The Perfect Summer Outfit Does Exist - And You Only Need 2 Pieces

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Whether or not you're jetting off to Italy for a Euro summer, it always pays to keep up with warm-weather fashion trends. That's especially true when they're this simple: To nail the perfect summer outfit no matter what you're doing, you need only a maxi dress and a pair of flats. With these two basic but powerful staples, you can create a chic look that echoes all we love about summer: airiness, fun, and freedom. 

The combo of the maxi dress and flat shoe is timeless, but you can elevate it to trendy by incorporating particular styles that are at the fashion fore in 2025, including spaghetti straps and ruching. Shirt dresses, like the Utcoco Women's Casual Dress, may seem more at home in the office than at the shore, but this is one of the most popular silhouettes of the season, along with the eternal drop waist. Material-wise, sheer maxis are seeing a comeback, and these can be thrown over bikinis or simply worn on their own. But at the end of the day, you'll never do better than linen — a fabric that not only brings a sophisticated edge but is also breathable, cool, and practical for sweltering temperatures. The Drop Women's Carlota Strapless Linen Maxi Dress perfectly fits the bill and comes in six colors.

The real fun in building your summer maxi rotation is in choosing the colors and patterns since there's a lot trending. Chocolate brown takes the cake as one of year's chicest tones, but bold reds and greens, along with softer blues and yellows, will also win points. As ever, minimalists can opt for timeless white, black, and neutral maxis, while those looking for a louder aesthetic can explore polka dots, stripes, and even floral prints. This is also the year to get away with marine graphics, which pair exquisitely with fisherman sandals. And beyond this sartorial match made in heaven, there are plenty of flats and sandals to team with your maxis. 

One of the biggest footwear trends of the year is mesh, particularly in the world of ballet flats. The practicality of the ballet flat makes it ideal for a summer maxi 'fit, and going for mesh brings this classic combo right into 2025. Jellies are a shoe trend everyone's trying in 2025, but you could also go for woven styles to carry over the summer vibe to your footwear. Additionally, pink and red mesh flats are rising in popularity, though classic black or white may be the best choice depending on the dress you're wearing. A maxi in a light, warm-weather hue is the perfect choice for a neutral mesh flat, like The Drop Women's Pepper Ballet Flat with Bow, but you could also for a monochromatic moment. 

If you're not a fan of mesh, there are several types of flat sandals made to be worn with a maxi. The gladiator style has returned; we're seeing it in summery rope sandals with ankle straps and caged sandal silhouettes. Meanwhile metal accents are also having a moment, and the addition of that hardware can elevate basically any type of sandal, including the FITORY Women's Flat Sandals. It also wouldn't be summer without the aforementioned boat shoes, which aren't going anywhere in 2025. Again, chocolate brown is the color to invest in when it comes to a new pair of sandals, but cherry red and animal prints are other finishes to look out for. The Drop Women's Samantha Flat Strappy Lace-up Sandal, for example, gives you hits of both snakeskin and the gladiator aesthetic.

Ballet flats tend to elevate simple maxis, like basic white cotton styles, while mesh, in particular, has the same effect on a casual slip. To bring these two staples together, you'll have to experiment and find the combos that suit your personal style aesthetic. Once you do, complete the look with one of the handbag trends we're seeing everywhere in summer 2025.

The combination of maxi dress and flat shoes is versatile, so there are infinite options when it comes to styling. To narrow down the best maxis and flat shoes to recommend, we took into account trending styles as well as a minimum standard of metrics. We only considered items that received higher than 4 stars on Amazon and had been rated more than 100 times. With all of this considered, we believe that we've recommended high-quality options that can set your summer style up for success.