The arrival of spring sunshine has us reaching for the same seasonal pieces year after year. A practical trench coat, a lightweight linen shirt, ballet flats and, of course, a floral midi dress. Sure, the latter might not be ‘groundbreaking’ – a particularly fitting reference given Meryl Streep is set to make her return as Miranda Priestly in the upcoming The Devil Wears Prada 2 sequel, in cinemas on 1 May – but one look at the spring/summer 2026 runways confirms florals are trending in a big way this season.
From ditsy botanical aprons seen at Miu Miu, Balenciaga's tactile textured creations, elegant embroidery at Erdem, painterly touches from Emilia Wickstead, and busy blooms in eye-catching zesty brights per Chloé and Celine, there's no shortage of ways to wear the look. However, the easiest way to tap into that flower power is with black-backed floral prints, a recurring look in the SS26 collections across Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi and Loewe.
For those who prefer a muted aesthetic, you don't have to step far outside of your comfort zone to embrace the perennial print. Look for brightly coloured, delicate floral motifs that emphasise the contrast in the dark background on which they're adorned. The result feels suitably seasonal as well as being extremely wearable for any event, whether you're headed to a spring wedding or looking for a casual day dress to take you out and about.
The high street has plenty of options that span the full sartorial spectrum of formality, as well as those hero buys that can be dressed up or down depending on what occasion calls. Take M&S's floral halter neck midi tiered dress.
The pretty print decorating the feminine halter-neck silhouette and ruffle-trim tiered skirt packs plenty of charm. Simply switch up your styling – kitten heels versus flat sandals, statement drop earrings over subtle studs, a basket bag or an elegant clutch – depending on where you're wearing it.
Shop more of our favourite floral midi dresses below:
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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!
