Our Favorite Modest Dresses for Moms and Girls

Over the last several years, I've found myself reaching for dresses almost every day. Not for any religious reasons, but simply because I feel more feminine, more put together, and honestly, they're just easier to wear. Slipping on one piece of clothing is often simpler (and more comfortable!) than trying to coordinate an outfit.

One unexpected benefit of wearing dresses most days is that it's made it much easier to maintain a minimalist wardrobe. Because almost everything in my closet is a dress, I don't need to think about matching tops and bottoms or owning nearly as many pieces. It has simplified getting dressed each morning in a way I've come to love.

Here's a photo of my entire closet: 

My 11-year-old daughter, Lanie, has followed suit, and these days you'll usually find both of us in dresses (or sometimes jumpsuits). 

One of the questions I'm asked most often is where we find them, so I thought I'd share a few of our favorite places and brands!

My Favorite Place to Shop: ThredUp

Without a doubt, I buy most of my dresses secondhand through ThredUp. Shopping secondhand allows me to purchase much higher-quality pieces for a fraction of the original price, and I've found some incredible treasures over the years.

All of these dresses are from ThredUp. Top left: Carly Jean. Top right: Christy Dawn. Bottom Left: & Other Stories. Bottom Right: Free People.

You can shop using my affiliate link here: ThredUp

A few of my favorite brands to watch for are:

• Carly Jean – A California-based brand that creates timeless, feminine clothing with an effortless, everyday feel. Their dresses are comfortable, flattering, and easy to wear.

• Madewell – One of my favorite brands for simple, well-made dresses in natural fabrics. Their styles are classic enough to wear for years (and I do!). 

• Christy Dawn – Beautiful, heirloom-quality dresses made from natural fabrics with a romantic, vintage-inspired feel. They're definitely an investment, but every now and then you can find one on ThredUp for a fraction of the original price.

One of my favorite ThredUp features is the ability to create alerts for specific brands in your size, so you'll get an email whenever new pieces are listed.

A Few Dresses I've Purchased New

While most of my closet comes from ThredUp, I do have a couple of dresses from Neuflora that I absolutely love. I have also recently discovered Simple Retro, and this dress (below) is one I love wearing!

Favorite Dresses for Moms

Here are a few Amazon dresses I've owned and enjoyed:

Dress links: Top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right

Favorite Dresses for Girls

Lanie has also found several dresses she loves on Amazon. We also purchase many of her dresses from local consignment shops.

Here are a few of her favorites:

Lanie's dress shown above: Maxi dress (My dress was from a local boutique in Branson, MO.)

Other favorite dresses for girls: This dress, this dress, this dress, this dress

Layers & Shoes

When a dress needs an extra layer, I usually wear a short-sleeve button-down shirt (like the one by Madewell, shown above) that I tie at the bottom. Or I wear a denim jacket (by Carly Jean, purchased on ThredUp). 

And for everyday shoes, my favorite sandals are Keen sandals. They're so comfortable, durable, and pair well with just about everything.

I hope these recommendations are helpful! If you've been wanting to simplify your wardrobe, I can't recommend dresses enough. They've helped me feel more put together while actually owning fewer clothes, and that's been a wonderful combination.

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you choose to make a purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Brighter Day Press and allowing me to continue creating free resources for families!