In fashion, it’s never not the season of the dress, but there’s something about autumn that means we usually have a covet list of do-it-all dresses the length of our arm by the time October rolls around. Speaking of her latest show at Paris Fashion Week, doyenne of the whimsical frock Cecilie Bahnsen said: “I’ve been thinking a lot this season about how the girls in the studio and our community wear our clothes. How they might put on a dress on a rainy Tuesday morning to feel good, or go to a party on a Saturday night.” It’s true. Right now, dresses are as multi-functional as a good winter coat or a trusty pair of shoes. We wear them on repeat, day or night, dressy or dressed-down; we want them to feel very now but expect them to have a wear-forever mentality. No easy ask, but these ones below might just be a good starting point. 

Main image: Instagram @shopdoen. 

V-neck rib knit dress, €34.99, at H&M. 

Meadow print sweetheart dress, €215; www.pinkcityprints.com.

Off-the-shoulder linen blend dress, Aje, €445; www.matchesfashion.com.

Koussi mini dress, Celia B, €335, at Brown Thomas.

Faux leather belted dress, €55.95, at Zara. 

Juliette poppy leopard dress, €366; www.rixo.co.uk. 

Indigo denim dress, €313; www.youmustcreate.com. 

Leopard print V-neck dress, Stella McCartney, €1,295 at Brown Thomas. 

Vinyl and feather midi-dress, €182; www.kitristudio.com. 

Floral print cotton voille midi-dress, Dôen, €276.27; www.net-a-porter.com.