This Dress Makes Me Feel SO Confident—& It’s Only $35

I’ve been in a toxic relationship with high-cut, fit and flare mini dresses for the past decade. I wore them exclusively, solely because I didn’t think that any other silhouette would look as good on my body. But, during a quarantine closet clean-out, I said goodbye to 15 skater dresses and started to experiment with different shapes and styles. The first one I ordered was the Dokotoo Summer Mini Dress on Amazon—and it was an instant hit.

Sure, there are a lot of Amazon dresses that everyone on TikTok raves about, but I knew I wanted something a little more unique, so this one checked all my boxes. This dress is low-cut in front and has a low back, which is definitely more flirty than anything I wore pre-quarantine and requires me to go braless. Still, I thought the ruffles, long sleeves and looser skirt balanced out the lower-cut areas and I wanted a summer dress with romantic vibes inspired by summer’s Regency Era-inspired trends lately.

I discovered the dress after noticing it trending on the Amazon Fashion Best-Sellers List and decided to add it to my cart. It has 4.1 stars and more than 8,200 ratings, which is definitely more than decent. Unlike the Nap Dress (though I am a fan), this dress is budget-friendly and only cost me $37.

After reading reviews and seeing that it looked good on reviewers no matter their body type, I ordered a Medium in the green micro-leopard print and hoped for the best.

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Courtesy of Dokotoo.

Buy: Dokotoo Womens Summer Dress $36.98

Right off the bat, I knew I’d found a winner. The skirt of the dress has a zipper, so it gave me a tighter fit around the waist. There was also a button at the back of the neck, which was easy to fasten. If a dress takes two people to put on, there’s like a 10 percent chance I’ll wear it more than once. This one, though, fit me like a glove and emphasized the areas that I wanted it to.

I wore it to my friend’s wedding rehearsal dinner, which was also my first big social event since quarantine began last year. I knew I’d be seeing friends from all over the country, plus many people I had never met before (How did I used to socialize with strangers on a regular basis??) so I was hoping my dress would do the talking—and it did.

Courtesy of Alicia Kort.

Buy: Dokotoo Womens Summer Dress $36.98

I’ve never racked up so many compliments in my life! I couldn’t believe I felt comfortable in real clothes, which felt miraculous after wearing nothing but T-shirts and sweatpants for the last year. Even in the blazing upstate New York heat and humidity, I still felt cool despite the long sleeves, thanks to my dress’s breezy silhouette and lightweight fabric.

I felt cool enough to borrow my friend’s sunglasses for an impromptu photo shoot in front of a red barn, which further affirmed my belief that I should take more risks with the types of clothes I wear.

This dress definitely took me out of my comfort zone in the best way, so now I’m recommending it to all of you. It comes in 14 different colorways, so you can find one that matches your vibe. Whether you copy me and go for the green or one of the more neutral-toned options for fall, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.