The 10 dresses every woman should own Best dresses to invest in

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The little black dress

Every woman needs a little black dress in her wardrobe because it truly can get you through pretty much any occasion. From dinner dates to impromptu events, you'll fall back on it time and time again.

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The little black dress

Opt for something fairly simple and not too trend-led so that you can keep it in your wardrobe season after season. This simple strappy offering from Elizabeth and James will become your sartorial best friend.

Crepe dress, £280, Elizabeth and James at Net-A-Porter

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The shirt dress

Whether for work or the weekend, the humble shirt dress is a classic piece that is unlikely to ever go out of style.

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The shirt dress

Dress it up with strappy sandals or mules and wear with crisp white trainers for an off-duty outing.

Cotton dress, £39.99, Zara

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The work dress

While you probably have multiple office-appropriate frocks in your wardrobe, it's important to have one special dress that is extra-smart and fills you with confidence. Save it for those particularly important meetings or job interviews.

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The work dress

Layer up with a polo-neck during the winter or wear alone in the warmer months.

Cashmere dress, £330, Diane von Furstenberg at Harvey Nichols

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The knitted dress

The underrated knitted dress can be one of the most useful pieces in a winter wardrobe. Great for those days when you really just want to be under the duvet but are forced to brace the cold and, as proven by Sienna Miller, they have the potential to look incredibly chic.

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The knitted dress

We love the red ruffles on this elegant frock.

Knitted dress, £850, Esteban Cortázar at Matches Fashion

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The date-night dress

A dress that can truly transform your confidence is a must-have for every woman. Whether it's a revealing vinyl dress à la Bella Hadid or something more demure, have one in your arsenal that makes you feel your most desirable – and slip it on for those important romantic outings.

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The date-night dress

You couldn't fail to make a jaw-dropping entrance in this black caped dress from Alice + Olivia.

Neely dress, £465, Alice + Olivia at Net-A-Porter

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The black-tie dress

We all do it: get an invitation for a fancy affair and head into panic-mode, frantically trying to find something that will match the dress code. We recommend investing in a black-tie-appropriate gown before you know you need it. One that you can turn to again and again.

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The black-tie dress

Do gowns get any more glamorous than this?

Silk gown, £3,985, Jason Wu at Net-A-Porter

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The wear-to-any-wedding dress

In a similar vein to the black-tie conundrum, a wedding invitation can send even the most together woman into a sartorial tizzy. Obviously the dream is to buy a dress that can see you through spring, summer and winter weddings with ease. This means choosing something classic and versatile that can be accessorised in many different ways.

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The wear-to-any-wedding dress

You'll be able to pull out this chic pink dress again and again if you are clever with your accessories.

Silk dress, £895, Roksanda at BRowns

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The flirty floral dress

There are few feelings better than the arrival of spring and the perfect floral frock is the epitome of this. Buy one now and you'll wear it year after year.

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The flirty floral dress

And as Margot Robbie proves, no one does florals better than Gucci.

Silk dress, £1,540, Gucci

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The made-for-layering dress

Be it a pinafore, dungaree or shift dress, invest in a frock that is perfect for layering up. With the ability to pair with T-shirts, shirts, polonecks and more, it can make one dress feel like 10.

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The made-for-layering dress

Swap boots, thick tights and a cashmere jumper with sandals and a simple white tee when the warmer months arrive.

Pinafore dress, £39.99, Mango

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The strappy summer dress

Every woman should have a frock in their closet that they dream of wearing all winter long. Therefore, the simple strappy summer dress is a must.

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The strappy summer dress

Anyone would be sad to pack this away at the end of September.

Linen dress, £445, Zimmermann at Matches Fashion

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