This Summer's Best Backless Dresses Are Made to Stand Out
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
With summer in full swing, you may get the urge to reach for dresses that skew more on the sultry side. Blame it on the weather—or simply feeling flirty—but there's nothing like showing off a little more skin than usual—and backless dresses are the foolproof trend we can count on.
The perfect backless dress strikes a balance between understated and sexy, featuring adequate coverage (à la high necklines) that highlights the wow factor of a bare back. Not sure how much you want to reveal? There are a plethora of options for your preferences. From low-back styles that disclose just enough to daring cuts that go down to the waist, we've got at least one backless dress you'll feel confident in for every occasion this season.
Whether you're seeking a bold mini for your next vacation or an elegant and comfortable midi for wedding season, shop 17 of the best backless dresses that will be sure to get a double take.
This rosette-adorned mini from Revolve is begging to be worn for a glamorous night out.
Sizes: XXS-XL
Colors: Light Pink, Red, Ivory, Light Yellow, Black
Materials: Viscose, polyester, elastane
Leave it to Reformation to design the perfect backless wedding guest dress. The polka-dot print and flounced skirt lend a classic flair to the back-baring style.
Sizes: 0-12
Colors: Moon Dot, Chianti
Materials: Viscose
You can't go wrong with a breezy, billowy cotton maxi to wear beachside or poolside—and this one is available in a rainbow of shades.
Sizes: XS-XL
Colors: 17 options
Materials: 100% Cotton
The Brooklyn-based label's Jamaican-inspired design can be dressed up with heels or dressed down with sneakers.
Sizes: XS-XXL
Colors: Rasta Print
Materials: Polyester, rayon
This Silvia Tcherassi midi has it all: a plunging halter neckline, draped detailing, and gold-tone hardware. Accessorize it with matching chunky jewelry.
Sizes: XS-L
Colors: Brown
Materials: Viscose, acetate
The shoulder ties instantly offer a darling look to this simple knit mini from Zara. The best part? You can make it yours for under $50.
Colors: White
Materials: Viscose, polyamide
This Aritzia cowl-neck satin LBD with an open back is poised to be a wardrobe staple for seasons to come.
Sizes: 00-12
Colors: Black, Dark Olive, Saville/Multi, Turner Taupe, Matte Pearl
Materials: Polyester
You can count on Jacquemus to create a sophisticated white dress, with a subtly sexy side and an A-line skirt.
Materials: Viscose, nylon, polyamide, elastane
The ultimate summer dress, if there ever was one. This striped linen number by Australian brand Zimmermann highlights an asymmetric neckline, side cut-out, and a barely-there strappy back.
Sizes: 4-12
Colors: Yellow Stripe
Materials: 100% Linen
For those looking for a casual one-and-done dress, consider this plaid mini finished with a delicate lace trim.
Sizes: 4XS-4XL
Colors: Tan Plaid
Swimwear brand Solid & Striped makes dresses too! See why gingham is summer's signature print in its bestselling dress, which has pockets, smocking, and a multi-strap back.
Colors: 6 options
Materials: 100% cotton
This slinky Retrofête column gown comes in a luxe chestnut brown. The beaded straps are the standout detail, extending all the way down to the waist.
Colors: Chestnut
Have a tropical getaway on the docket? Pack this gorgeous maxi, which features a triangular neckline, ornate crisscross straps, and a subtle floral print. Pair it with your favorite flat or kitten-heel sandals.
Colors: Off-White
Make a statement in this unexpected pink-and-blue stunner by Mango. The cornflower-blue brocade embroidery and bubblegum-pink fringe hem combine modernity and old-world charm for an unforgettable look.
Colors: Pastel Pink
Materials: Polyester, acetate, viscose
A no-frills linen dress is a warm-weather essential. The Lelia by Nili Lotan is an elegant, lightweight maxi offered in an earthy khaki shade with a cinched back. Throw it on when you want to beat the heat and feel put together.
Colors: Khaki
What looks like a regular shift dress has a surprise exposed back. We especially love the relaxed silhouette for comfort. If you're not into the zebra print, opt for the classic black iteration.
Sizes: 0-20 (including tall and petite sizing)
Colors: Brown Zebra Print, Black
For your next night out, choose this jaw-dropping jersey maxi from Éterne, the label from celebrity stylist Chloé Bertoli. A refined high-neck front expertly counters the revealing low-waist back, giving you a true 'business-in-front' situation.
Colors: Black
Materials: Modal, spandex
Every product featured on ELLE.com is independently researched, tested, or editor-approved. We only recommend products that we stand behind, and the merchandise featured on our site is always driven by editorial and product testing standards, not by affiliate deals or advertising relationships. Any content created in partnership with advertisers is marked as such.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hypebeast
10 minutes ago
- Hypebeast
Playboi Carti Unveils Dazzling Diamond Lollipop by Alex Moss
Summary Playboi Cartihas once again captured the attention of the fashion and music worlds with his latest extravagant accessory: a diamond-encrusted lollipop chain, meticulously crafted by renowned New York-based jewelerAlex Moss. This audacious piece debuted during Carti's performance at the 2025 BET Awards, immediately sparking widespread discussion and admiration for its unique blend of luxury and playful rebellion. The 'STRAWBERRY DIAMOND LOLLIPOP,' as dubbed by Alex Moss, transforms an everyday candy into a high-jewelry statement. While the exact cost remains undisclosed, reports suggest it is a six-figure creation. A viral video captured the artist playfully licking the bejeweled confection, further cementing its status as a viral moment. Alex Moss, known for his bespoke creations for A-list clientele including Drake and Tyler, the Creator, continues to push the boundaries of custom jewelry, solidifying his reputation for innovative and bold designs. The jeweler posted to his Instagram the iced-out lollipop which appears to see the candy portion dictated in pink diamonds and the stem covered entirely of white diamonds. The piece is the size of the palm, making the details intricate and unique. Take a look above or below at the diamond lollipop.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Kentucky Bigfoot calling contest is a scream
STANTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — Music, food, and crafts at a recent festival in Stanton brought people out of the woodwork. It was also hoped the event would bring a creature out of the woods. 'If you talk about Bigfoot in certain circles, you're going to get laughed at,' said Steve Lindsey, one of the hosts of the Kentucky-based 'News Worthy??' podcast. 'Everybody is either here because they believe or they want to believe.' Kentucky Bigfoot calling contest is a scream Louisville's Cave Hill Cemetery: A final resting place full of history and mystery A ferry is still a loved way to cross the Kentucky River The first-ever Bigfoot Festival celebrated that there have been dozens of reports of the legendary creature in the nearby Red River Gorge. The cryptid would have been welcome at the festival, so much so that dozens of people lined up to call for him in a contest that was a real scream. No words can describe the variety of yells, whoops, and whistles performed by the crowd. Charlie Raymond, founder of the Kentucky Bigfoot Research Organization, leads local hunts for the creature. He was the perfect person to judge the contest, because he believes he's heard the real thing. 'You could tell some of them have done their homework,' he said. He said whoops and guttural growls are closer to the real thing. Read more Spirit of the Bluegrass stories In the end, 10-year-old Easton Tennison took the top prize, belting out a deep groan that went on for several seconds. The crowd in the audience roared in approval. 'I can do long laughs and stuff and make a bunch of weird noises, so I just kind of knew what I would do,' Tennison said. Bigfoot didn't answer the call at this festival, but the creature sure has a fan club in these parts. You have to believe that if he ever comes out of hiding, he'd want to make tracks here. 'We were taken aback by how many people were excited about Bigfoot and Bigfoot calling. It was a successful event,' Raymond said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sky Sports News' golden age at an end as rival platforms turn up the volume
A constant in pubs, gyms and hotel breakfast rooms, almost always with the sound down. Perhaps not since cinema's silent age have faces been so familiar without the general public knowing their voices. The vibe is more casual than in previous times, shirt sleeves rather than business suits, but the formula remains the same: a carousel of news, clips, quotes, quips, centred around highlights, all framed within a constant flow of results, fixtures and league tables. Sky Sports News hits 27 years of broadcasting in August, having been launched for the 1998-99 football season by BSkyB. As the domestic football season concluded, news came of changes within the Osterley-based newsroom. Seven members of the broadcast talent team would be leaving, including the long-serving Rob Wotton and the senior football reporter Melissa Reddy, within a process of voluntary redundancies. Advertisement Sky sources – not those Sky sources – are keen to state the changes are not a cost-cutting exercise, instead a redress of SSN's place within a changing media environment. Ronan Kemp, the One Show presenter and Celebrity Goggleboxer, is understood to be in discussions to join Sky and despite Wotton's departure, Ref Watch will still be serving those who get their kicks from re-refereeing matches and VAR calls. Rolling news, which became common currency around the time of the initial Gulf war with Iraq is no longer the go-to information environment. Sky News, SSN's sister organisation, is going through similar changes, including the loss of the veteran anchor Kay Burley. The smartphone, where news alerts supplant even social media, takes the strain of keeping the world informed of Micky van de Ven's latest hamstring injury. Desperate to hear even more from Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville? There are podcasts and YouTube channels available at a swipe. In the US, ESPN's SportsCenter and its accompanying ESPNews channel were the progenitors of a medium copied globally and by Sky in launching SSN. SportsCenter is a flagship in marked decline from a golden 1990s era that made American household names of presenters such as Stuart Scott, Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick. ESPN, an organisation in the process of taking itself to digital platforms as cable TV gets mothballed, closed SportsCenter's Los Angeles studio in March. Linear TV's death will be slow, but it is dying nonetheless as streaming, all bundles and consumer choice, takes hold. Meanwhile, YouTube channels, with production values way below industry standard, amass huge audiences for fan-owned, independent media. Advertisement The time of viewers tuning in for 10pm highlights voiced over by presenters' catchphrases – Scott's 'boo yah!' being the prime example – has long passed. Social media and YouTube have killed the demand. Though live sports remain the foundation of broadcasting contracts, highlights and analysis can be watched at the time of the viewers' choice. Digital is where the eyeballs go, and what the advertising dollar is attracted to, despite the ubiquity of Go Compare et al. Viewing figures remain healthy but the game is now about far more than ratings. SSN's imperial period was the early millennium days of Dave Clark and Kirsty Gallacher's toothsome double act, to a time when the yellow ticker of breaking news held great sway, though not always delivering on its promise of earthquake journalism (news of Nicky Shorey's Reading contract extension, anyone?). Millie Clode, Di Stewart, Charlotte Jackson, Kelly Cates: a nation turned its lonely eyes to them. Then there was transfer deadline day, more important than the football itself. Long, frantic hours spent hearing Jim White's Glaswegian whine declare anything could happen on this day of days. In the early years it often did, from Peter Odemwingie's mercy dash to Loftus Road to the brandishing of a sex toy in the earhole of reporter Alan Irwin outside Everton's training ground. Another reporter, Andy 'four phones' Burton, labelled the night the 2008 window closed: 'The best day of my life, apart from when my son was born.' Eventually, though, it became too knowing. Not even White's yellow tie, as garish as his hype, accompanied by Natalie Sawyer's yellow dress, could stop the event from becoming desperate hours chasing diminishing returns. Live television is a challenging environment, especially with nothing to feed off. Advertisement Though many presenters have been lampooned – abused in the more carrion social media age – the difficulty of 'going live' with an earpiece full of instructions and timings should never be underestimated. How does Mike Wedderburn, the channel's first presenter, make it look so easy? When, in a broadcasting-carriage dispute between Virgin and Sky, Setanta Sports News was given brief life in 2007 – 22 months as the Dagmar to Sky's Queen Vic – it was made apparent how hard, and costly, the business can be. Over-exposure to SSN – as happens when someone works in a newspaper sports department, say – can lead to contempt. The joins can be seen, too. Haven't they done that same gag for the past six hours and each time pretended it was an ad lib? Just what is Gary Cotterill up to this time? Why did Bryan Swanson always use such portentous tones? From morning till night, it would be ever-present. On weekend evenings, when you caught the skilled veteran duo of Julian Waters and the late David Bobin running through the day's events, you knew it was time to leave the office, down that late drink, question your life choices, the pair's clipped tones taking on the effect of a lonely late-night cab ride. SSN is forced to move with the times. As is the case across the industry, journalists have often been supplanted by influencers, as the mythical, perhaps unreachable, 'younger audience' is chased. That is not to say the channel is short of decent reporting. In the aftermath of the 2022 Champions League final in Paris, chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol produced a superb account of the ensuing chaos and danger while others floundered for detail. Advertisement SSN, like SportsCenter across the Atlantic, is now more a production factory for content being sent across the internet, published to multiple platforms, than it is a rolling news channel. Within press statements around the redundancies there was the word 'agile', a term repurposed – and overused – in the business world, but meaning doing more with less. Next season, as heavily trailed on SSN right now, Sky will have 215 Premier League live matches to show, including every game played on Sundays. That requires the company's shift in focus, for Sky Sports News in particular. Though look up wherever you are and it will still be on in the corner, almost certainly with the sound down.
