To no one’s surprise, I tend to gravitate toward a more classic sense of style when shopping for my wardrobe and getting dressed in the morning. One of the more popular subsects of that overarching classic fashion theme at the moment is grand millennial. I personally loveee grand millennial clothes, but they’re not always the most affordable. Today, I wanted to share with you my favorite grand millennial dresses under $200!
If you don’t know what grand millennial is, I’ll explain that quickly first. Over the last several years, grand millennial style has really exploded in popularity in mainstream social media. What once was a Lilly Pulitzer-laden version of preppy dressing has faded into a more elegant and relaxed vibe but with just as much attention to detail in terms of colors and prints. It takes old-school patterns like bow-adorned or toile de joie wallpaper motifs and floral block printing and updates them with an injection of youth and freshness. It’s a timeless grandmother chic, with the emphasis on the chic part.
Because of the emphasis on quality in grand millennial style (whether in intricate pattern or in fabric/construction), dresses can often be $300+ from places like Shopbop, Saks, Tuckernuck, etc. But, I found a fantastic dress that marries quality, affordability AND the grand millennial vibe. It’s such a winner!
This is the silky luxe smocked maxi dress in summer sprig by Summersalt. I wish you could feel the fabric of this dress I am wearing. It’s so soft and cool and luxurious on the skin, which is perfect for the boiling hot weather we’ve had lately in Pittsburgh. The fabric is ultralight and breathable, and it moves like a dream. It’s got a smocked bodice, bow-tie straps and a cute ruffle at the hem of the dress. I really like that it’s maxi-length on me, as that’s not something I have a lot of in my wardrobe.
It’s always special to find a dress that checks a ton of boxes for my closet like this one does. Chic? Check. This dress took approximately two seconds to throw on and another 60 seconds to style, and I think it looks pretty elegant and effortless. Comfortable? Check. You can’t go wrong with a silky smocked dress that’s flowy and forgiving. Versatile? Check! I love that I could wear this out to a lovely dinner like how I have it styled in these photos. Or, I could pop it on over a bikini for the pool. Or, I could toss a denim jacket over it with some sneakers for running errands.
It’s just one of those simple but effective dresses that I feel really amazing in. I’m headed to Florida at the end of next month, and it’s definitely going in my suitcase. I think it also embodies the grand millennial style pretty well. Effortless, feminine, chic, classic. Bright and printed but not too fussy. This is one of those dresses that I’m going to have in my closet for years to come because of how useful and easy it is. If you’re also interested in trying it for yourself, my friends at Summersalt were kind enough to give me a promo code for you guys to use! The code BEKAHJS10 will get you 10% off your entire order, including the silky luxe smocked maxi dress.
For accessories, I paired the dress with the most *adorable* colorful PVC bag from Amazon. This is such a fantastic buy at under $25. I am genuinely shocked how much use I’ve gotten out of it since I bought it last month. The bag is perfect for the pool, beach or anywhere you need a clear bag. And, I think it looks pretty cute with my dress! I’m also wearing a raffia headband, some beaded statement earrings and platform espadrille sandals that have also been on repeat all summer long.
Linking a bunch of grand millennial dresses under $200 in the carousel below!
