Packing for a trip should be exciting, not stressful. Choosing the right outfits is a big part of the pre-vacation fun, but the reality of wrinkled clothes upon arrival can quickly dampen the mood. For women who love dresses, especially those made from materials like linen, this scenario is all too familiar. The struggle to find travel dresses that are both stylish and packable is real. Fortunately, finding the perfect women’s travel dresses no longer needs to be a challenge.
Travel experts and fashion enthusiasts have rigorously tested a wide range of dresses to identify the very best options for travel. The focus? Dresses that can withstand being packed away in luggage and still look fantastic upon arrival, ready for any adventure. This guide dives into the top-rated women’s travel dresses, evaluating them on key factors like design, versatility, comfort, value, and most importantly, wrinkle resistance. Whether you’re heading on a weekend getaway or a long international trip, finding the ideal women’s travel dress will simplify your packing and elevate your travel style.
Top Travel Dress Picks for Women on the Go
To make your search easier, here’s a curated list of the best women’s travel dresses across various categories, ensuring you find the perfect match for your needs and style:
Best Overall Women’s Travel Dress: Beyond Yoga Featherweight At The Ready Square Neck Dress
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Image alt text: Smiling woman confidently poses in a versatile black Beyond Yoga Featherweight At the Ready Square Neck Dress, highlighting its stylish design and suitability as a women’s travel dress.
Why It’s a Top Pick: The Beyond Yoga Featherweight At The Ready Square Neck Dress stands out as the best overall women’s travel dress due to its exceptional blend of comfort, versatility, and wrinkle resistance. This dress is crafted from a buttery-soft, featherweight material that feels incredible against the skin while remaining remarkably durable and packable.
Versatility and Comfort Combined: Testers wore this dress across diverse scenarios, from long drives and casual lunches to busy errand days, consistently reporting both style and comfort. The stretchy athleisure fabric moves with you, making it ideal for active travel days. Its classic silhouette allows for easy dressing up or down, adapting seamlessly from day to night with simple accessory changes. Plus, practical pockets add extra convenience for carrying essentials like your phone.
Wrinkle-Free Travel Companion: Crucially, this dress aced packing tests, emerging wrinkle-free even after being tightly folded. It takes up minimal luggage space, a significant advantage for travelers. While the straps aren’t adjustable, the overall fit is true to size and comfortably form-fitting without restricting movement. This dress is a true winner for both travel and everyday wear, making it a must-have in any woman’s travel wardrobe.
Key Features:
- Sizes: XS-XL
- Material: 94% Polyester, 6% Spandex
- Style: Pullover
- Highlight: Buttery soft, lightweight, wrinkle-free, versatile, with pockets
Best Wrinkle-Resistant Women’s Travel Dress: Royal Robbins Spotless Traveler Dress Short Sleeve
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Image alt text: Woman confidently models the wrinkle-resistant Royal Robbins Spotless Traveler Dress Short Sleeve outdoors, showcasing its practicality and style as ideal women’s travel attire.
Unmatched Wrinkle Resistance: The Royal Robbins Spotless Traveler Dress Short Sleeve truly lives up to its name, earning the title of best wrinkle-resistant women’s travel dress. Designed specifically for travelers, its durable material remains wrinkle-free even when packed in a backpack, making it perfect for on-the-go outfit changes.
Quick-Drying and Practical: This dress is not only wrinkle-resistant but also quick-drying. Testers found it dried within minutes after getting wet, ideal for beach days or unexpected rain. The cinched waist ties provide a flattering, tailored fit, and multiple pockets, including a hidden zip pocket and an earbud pocket, enhance its practicality for travel.
Minor Drawback, Major Benefits: While the rolled sleeves might occasionally come undone, this minor detail is overshadowed by the dress’s overall quality and value. It’s a highly praised option for women seeking a reliable, wrinkle-free dress for their travels.
Key Features:
- Sizes: XS-XL
- Material: 86% Polyester, 14% Elastane
- Style: Button front/Pullover
- Highlight: Excellent wrinkle resistance, quick-drying, hidden pockets
Best Maxi Women’s Travel Dress: Brochu Walker The Havana Dress
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Image alt text: Elegant woman wearing the Brochu Walker The Havana Dress, a stylish maxi women’s travel dress, suitable for both daytime exploration and evening events.
Effortless Maxi Style for Travel: For those who love the elegance of a maxi dress, the Brochu Walker The Havana Dress is the best maxi women’s travel dress. It perfectly balances style and comfort, available in a wide array of colors to suit any personal preference.
Wrinkle-Resilient and Versatile: Made from a blend of cotton and polyester, this maxi dress surprisingly resists wrinkles, even when packed in a backpack. While minor wrinkles might appear, they tend to smooth out naturally, and the dress’s ruffles cleverly disguise any creases. This dress is versatile enough for nice dinners, work events, or casual outings with sandals or sneakers, making it a highly adaptable women’s travel dress.
Sizing Recommendation: The fit is flowy and lightweight, but it’s recommended to size down if you’re between sizes to achieve the best look.
Key Features:
- Sizes: XS-XL
- Material: 65% Polyester, 35% Cotton
- Style: Button front
- Highlight: Stylish maxi length, wrinkle-resistant for a cotton blend, versatile for day and night
Best A-Line Women’s Travel Dress: Everlane The Supima Jersey Riviera Dress
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Image alt text: Woman in a sage green Everlane The Supima Jersey Riviera Dress, a comfortable A-line women’s travel dress, emphasizes its flattering silhouette and travel-friendly features.
Flattering and Packable A-Line: The Everlane The Supima Jersey Riviera Dress is the best A-line women’s travel dress, offering a classic silhouette that flatters all body types. It’s a breezy, versatile dress that’s perfect for travel and offers excellent value, especially considering its sustainable production.
Comfort and Versatility for Travel: While not entirely wrinkle-free, this dress remains a favorite for its travel-friendly nature. The design features a stretchy, formfitting top and an A-line skirt that flares out, creating a flattering shape. Pockets add to its practicality. It’s easy to dress up or down with accessories, making it suitable for various occasions during your travels. Choosing a darker color like black can further minimize the appearance of any wrinkles.
Key Features:
- Sizes: XXS-XXL
- Material: Bodice: 92% Supima Cotton, 8% Elastane; Skirt: 100% Supima Cotton
- Style: Pullover
- Highlight: Flattering A-line shape, ultralightweight, versatile, sustainable, with pockets
Best Wrap Women’s Travel Dress: Foreign Fare Wrap Me Up Dress
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Image alt text: Professional setting featuring a woman wearing the Foreign Fare Wrap Me Up Dress, showcasing its elegance and functionality as a women’s travel dress ideal for business trips.
Travel-Ready Wrap Design: The Foreign Fare Wrap Me Up Dress is specifically designed for travel, making it the best wrap women’s travel dress. It’s packed with thoughtful features like hidden pockets with zippers and side pockets, enhancing its utility for travelers.
Comfortable and Functional: The wrap design is inherently comfortable and non-restrictive, suitable for various body types thanks to its adjustable closure. Deep, functional pockets mean you can even leave your handbag behind. While advertised as wrinkle-resistant, some wrinkles might appear, but the dress’s many benefits outweigh this minor drawback.
Key Features:
- Sizes: XS-XXL
- Material: 85% Tencel, 15% Polyester
- Style: Wrap closure
- Highlight: Travel-specific design, wrap style for comfort, deep hidden pockets
Best Sweater Women’s Travel Dress: French Connection Babysoft Rib Button Front Long Sleeve Sweater Dress
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Image alt text: Cozy French Connection Babysoft Rib Button Front Long Sleeve Sweater Dress, a perfect women’s travel dress for cooler climates, displayed on a hanger to highlight its texture.
Cozy and Wrinkle-Proof Knit: For cooler destinations or travel during colder months, the French Connection Babysoft Rib Button Front Long Sleeve Sweater Dress is the best sweater women’s travel dress. Its chunky knit material ensures you’ll never have to worry about wrinkles, making it effortlessly packable.
Versatile and Warm: This soft, warm sweater dress can double as a cardigan, adding to its travel versatility. It’s comfortable enough for all-day wear, including long car rides, and can be styled as a dress or worn open over leggings. While tonal buttons might enhance its versatility further, its comfort and wrinkle-free nature make it a travel essential.
Key Features:
- Sizes: XS-XL
- Material: 63% Polyester, 25% Nylon, 7% Wool, 5% Elastane
- Style: Button front
- Highlight: Wrinkle-proof chunky knit, soft and warm, versatile as a dress or cardigan
Best Flannel Women’s Travel Dress: Blooming Jelly Womens Plaid Dresses Flannel Babydoll
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Image alt text: Casual and affordable Blooming Jelly Womens Plaid Dresses Flannel Babydoll, a long-sleeve women’s travel dress, pictured to emphasize its plaid pattern and relaxed style.
Affordable and Lightweight Flannel: If you prefer long sleeves and a casual style, the Blooming Jelly Womens Plaid Dresses Flannel Babydoll is the best flannel women’s travel dress. This Amazon pick is budget-friendly and lighter than a typical sweater dress, making it suitable for transitional weather.
Versatile and Good Value: Despite being flannel, the dress is surprisingly lightweight and can be worn as a dress or open as a tunic over jeans or leggings. While the polyester material can be slightly sheer and a bit scratchy, it offers great value for its price. The flowy fit is true to size and adjustable with a waist tie.
Key Features:
- Sizes: S-XL
- Material: Polyester
- Style: Button front
- Highlight: Affordable, lightweight flannel, versatile styling options
Best Athleisure Women’s Travel Dress: lululemon Align Dress
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Image alt text: Sporty and chic lululemon Align Dress, an athleisure women’s travel dress, shown to highlight its sleek design and activewear material.
Stylish and Sweat-Wicking Athleisure: For active travelers, the lululemon Align Dress is the best athleisure women’s travel dress. Like other items in Lululemon’s Align collection, it’s incredibly comfortable and stylish, perfect for those who prioritize both fashion and function.
Comfort and Packability for Active Days: This dress is ideal for everything from running errands to exploring a city. The stretchy activewear material is wrinkle-free and sweat-wicking, keeping you cool and comfortable. It packs down small, saving space in your travel bags. It features built-in shorts for added comfort and coverage, though the snug top might be less suitable for those with a larger bust.
Key Features:
- Sizes: 0-20
- Material: Nylon, Elastane, Polyester
- Style: Pull-on
- Highlight: Sweat-wicking, extremely comfortable, packs small, built-in shorts
Best Everyday Women’s Travel Dress: Lands’ End Women’s Indigo Tencel Fiber Midi Dress
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Image alt text: Versatile Lands’ End Women’s Indigo Tencel Fiber Midi Dress, a comfortable and eco-friendly women’s travel dress, modeled to showcase its midi length and casual elegance.
Eco-Friendly and Comfortable for Daily Wear: The Lands’ End Women’s Indigo Tencel Fiber Midi Dress is the best everyday women’s travel dress, thanks to its comfortable, eco-friendly Tencel material and versatile shirtdress style.
Travel-Friendly and Practical: Made from Tencel, this dress is lightweight and pairs well with various shoe styles, making it ideal for travel. While it might need initial steaming, it remains relatively wrinkle-resistant after packing. It features deep pockets and side slits for mobility. Sizing runs a bit large, so consider ordering a size down for the best fit.
Key Features:
- Sizes: XS-XL
- Material: 100% Tencel Lyocell
- Style: Button front
- Highlight: Eco-friendly Tencel, comfortable, versatile, with pockets
Best Business Casual Women’s Travel Dress: M.M. LaFleur Cassandra Dress
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Image alt text: Professional and stylish M.M. LaFleur Cassandra Dress, a business casual women’s travel dress, displayed to highlight its midi length and sophisticated design.
Linen Blend for Business Travel: For business trips requiring a polished look, the M.M. LaFleur Cassandra Dress is the best business casual women’s travel dress. While linen is known for wrinkling, this linen-blend dress is surprisingly travel-friendly.
Suitable for Multiple Settings: The midi-length style is appropriate for both daytime meetings and evening events. It can acquire some wrinkles, especially around the hips after sitting, but these can be easily steamed out. The fit is true to size and flattering, making it suitable for various professional settings.
Key Features:
- Sizes: 00-20
- Material: 55% Linen, 41% Lyocell, 4% Elastane
- Style: Button front
- Highlight: Business casual appropriate, travel-friendlier linen blend, versatile midi length
Best Utility Women’s Travel Dress: Tuckernuck Lightweight Poplin Nala Dress
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Image alt text: Practical Tuckernuck Lightweight Poplin Nala Dress, a utility-style women’s travel dress, shown to emphasize its pockets and casual, functional design.
Lightweight and Breathable Utility Style: The Tuckernuck Lightweight Poplin Nala Dress is the best utility women’s travel dress, offering an ultralightweight and breathable option for warm weather travel.
Functional and Packable: Made of 100% cotton with a water-resistant feel, this dress is ideal for hot days and packs easily. While it may require ironing initially due to wrinkles out of the box, its packability and lightweight nature are significant travel benefits. It features four pockets, though they are more decorative than highly functional. The boxy style allows for free movement, perfect for casual outings and errands.
Key Features:
- Sizes: 2XS-4XL
- Material: 100% Cotton
- Style: Button front
- Highlight: Ultralightweight, breathable, utility style with pockets
Best Size-Inclusive Women’s Travel Dress: Hill House Home The Ellie Nap Dress
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Image alt text: Popular and size-inclusive Hill House Home The Ellie Nap Dress, a comfortable cotton women’s travel dress, presented to highlight its ruffle straps and diverse style options.
Comfortable and Widely Sized: The internet-famous Hill House Home The Ellie Nap Dress is celebrated for its ease, comfort, and extensive size range, making it the best size-inclusive women’s travel dress.
Easy Care and Versatile: This dress is incredibly easy to pack and care for. Wrinkles disappear after hanging, and it’s machine washable. Suitable for lounging, casual outings, or even dressier occasions, the Ellie Dress is highly versatile. While a bit pricey for a cotton dress, its quality and variety of colors and patterns make it a worthwhile investment.
Key Features:
- Sizes: 3XS-4XL
- Material: 100% Cotton
- Style: Pullover
- Highlight: Size-inclusive, comfortable, easy care, wide variety of colors
Best Value Women’s Travel Dress: Anrabess Short Sleeve Maxi Dress
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Image alt text: Budget-friendly Anrabess Short Sleeve Maxi Dress, a value women’s travel dress, displayed to emphasize its flowy fit and wide range of color options.
Affordable and Versatile Maxi: For travelers seeking an affordable option, the Anrabess Short Sleeve Maxi Dress is the best value women’s travel dress. This budget-friendly Amazon find offers great versatility for various occasions.
Lightweight and Packable Backup: Lightweight and airy, this dress is comfortable and unrestrictive. While it may wrinkle slightly when packed, wrinkles tend to fall out naturally. It packs down small, making it an excellent backup dress for travel. Available in over 40 colors, it offers plenty of choices to suit your style.
Key Features:
- Sizes: S-XXL
- Material: 35% Rayon, 60% Polyester, 5% Spandex
- Style: Pullover
- Highlight: Very affordable, lightweight, flowy fit, wide color selection
Best Women’s Travel Dress with Shorts: Halara Breezeful Flowy Dress
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Image alt text: Playful Halara Breezeful Flowy Dress, a women’s travel dress with optional shorts, modeled to highlight its breezy skirt and the included shorts underneath.
Breezy Dress with Optional Shorts: For those who prefer a shorter dress with added coverage, the Halara Breezeful Flowy Dress is the best women’s travel dress with shorts. It comes with separate matching shorts, offering flexibility and comfort for more active travel days.
Comfortable and Well-Fitting: This dress fits well in the chest and features a flowy, asymmetrical skirt for easy movement. While the material may feel a bit like swimwear and wrinkles easily, it remains high-quality and durable, ideal for warm weather.
Key Features:
- Sizes: XS-3X
- Material: 85% Polyester, 15% Elastane
- Style: Pull-on, Adjustable straps
- Highlight: Includes optional shorts, breezy and comfortable for warm weather
Best Fitted Women’s Travel Dress: Vuori Pose Sands Dress
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Image alt text: Figure-flattering Vuori Pose Sands Dress, a fitted women’s travel dress, presented to showcase its sleek silhouette and athleisure fabric.
Fitted and Flattering Athleisure Style: The Vuori Pose Sands Dress is the best fitted women’s travel dress, offering a flattering silhouette and comfortable workout-like material.
Versatile and Comfortable Fit: This dress hugs in all the right places without feeling too tight, providing a comfortable fit for daytime wear. It packs down small, saving luggage space, but it may require steaming to remove wrinkles after packing. Despite needing steaming, its quality and versatile style make it a valuable travel piece.
Key Features:
- Sizes: XXS-XXL
- Material: 87% Modal Rayon, 13% Elastane
- Style: Pullover
- Highlight: Fitted and flattering, comfortable athleisure material, packs small
Most Versatile Women’s Travel Dress: Spanx AirEssentials Tie-waist Tank Dress
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Image alt text: Adaptable Spanx AirEssentials Tie-waist Tank Dress, a highly versatile women’s travel dress, modeled to demonstrate its suitability for both professional and casual settings.
From Office to Outings with Ease: The Spanx AirEssentials Tie-waist Tank Dress is the most versatile women’s travel dress, seamlessly blending business casual aesthetics with the comfort of loungewear.
Comfortable and Packable for Any Occasion: This dress is office-appropriate yet incredibly comfortable, suitable for workdays followed by social outings. It packs well, resisting wrinkles, and any minor creases can be quickly steamed out. The fit is true to size, though petite individuals might find the midi length a bit long. Its adaptability and comfort make it a must-have for versatile travel wardrobes.
Key Features:
- Sizes: XS-3X
- Material: Modal, Polyester, Elastane
- Style: Pullover
- Highlight: Highly versatile, comfortable for all-day wear, packs well with minimal wrinkles
Finding the Perfect Women’s Travel Dress: Key Considerations
Choosing the right women’s travel dress involves considering several factors to ensure it meets your travel needs:
- Wrinkle-Resistant Fabrics: Prioritize materials that naturally resist wrinkles. Activewear fabrics, nylon, elastane, jersey, and thicker cotton blends are excellent choices. Linen, while lightweight, tends to wrinkle easily.
- Travel Plans: Consider your destination and activities. For active trips, look for breathable, sweat-wicking dresses, possibly with built-in shorts. For sightseeing or cultural visits, longer lengths and sleeves might be more appropriate.
- Travel-Friendly Features: Look for practical features like pockets, four-way stretch, quick-drying or stain-resistant materials, and adjustable elements for a better fit. Pockets are always a bonus for carrying small essentials.
Tips for Packing Your Women’s Travel Dresses
To keep your women’s travel dresses looking their best straight out of your suitcase:
- Folding Techniques: Fold dresses by bringing sides inward, then fold in half or roll from the bottom to minimize creases.
- Packing Cubes: Use packing cubes to keep dresses neatly contained and prevent unraveling.
- Garment Bags: For more delicate dresses, consider garment bags to keep them hanging and protected.
- Tissue Paper: Folding dresses with tissue paper can further reduce wrinkles.
- Placement in Suitcase: Place dresses on top of heavier items in your suitcase to avoid crushing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Women’s Travel Dresses
Q: How do you fold a dress for travel to prevent wrinkles?
A: To minimize wrinkles when packing women’s travel dresses, fold the sides inward, then either fold the dress in half or roll it from the bottom up. Using packing cubes or tissue paper can further prevent wrinkles. Place the dress on top of heavier items in your luggage.
Q: What is the most comfortable style of dress for travel?
A: Comfort in a women’s travel dress is subjective and depends on personal preference. Some may find compression dresses most comfortable, while others prefer flowy or oversized styles. Breathable, soft materials are key to comfort, regardless of style. Always check size charts to ensure a proper and comfortable fit.
Why Trust Our Recommendations for Women’s Travel Dresses
Travel + Leisure’s recommendations are based on rigorous real-world testing and expert reviews. Fashion writers and editors with extensive travel experience have personally tested each of the featured women’s travel dresses. They evaluated each dress over a two-week testing period, assessing fit, comfort, breathability, design, range of motion, and packability. Continued testing over six months ensures long-term durability and comfort, providing reliable and trustworthy recommendations for your travel wardrobe.
By choosing from this guide to the best women’s travel dresses, you can ensure you travel in style and comfort, without the worry of wrinkled clothing. Explore these top picks and find your perfect travel dress companion today!
