I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—dresses and I haven’t always been the greatest of friends. Maybe it’s because as a child my mum took great pleasure in dressing me up in 1950s-style dresses with huge skirts and frilly Peter Pan collars, and I’m still recovering from the horror. Or maybe it’s because I spent my teenagehood trying to buy into the trends that, being the early 2000s, were frankly all designed for very petite frames, and was inevitably disappointed that they didn’t suit me. Whatever the reason, for most of my 20s I turned away from dresses and relied on outfit formulas that usually involved jeans or trousers, instead. Why bother putting in the work to find a dress that suited me when my trusty straight-leg jeans would never let me down?

But inevitably, there are times when dresses really are essential. And after finding a few styles for special occasions that I was surprised to find that I actually liked, I decided to dip my toe back into the world of dresses. After all, summer is on the way, and the world of dresses has moved on from the days of my youth—there are plenty more styles, brands and silhouettes to choose from.

This summer, I’m not going to repeat the mistakes of my teenagehood. Instead of buying into trends, I’m focusing on the classics—which, ironically enough, happen to be particularly on trend this season. After extensive research, I’ve boiled it down to five key looks, all of which are broad enough to cover a variety of styles to suit all body types, personal aesthetics and summer plans. Do you gravitate towards understated, neutral colour palettes? Maybe this is the summer you explore the world of linen midi dresses. Are the months ahead already booked up with weddings and summer parties? Consider finding your ideal slip dress, which will see you through all these events and still be on hand to style with sandals and a cardigan for late Sunday afternoons in the pub with friends.