Exclusive: Everlane’s Elevated New Dresses, Tested and Reviewed

Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

The label wants to be a lot more than T-shirts and denim. Bazaar can exclusively share a first look at the dress capsule helping Everlane get there.

For Everlane chief creative officer Mathilde Mader, pulling on a dress always feels special. But it's not exactly a daily uniform: As a busy mom and executive, Mader doesn't always consider a flowy skirt suitable for running after her kid on the playground. When she does wear a dress, though, she senses an immediate shift.

"I think a dress can be a bit like how you think of red lipstick or red nails or a perfume," she tells me. "To me, it immediately lends a sense of feeling put-together. I’m ready, completely."

Mader channeled that essence into a milestone for the brand she directs. On Sunday, May 14, Everlane is releasing its first dedicated dress collection. It encompasses seven styles, each with multiple colorways and a prevailing sense of uncomplicated sophistication. (A name-checked reference: Claire McCardell, the designer credited with revolutionizing American women's fashion.)

From a striped A-line linen midi to an organic cotton T-shirt dress with a waist panel for structure, each individual piece from the collection has a polish that doesn't have to be overthought or over-accessorized. If a weeklong vacation is on the horizon, all seven dresses add up to a wardrobe for each day of the itinerary: a sleeveless linen dress that doubles as a swimsuit cover-up, a satin dress for a more formal dinner, another cotton T-shirt dress for sightseeing. "We wanted that whole sense of a holiday in a suitcase," Mader explains.

One standout is a mid-length polo dress knit from recycled nylon and viscose with a flexible, soft hand-feel—the kind I found I could literally run around in on an unusually busy day last week, when I tested a few dresses prior to the launch. Another favorite, a hammered satin maxi with an alluring tie detail in the back, garnered multiple comparisons to Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's style when I wore it with a little sweater tied around my shoulders.

I’ve been conned into thinking certain dresses will last, only to wear them just a few times before retiring them to storage. I sense that the pattern could break with these dresses—and that's the intention. In the spirit of the updated suits Everlane rolled out last year, "We’re establishing a new chapter of wardrobe building," Mader says.

Everlane can be associated with throw-on-and-go T-shirt dresses or smock-like linens. Those previous dresses were popular with shoppers, but the brand knew they could be improved and even elevated. The new dress collection combines both ideas, in a quality example of the proverbial desk-to-drinks (or work-to-vacation) ease so many womenswear brands chase after.

Mader tells me the collection is a step up for Everlane—a moment for the label to reset shoppers’ expectations while filling their weekender bags with dresses. "We see ourselves as much more than T-shirts and denim," she says. Sliding into the brand's impeccably draped satin maxi for a second day in a row, I could feel myself embracing that perspective.

The Everlane Dress Collection will be available to shop in Everlane stores and Everlane.com on Sunday, May 14.

Halie LeSavage is the fashion commerce editor at Harper's BAZAAR. Her style reporting covers everything from reviewing the best designer products to profiling emerging brands and designers. Previously, she was the founding retail writer at Morning Brew and a fashion associate at Glamour.

22 Low-Back Swimsuits for Showing a Little Skin

13 Designer Backpacks That Are Fully Grown Up

13 Sneakers BAZAAR Editors Wear 24/7

Summer's 25 Best One-Piece Swimsuits

Fashion's Collective Crush on the Alaïa Heart Bag

19 Fashion-Forward Rehearsal Dinner Dresses

26 Chunky Rings to Elevate Your Jewelry Game

Nice Saves: 11 Must-Have Items on Sale This Week

15 Best Summer Sneakers for All-Day Comfort

15 Fresh Ways to Wear a Designer Fanny Pack

The Absolute Best Bras for Small Busts

15 Stylish Yet Comfortable Shoes to Wear to Work