only offered in standard sizes, not petite.

This maxi dress is great for resort wear, cruises, beaches, and other sunny destinations, like shopping in Santorini in summer, since it looks nice but feels super comfortable. The pockets are functional and hold a phone without dragging the dress down.

• It rolls up smaller than you'd think for the amount of material used on this maxi dress and is super easy to fit into the packing cube
• It uses bluesign®-approved recycled material

• Its 53-inch length is suitable for standard users, not petites
• You can only get it in prints, and it sells out quickly, so get it when you find the one you want