If you've been to a festival, birthday party, hen-do or wedding in the last year or two, chances are you've come across a Rat & Boa design in the wild.
Few dresses nail the brief for all events and yet, Rat & Boa dresses do it with ease. A favourite amongst fashion girls – the Cosmo fashion team included – the brand has reached fever pitch, aligning itself with the likes of Reformation and Meshki dresses in terms of cult buys.
Best Rat & Boa dresses to shop in 2026
Its must-have status is in large part down to its celebrity fan base. As well as Gigi Hadid, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Rat & Boa dresses have been worn by the likes of Lila Moss at Glastonbury (she wore the royal-purple chiffon Beatriz mini dress paired with beat-up biker boots) and Olivia Dean who wore the now sold-out Santino dress for her Coachella set.
IRL, you’ll also spot many Rat & Boa dresses in the wild, whether it’s a slinky slip dress at a wedding, swooshing around the sandy shores of Greece or at a fancy restaurant on a date night. There really is a Rat & Boa dress for every occasion.
So, what makes Rat & Boa dresses so special? Whether embellished head-to-toe or decorated with a ruffle trim, Rat & Boa dresses imbue a bohemian feel that has been present in the brand's DNA since its beginning. No doubt pulled from the brand's nomadic roots.
“We met at university in Manchester, nearly 15 years ago. We were both studying fashion courses and we just clicked. After that, I moved to Thailand and Steph followed me out there,” Valentina Muntoni tells Cosmopolitan UK, alongside Stephanie Bennett, founders of Rat & Boa. “It was a really natural, organic thing that happened – born out of friendship, I guess,” adds Bennett. “It was a bit of a search for freedom as well, in a way.”
Rat & Boa dresses are designed to be worn season after season, although it always seems to be the summer months when our Instagram feeds are filled with them. “I think that's the beauty of summer, isn't it? The rules go out the window a little bit more. You can be a lot more eclectic with your style and wear a sequin dress with flats if you want to. It doesn't have to be, ‘Oh, it's a sequin dress so you've got to pair it with sky-high platforms.’ You can put it with a gladiator sandal and style it your way,” says the pair.
It’s exactly this easy-going, carefree attitude that Valentina and Stephanie wanted to capture through their designs. “The lifestyle that we've communicated is of a bold woman who's the star of the show and travels the world. I think it gives people a little bit of an escapism,” they say.
As for what's next for the brand? “Our next step will be handbags to go with the dresses and give the finishing touch. We'd love to do accessories and shoes, but I think that will take a longer time, maybe over the next few years.”
For now, we’ll never stop lusting over the brand’s stunning collection of dresses – and we’ve pulled the very best here, for every occasion.
Rat & Boa dresses: Best for holiday
A Rat & Boa dress is an easy holiday winner. Many are cut from sheer fabrics, allowing your bikini or bralette to peep through, while their lightweight, fluid silhouettes catch the breeze, never feeling too close or clingy in hot climates. Better yet, they need minimal styling. The new red iteration of the Sabine Dress (which is going viral, BTW) simply calls for a pair of heeled sandals and delicate earrings to complete the look.
Rat & Boa Antheia Dress
Rat & Boa Sabine Dress Red
Rat & Boa Astra Tunic
Rat & Boa Nilah Shirt Dress Blue
Rat & Boa dresses: Best for wedding guests
Here's the thing: you're rarely the only guest wearing a Rat & Boa dress at a wedding. Don’t worry about showing up in the same style as someone else, though – there are so many wedding-appropriate designs on offer that the chances are slim.
As you’ve probably gathered, the vibes of Rat & Boa dresses are better suited to destination weddings or more relaxed ceremonies, as many feature strapless necklines, barely-there spaghetti straps or low-cut backs. If you’re heading to a church service, we’d suggest bringing a shawl to wear over your shoulders – or, if you’d rather not have to think about it, shopping elsewhere.
Rat & Boa Odessa Dress
Rat & Boa Vivenne Dress
Rat & Boa Silvana Dress
Rat & Boa Athena Dress
Rat & Boa dresses: Best for festivals
A Rat & Boa dress is no stranger to a festival. As we’ve already mentioned, the brand has been spotted on the likes of Lila Moss and Olivia Dean at Glasto and Coachella, to name just a few. You might want to skip one of its maxi dresses (a maxi dress + mud = disaster!), but one of these shorter styles is perfect for dancing from day to night. Right now, we’re especially obsessed with the brand’s butterfly print, as seen on the Rosela Dress.
Rat & Boa Beatriz Dress
Rat & Boa Jette Dress
Rat & Boa Rosela Dress
Rat & Boa Sonni Trouser
Rat & Boa dresses: Best for parties and events
Sparkle, sparkle and more sparkle! Whether you’re off to a birthday party, hen do, anniversary or any celebration in between, a Rat & Boa dress is guaranteed to fit the dress code. The Antoinetta Dress is the most expensive style in this edit – and the second-most expensive Rat & Boa dress overall – but it’s worth every penny. We’re equally obsessed with the vivid green hue of the Gaia Dress, which is bound to turn heads at any event.
Rat & Boa Gaia Dress
Rat & Boa Antoinetta Dress
Rat & Boa Alita Dress
Rat & Boa Solar Dress
Rat & Boa dresses: Best for the beach
If you're headed off on a Euro summer holiday, Rat & Boa has plenty of mini dresses and beach cover-ups worthy of a spot in your suitcase. These styles are crafted from lightweight crochet – ideal for throwing over a wet bikini – or sheer, airy fabrics that transition seamlessly from the beach to the bar.
Rat & Boa Riva Mini Dress
Rat & Boa Aralia Dress
Rat & Boa Flores Dress
Rat & Boa Rocio Dress
Are Rat & Boa dresses worth it?
There’s no doubt about it: there’s a lot of hype around Rat & Boa dresses. It doesn’t take much scrolling on Instagram to come across one of its eye-catching designs, likely worn by a celebrity (hello, Kylie Jenner and Olivia Dean), a fashion influencer or your bestie on her holiday to Greece.
That’s the beauty of Rat & Boa – despite its A-list following, the dresses are surprisingly accessible. Sure, most sit in the triple-figure range, but the cost-per-wear you’ll get from a Rat & Boa dress more than makes up for it. And beyond the odd exception (maybe the local pub?), there’s barely an occasion a Rat & Boa dress won’t work for – weddings, birthdays, hen dos or holidays included.
Are Rat & Boa dresses true to size?
On the surface, Rat & Boa dresses are some of the most statement-making in the industry. You can spot one of their designs from a mile off, often defined by draped silhouettes, low-cut backs, sheer finishes and playful prints. But as striking as they are, they’re also designed to be lived in – with most styles running true to size (though a few do come up small, so it’s always worth checking before you buy).
They’re also made from comfortable, form-fitting fabrics that move with the body rather than restrict it, making them perfect for dancing and living your best life. One thing worth noting, however, is that Rat & Boa dresses are cut long – even our 5ft 7+ Cosmo girlies who’ve tried them say they often need hemming.
Alexandria Dale is the Digital Fashion Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from the celebrity style moments worth knowing about to the latest fashion news, there’s nothing she loves more than finding a high street dupe of a must-have designer item. As well as discovering new brands, she’s passionate about sustainable fashion and establishing the trends that are actually worth investing in. Having worked in fashion journalism for six years, she has experience at both digital and print publications including Glamour and Ok!
Kara Kia is the Ecommerce Editor for Women's Lifestyle at Hearst UK, leading Cosmopolitan UK's digital shopping strategy across fashion, beauty and lifestyle. With over eight years of experience as a journalist and editor, Kara specialises in skincare, makeup, haircare and helping women find their personal style — trying and testing every product she recommends. A trusted voice in fashion and beauty ecommerce, Kara's most-read guides include the best wedding dresses under £1000, the best affordable jewellery brands, the best Korean skincare products, and the best products for curly hair. She also covers major shopping events including Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day for Cosmopolitan, Red and Prima. Kara previously held the role of contributing Fashion and Beauty Ecommerce Editor at ELLE UK and Harper's Bazaar UK; before joining Hearst, she was Fashion Content Editor at NET-A-PORTER's Porter Magazine, Associate Editor at PopSugar, and wrote for Refinery29 and LOVE Magazine. An experienced interviewer, she has spoken to Zendaya, Alicia Keys, Simone Biles and Tyla about life, work and style. Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica and formerly based in Toronto, Kara now lives in London. Follow Kara on Instagram @kara.kia
Clare Stephenson is the Senior Fashion and Beauty E-commerce Writer for Cosmopolitan, ELLE and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been an e-commerce writer since 2022, creating matter-of-fact reviews and shopping pages filled with her favourite products for every budget and need – whether that’s a glow-giving foundation, a high-tech LED face mask or the perfect wear-with-everything blazer.
Alongside writing, Clare loves to be in front of the camera creating shopping content, putting viral products to the test to see which ones are truly worth the hype. Through her work, she has interviewed leading dermatologists, makeup artists and industry experts to bring readers trusted advice and product recommendations.
Clare has contributed to titles across the Hearst UK portfolio, including Women’s Health, Good Housekeeping, Red and Prima. Prior to joining Hearst, she earned a BA in Multimedia Journalism from Bournemouth University, focusing her studies on magazines and editorial. She later worked as an editorial assistant at Voir Fashion Magazine, covering events including Fashion Week and interviewing notable brand founders.
Outside of work? You can find Clare strolling through London’s Columbia Road Market, pouring her fourth coffee of the day or heading to a Pilates class.
Follow Clare on Instagram @clarefrancesstephenson.
