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Who doesn’t love a comfortable frock with roomy pockets? If you’re looking for something that can be dressed up or down for work, travel, or play, our readers suggest these pretty pieces to accessorize and wear pretty much anywhere!
Dresses With Pockets
Written By: Michelle Nati
Table Of Contents
Let’s face it—clothes with pockets are infinitely more comfortable than those without. Not so much because you need to carry things, but because putting your hands inside a pocket makes you feel comfortable—and comfort means confidence. Sometimes you just don’t know what to do with your hands!
But, are pockets designed into a dress beneficial for travel?
Why Women’s Dresses With Pockets Are Great for Travel
Though you’ll likely have a main purse or backpack for a personal item on a plane and double it as your sightseeing bag, sometimes it’s nice to have extra spaces for less important items such as lipstick, sunglasses, or lip balm, which is why pockets in dresses work well for traveling.
BISHUIGE T-Shirt Dress in Red, AllSaints Studded Belt, and Vionic Tropic Wedges
This fun trend of pocket dresses also gives female travelers more versatile options than pants that typically have pockets to store things. And the type of dresses are endless; even formal gowns can have pockets. Overall, it’s a detail that’s infinitely stylish but also practical!
From cute and casual, to summer fun dresses, sophisticated frocks, all the way to cozy loungewear, these traveler favorites are considered the best. Check them out below!
Best Casual Dresses With Pockets
Shop: Amazon (XS-XXL) | Columbia (XS-XXL) | Columbia (1X-3X)
Columbia Chill River Dress
Overall, Columbia is a hugely popular brand with TFG readers and travelers! The Chill River dress is highly versatile as it can be dressed up or down and can be packed for humid destinations due to its sweat-wicking and cooling properties, as well as UPF 50 sun protection.
According to this happy user, the hand pockets can even hold a phone, “A sundress with pockets! Looks so beautiful on me—better looking than the models’ picture. The hemline is short but not too short for a middle-aged woman. The high neck is modest yet elegant, and the pockets are big enough for a smartphone.”
You can grab this in diverse sizing on the Columbia website, from XS-XXL and 1X-3X, and in a multitude of pretty prints on both Amazon and Columbia!
Shop Regular, Petite, and Plus Sizes: Eddie Bauer | Amazon
Eddie Bauer Aster Crossover Dress
This cute Eddie Bauer dress is lightweight and has a relaxing fit. The flattering silhouette paired with comfy, moisture-wicking with odor control and UPF 50+ sun protection make this an easy travel go-to. It’ll pair with flats, sandals, or flip flops beautifully!
This review sums up how popular this item is, “I love this dress! It’s really comfortable, and the empire waist gives it a flattering shape. I especially like that it has pockets. It’s a great travel dress that won’t wrinkle. It’s casual enough to hang around in, but can be spiffed up with a nice jacket and fancy shoes.”
It’s available in other cute colors and comes in standard sizes XS-XXL, petite sizes S-L, tall sizes S-XXL, and plus sizes 1X-3X.
Shop Sizes XXS-XXL: Amazon | Zappos
Arc’teryx Contenta Dress
This simple, short sleeve dress hits all the marks when it comes to versatility, comfort, and packability. Composed of a soft (and 100% recycled!) polyester, you can store small items in all the pockets easily—there are two side pockets and one internal zippered pocket. It also has UPF 50+ sun protection, which is perfect for hot and humid destinations. Wear it casually with sneakers, or dress it up with some ballet flats!
This piece is a must-try for spring/summer. It’s light enough to fit into a carry-on or backpack, and away you go!
We’ve got a round up of 20 beautiful summer maxi dresses!
Best Summer Dresses With Pockets
Shop Sizes XS-3XL: Amazon
BISHUIGE Summer Casual V Neck Tank Dress
This versatile dress is breezy and comfortable in the heat. It’s something you can wear comfortably at home, wear to run around town during the day, and dress up in the evening.
The pockets are a bonus and something that’s important for a summer dress, the armholes are high enough that a bra doesn’t show! They have a great range of sizes as well, from XS-3XL.
Guess what? I also bought this dress for myself! I quite like the blue color and think it’ll be great for hot-weather destinations.
BISHUIGE T-Shirt Dress in Acid Blue and Birkenstock Daloa Sandals
Speaking of hot weather, I’m moving to a new home in Playa del Carmen and besides the dress above, I also got a number of cute items in my spring haul—check out the full post here!
Shop Sizes S-XL: Amazon
MITILLY Casual Swing Dress
This reader-recommended MITILLY button-down dress is adorably feminine, and practical, too! The fabric is light and breathable with a hint of stretch, and it can be worn casually with sneakers for sightseeing or dressed up for a night out. If you want to add a pop of color to your travel capsule wardrobe, choose from 25 colors and prints!
A reader shares, “I have this dress in three colors, two with sleeves, one without. It’s so versatile, flattering and it has pockets! I am plus sized and it fits me great!”
Sizes range from S-XL.
Shop Sizes 4-26: Amazon
Lilbetter Casual Summer Dress
This adorable Lilbetter summer dress is lightweight airy and comes in tons of lovely colors. The overall style with the fitted waist, cap sleeves, and flowy skirt are flattering and timeless. A great addition to a summer trip!
One happy wearer says, “Fabric is soft and comfortable and doesn’t easily wrinkle. Perfect for summer vacation travels. Looks nice and put together without a lot of effort or fuss.”
Available in sizes 4-26.
Shop Regular, Petite, and Plus Sizes: Eddie Bauer | Amazon
Eddie Bauer Departure Easy Tank Dress
The Eddie Bauer Departure dress could very well be the perfect globe-trotting companion. It’s lightweight, moisture-wicking, has UPF 50+ sun protection, and doesn’t wrinkle easily.
Plus it’s considered a comfortable garment that’s stretchy rather than clingy. The pockets are deep and can store small essentials. On top of it, the overall style is cute and versatile, looking great with sandals or slip-ons.
Users adore this piece! One gushes “It’s a great dress for beach and warm weather travel or simply for casual wear at outdoor cafes. Most of all, I just like the way it looks and the way I feel wearing it. Will be traveling with me to Greece”!
Available in sizes XS-XXL, and plus sizes 1X-3X.
Stay cool on your next vacay with one of these linen dresses!
Best Plus Size Dresses With Pockets
Shop Sizes 0X-3X: Nordstrom
Karen Kane Peasant Artisan Dress
When it comes to modest dresses with pockets, this Karen Kane ruched midi dress is a comfy option with a lovely, flattering silhouette. The peasant sleeves and flowy skirt make it extra dreamy. It comes in sizes 0X-3X, and wearers say it fits true to size.
Perfect for a fair-weather capsule wardrobe, pair it with sandals or wedges and look chic and ready for anything!
Shop Sizes XL-5XL: Amazon
HBEYYTO Sleeveless Dress
With light and stretchy fabric, this HBEYYTO dress is a dream to wear, especially while adventuring under the hot sun! Wearers say it keeps them cool and comfy and is overall a great travel piece. The silhouette is simple and flattering, and it’s offered in so many cute patterns for effortless style on your summery getaways!
One wearer raves, “This dress is a perfect everyday, warm weather dress. It’s very soft, the perfect length. The cut is flattering and the fabric is super soft with lots of stretch. I wear a 3X and a 3X fit perfectly.”
Available in sizes XL-5X.
Shop Sizes 1X-3X: Nordstrom
Caslon Tiered Sleeveless Maxi Dress
There are some gorgeous plus size maxi dresses with pockets out there and the Caslon sleeveless maxi is definitely one of them!
This dress is equipped with side pockets and a drawstring waist to create a super flattering and feminine shape. Made out of a soft cotton blend, it’s lightweight, breathable, and ideal for outings in sunny places! It’s available in plus sizes 1X-3X, as well as standard sizes XXS-XXL.
A happy user elaborates, “Very flattering on the body. I’m a 1X-2X and the 1X fit beautifully without being too tight. Soft, lightweight material. Will look great with a little platform espadrille sandal. Excited to take it on vacation to Nantucket!”
Here are some beach dresses you can wear on and off the sand!
Shop Athleta: Sizes (XXS-3X) | Tall Sizes (S-XL) | Petite Sizes (XS-L)
Athleta Ryder Dress
An amazing combination of casual feel with airy details, this lightweight maxi dress is super versatile, with a cinched waist and a back cutout to show just a little extra skin. The side pockets allow you to store items, or simply look chic with a hand in pocket. It’s reported to feel really soft. Plus, the fabric is moisture-wicking and quick-drying, so you’ll feel fresh and cool under the hot sun!
One wearer says, “The length is perfect, the pockets are always a hit, and the cut out on the back is an extra level of sexiness. I love the two different fabrics and textures of the dress, it gives it a unique twist. You can totally dress this up, or wear it casually.”
Also available in black and brass yellow, and in regular and plus sizes (XXS-3X), tall sizes (S-XL), and petite sizes (XS-L).
Best Work Dresses With Pockets
Shop Sizes S-XL: Amazon
MEROKEETY Tie Waist Midi Dress
If you’re looking for dresses with pockets and sleeves for business travel, this MEROKEETY shirt dress has you covered with breathable fabric and a fit that’s balanced—not too tight or loose! The stylish tie waist gives you shaping and styling options for versatility. You can pair this with tights, faux leather leggings, or just rock it solo!
A traveler reports, “It’s easy and comfortable to wear, washes well, packs well. AND it has pockets! Makes a great travel dress. I always get compliments from people.”
This dress comes in a range of both striped and solid colors, and sizes range from S-XL.
Shop: J.Crew
J.Crew Zip-Front Chino Dress
This elegant chino dress from J.Crew is a beautiful travel option for all seasons and destinations. The shape is timeless and chic and can be paired with everything from sneakers to strappy sandals. The cotton fabric is high-quality and wears super well in all climates, and the elastic waist and zippered front are lovely touches!
One wearer raves, “This is adorable on. Soft and comfortable material. Highly recommend!!” This dress is offered in a wide range of sizes, from 00-24.
Shop: Nordstrom
Karen Kane Travel Half Zip Shift Dress
If you want a sportier look for business travel, this Karen Kane sleeveless dress has timeless details, such as the half-zip closure, high neck, and flowy shape that drapes beautifully. The look and feel is lightweight, and it can easily be rolled into a packing cube and packed in a carry-on suitcase.
This is such a great, simple dress when traveling for work, especially because the fabric is wrinkle-resistant! You can pair it with a travel blazer or a more structured cardigan. Or even wear it casually too!
One happy reviewer says, “I love the ease of this dress! It is comfortable and stylish. The drape of the fabric adds polish and sophistication! I highly recommend this adorable dress for spring/summer.” This beauty comes in sizes XS-XL.
Want more dress lengths? Check out the best midi dresses for travel!
Product Comparison Chart
| BRAND | MODEL | FEATURES | REVIEWS | RATING | PRICE |
|---|---|---|
|
Columbia Chill River Dress |
“A sundress with pockets! Looks so beautiful on me—better looking than the models’ picture. The hemline is short but not too short for a middle-aged woman. The high neck is modest yet elegant, and the pockets are big enough for a smartphone.” | Check Price |
|
Eddie Bauer Aster Crossover Dress |
“I love this dress! It's really comfortable, and the empire waist gives it a flattering shape. I especially like that it has pockets. It's a great travel dress that won't wrinkle. It's casual enough to hang around in, but can be spiffed up with a nice jacket and fancy shoes.” | Check Price |
|
Arc'teryx Contenta Dress |
This piece is a must-try for spring/summer. It’s light enough to fit into a carry-on or backpack, and away you go! | Check Price |
|
BISHUIGE Women Summer Casual V Neck Tank Dress |
It’s something you can wear comfortably at home, wear to run around town during the day, and dress up in the evening. | Check Price |
|
MITILLY Casual Swing Dress |
This would look fantastic with flip-flops or wedge sandals for a more polished look. | ` Check Price |
|
Lilbetter Casual Summer Dress |
“Fabric is soft and comfortable and doesn't easily wrinkle. Perfect for summer vacation travels. Looks nice and put together without a lot of effort or fuss.” | Check Price |
|
Eddie Bauer Departure Easy Tank Dress |
“It's a great dress for beach and warm weather travel or simply for casual wear at outdoor cafes. Most of all, I just like the way it looks and the way I feel wearing it. Will be traveling with me to Greece” | Check Price |
|
Karen Kane Peasant Artisan Dress |
Perfect for a fair-weather capsule wardrobe, pair it with sandals or wedges and look chic and ready for anything! | Check Price |
|
HBEYYTO Sleeveless Dress |
“This dress is a perfect everyday, warm weather dress. It’s very soft, the perfect length. The cut is flattering and the fabric is super soft with lots of stretch. I wear a 3X and a 3X fit perfectly." | Check Price |
|
Caslon Tiered Sleeveless Maxi Dress |
“Very flattering on the body. I'm a 1X-2X and the 1X fit beautifully without being too tight. Soft, lightweight material. Will look great with a little platform espadrille sandal. Excited to take it on vacation to Nantucket!” | Check Price |
|
Athleta Ryder Dress |
“The length is perfect, the pockets are always a hit, and the cut out on the back is an extra level of sexiness. I love the two different fabrics and textures of the dress, it gives it a unique twist. You can totally dress this up, or wear it casually.” | Check Price |
|
MEROKEETY Tie Waist Midi Dress |
“It's easy and comfortable to wear, washes well, packs well. AND it has pockets! Makes a great travel dress. I always get compliments from people.” | Check Price |
|
J.Crew Zip-Front Chino Dress |
“This is adorable on. Soft and comfortable material. Highly recommend!!” | Check Price |
|
Karen Kane Travel Half Zip Shift Dress |
“I love the ease of this dress! It is comfortable and stylish. The drape of the fabric adds polish and sophistication! I highly recommend this adorable dress for spring/summer.” | Check Price |
How to Pack Dresses
Many of our readers use packing cubes to roll up and organize their dresses. Compass Rose packing cubes allow you to do so by number and color so you know where you packed everything, even when you use the cubes to separate parts of your outfit. Learn more in the video below.
Learn about our hacks with packing cubes in this video!
We also put together a five-part YouTube series showing the different methods to use packing cubes for travel. If you use this specific packing strategy, packing cubes can also compress your belongings. This is the secret to traveling carry-on only!
What do you think are the best womens dresses with pockets? Share and comment below!
For more travel dress ideas, please read:
- These are the Best Vacation Maxi Dresses for Summer
- Cute Summer Dresses for Women Who Travel
- Best Convertible Travel Dresses: Flirty, Feminine, and Functional, Too
- 17 Best Midi Dresses for Women That Are Versatile and Stylish
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My favorite type of dress for travel is one with pockets. I love the summary at the end. A great way to compare the dresses. This group has been so helpful
Great review for easy travel dresses. Thank you! The comparison chart at the end is a very useful summary. I also like Lole, most are quite wrinkle proof and have the coveted pockets! https://www.lolelife.com/en-eu/search?q=dress
I purchased the Eddie Bauer Departure Easy Tank Dress in a coral color, and I love it. It barely wrinkles, dries very quickly, washes well, feels great, and looks so cute. The pockets zip up so you can keep your phone, keys or money from getting lost and because they zip, the pockets lay flat. The drawstring waist makes it a custom fit for anyone. I recently wore it to my grand daughter’s birthday party, and it was pouring down rain when we got there. It was dry in a matter of minutes, and you never would have suspected that I was caught in a downpour.
Thank you for recognizing the need for pockets in our dresses! Love these choices!
The Columbia Chill River dress is super comfortable and can be worn casually, at the beach, or dressed up for a night on the town.
I really love my Columbia little black dress. It could be for sight seeing during the day and dress it up for dinner even on a cruise!
Thanks for all your helpful lists and links
Just loved the Columbia Chill River dress that whitout your review I would not buy it and weared it to my last medeterien cruise and also to my one week say in Vegas
What a great website. The fun everyone is having really shines through.
Thank you for providing such a wide variety of options in terms of styles as price points!
Love these suggestions. I hit the jackpot a few years ago with a long black Patagonia dress with pockets. It can be dressed up or down.
When you’re having trouble finding the look you want or need, travelfashiongirl.com consistently has great suggestions. The tips TFG shares and the readers’ personal experiences are so helpful!
Even better would be pockets that zipper or Velcro please as I am always afraid of something falling out.
Hi! I’m in Bordeaux France right now and heading to Portugal 🇵🇹 it’s been HOT 🥵 all I can say is thank
Goodness for cute cool dresses! I’ve grabbed a few
From this list and love the ease to walk through vineyards and catacombs yet still look cute enough for dinner out. Cheers!
Thank you for your ideas! We just returned from Greece and I bought the packing cubes and a couple of dresses suggested here. It was a game changer!
So many great ideas and dresses I haven’t seen before!
Nothing better than having pockets when traveling!
I appreciate all the examples listed above. There is a style for any body type. I didn’t see Title Nine dresses listed. I have a few- sleeveless, short sleeve and reversible . They are definitely well made and durable.
I’m always on the lookout for a new travel dress even better if it has pockets!
I might be the only person who doesn’t care about pockets. I’ve been eyeing some new travel dresses so this is really helpful though
Love dresses with pockets – thank you for a great list!
Yes! Dresses with pockets, why don’t more people cover this topic? Crucial! The MITILLY Casual Swing Dress is adorable. I like a dress I can wear to work, out and while traveling, several good choices here.
Love a dress with pockets! Even my wedding dress had pockets haha
I have 4 Columbia Chill River Dresses that are essential to my travels. They don’t wrinkle, quick dry , and you can dress them up for biz.
Love this post! I am a one amd done dress girl. No mixing if and matching with tops and bottoms. These dresses are so cute and affordable!
Your dress recommendations have never failed. The Eddie Bauer one you listed here was my go-too during our Italy-Serbia trips this past summer. Keep doing what you do – the advice is sooooo helpful!
As an older woman (73), I like dresses with short sleeves and at knee or below knee length. The Karen Kane dress is cute, but only comes in black. I’d like to also recommend Karina Dresses….similar price point and material, packable, washable, and colorful. Boden also has similar dresses, many of which can be ordered in Tall length, which means they will be long enough for my 5 ‘6″ length.
Thank you for this great list but why doesn’t every dress have pockets???
Thanks for these suggestions. I love some pockets!
I love this blog post. I am a teacher in an older building without AC and I wear dresses everyday! I often find myself reaching for dresses when I travel too.
Thank you for featuring knee length/longer dresses for those of us who don’t have the legs to wear the little short ones. Great choices!!
I loved a dress with pockets! my favorite is the Karen Kane half zip shift dress. It fits by body type perfectly.
Dresses are the most comfortable option for me and pockets just improve them! Thanks for the great suggestions! Time to shop!
I wanted to also suggest Eshakti. They do custom sizing and almost all of their dresses come with pockets. I find that they are one of the few places I can get dresses that hit me properly at the knee.
Thank you for thinking of us, plus size girls!
These dresses are awesome. Thank you for always guiding me in the right direction! Happy traveling!
Also want to recommend Target for dresses – their “A New Day” line has some really cute/wearable/packable styles, including this season’s linen tank dress that looks great on its own or with a simple belt.
The BEST dresses hve pockets and are lightweight to maximize clothing packing choices. My Favorite dresses are from Columbia.
I love all these great dress recommendations! Who doesn’t love a dress with pockets!
Love all these great dress suggestions! Who doesn’t love pockets!
Where has this Eddie Bauer departure been, now I want one in every color.
I’m a big fan of Columbia’s dressesThey wash well and barely wrinkle. Glad to know the Chill River dresses have pockets. I traveled with a Betabrand dress that had pockets and it was easily my favorite dress the entire trip.