The first time I tried a cooling dress was during a trip to the Dominican Republic, where the heat and humidity felt relentless. I was skeptical that a long-sleeve dress could keep me comfortable, but I was surprised by how cool and dry I stayed, even under the scorching sun.
Since then, cooling fabric technology has come a long way. Today’s performance materials do more than wick away sweat — many are designed to help regulate body temperature, offer UV protection and feel lightweight, even on the hottest days.
After discovering cooling sheets, pillows and towels, I set out to find dresses that delivered the same refreshing feel. While you’ll see plenty of styles marketed as performance or UPF clothing, some are made with specialized cooling fibers engineered to dissipate heat and keep you comfortable in warm weather.
With guidance from a textile expert and plenty of research, I rounded up the best cooling dresses to help you stay comfortable through the hottest days of summer. Once you try one, your go-to cotton dress might have some competition.
What is a cooling dress?
You may have come across the term cooling fabric, which refers to textiles engineered to help you feel cooler in hot weather. In previous reporting for Shop TODAY on cooling towels, textile scientist Faisal Abedin explained that cooling fabrics are often made from materials such as “polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyester or hydrophilic microfibers designed to retain moisture and promote evaporative cooling. As the water in the fabric evaporates, it absorbs heat from the skin, creating a cooling sensation.”
While many cooling dresses are made with moisture-wicking fabrics that pull sweat away from your skin to help keep you dry, fabrics with cooling technology go a step further. Many use sweat-activated or evaporative cooling technology that’s designed to create a cooling sensation as moisture evaporates from the fabric.
“Petroleum-based fibers such as polyester and nylon, to name a few, can absorb moisture as they are dead plastics. They can be made wickable [by the way they are manufactured], and they are used primarily in active wear. Sometimes chemical finishes can be given to enhance the wickability of the petroleum fiber,” shares assistant professor and textile expert at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Preeti Arya.
WGSN, a consumer trend forecasting company, reports that bio-based and recycled fibers are expected to shape the next generation of cooling textiles, with brands like Coolcore and Polartec at the forefront of innovation. Its forecasts also suggest that by 2028, the category will increasingly prioritize natural fibers, recyclability and comfort.
Editor-approved cooling dresses
This easy, throw-on dress is designed to help you stay cool on even the hottest days. It’s made with moisture-wicking, breathable fabric, while the brand’s 32 Degrees Cool technology helps pull sweat away from the skin and regulate body temperature so you stay comfortable from morning to night. I’ve worn this dress myself and love how cool it feels against the skin. It’s an easy throw-on style that’s perfect when you want something lightweight, breathable and effortlessly comfortable.
This cooling dress remains a favorite among Shop TODAY editors for many reasons: it has “sweat-activated cooling technology”, it’s “flattering and flirty” and “doesn’t trap heat or humidity”, according to freelance writer Katie Jackson. Aside from its cooling feature, the dress offers sun protection with a UPF rating of 30. Its versatility and wrinkle-resistant construction have earned this dress five stars — you can travel with it, go on a casual dinner and even wear it to the park. If you ask me, this is A plus!
Whether you’re heading out for a long walk, hike or a full day of sightseeing, this performance dress is built to keep up. It’s made with Athleta’s VitaFree fabric, featuring enhanced LYCRA fiber for a soft, second-skin feel that’s designed to wick away sweat without feeling sticky against your skin. I have a similar dress from Athleta and love how well it stays in place without feeling sticky or clingy against my skin. It’s an easy piece to throw on for trips to the park, running errands or even riding a bike.
Perfect for everything from running errands to dinner plans, this editor-approved Halara dress delivers comfort without sacrificing style. While it doesn’t feature dedicated cooling technology, its lightweight nylon fabric is breathable, quick-drying and helps minimize that sticky feeling on hot, humid days. A similar iteration also earned a spot in Shop TODAY’s Travel Awards thanks to its versatility.
For days when you need something polished enough for the office yet comfortable enough for the commute, this featherweight dress checks every box. It’s crafted from Beyond Yoga’s signature buttery-soft performance fabric with moisture-wicking technology to help keep you cool and comfortable throughout the day.
Other cooling dresses to shop
This Amazon favorite is made with the brand’s ICEFIL technical fabric, which is designed to transform perspiration into a cooling sensation as you wear it. Reviewers frequently call it one of the “lightest fabrics” they’ve tried, and its breathable yarn and relaxed silhouette make it an ideal choice for hot and humid weather.
Known for blending feminine silhouettes with performance fabrics, Arctic Cool specializes in apparel made for warm weather. This dress features the brand’s HydroFreeze X cooling technology, which is designed to disperse moisture across the fabric to speed evaporation and help you feel cooler throughout the day.
If your summer plans include everything from boating to golf, this versatile dress is built for long days outdoors. It combines cooling performance, moisture-wicking technology and UPF 50+ sun protection in one lightweight nylon fabric that feels breathable and comfortable even in the heat.
I first discovered Coolibar during a fashion show and immediately wanted to put its cooling fabrics to the test. This tropical-print dress is made with the brand’s ZnO fabric, which blends cotton and bamboo-derived fibers for a soft, breathable feel while providing lightweight comfort for warm-weather days.
Whether you’re headed to an outdoor dinner, vacation or summer soirée, this shift dress is an easy option for staying cool while looking polished. Its lightweight, breathable, and wrinkle-resistant fabric makes it especially well-suited for travel, while the relaxed silhouette helps keep you comfortable in the heat.
I tested this dress on a sweltering day in New York City and was genuinely impressed by how well it performed. The built-in shorts stayed perfectly in place without riding up, the fabric felt incredibly soft against my skin and the lightweight material kept me cool throughout the day. It has quickly become one of my go-to dresses.
Major features: The silicone grippers along the inner hem of the shorts helped keep everything securely in place, while the built-in bra was easy to adjust for a comfortable fit. My favorite feature, though, is the bathroom-friendly design. You don’t have to take off the entire dress — the stretchy shorts have plenty of elastane and a convenient back opening, making them easy to pull down when needed. So, for the price, this cooling dress is worth every penny.
Frequently asked questions
Moisture-wicking fabrics help keep you dry by pulling sweat away from your skin so it can evaporate more quickly.
According to Abedin, cooling fabrics may also wick moisture, but use materials designed to retain moisture and promote evaporative cooling as water evaporates from the textile. These fabrics use specialized technologies such as cooling fibers, mineral-infused yarns or radiative cooling materials to help lower skin temperature or reduce heat absorption.
Cooling isn’t necessarily about the fabric being cold, it’s about how well it manages heat and moisture. Faisal previously told Shop TODAY that fabrics that keep sweat off the skin and allow air circulation tend to feel cooler in warm weather.
"The chemical structure of the fiber and its morphology decide whether the fiber can make the wearer/consumer feel cool. For example, natural cellulosic or plant-based fibers have chemical structures with hydroxyl (-OH) groups. These functional groups have a natural affinity for moisture absorption. As a result, these fiber-based fabrics keep the wearer cool," adds Arya.
How we chose
For this roundup, we drew on our previous reporting on cooling fabrics and consulted textile experts to better understand the technologies behind them. We then researched cooling dresses from a variety of retailers, looking for styles designed with cooling fibers, moisture-wicking materials and other features that help beat the heat.
Meet our expert
At Shop TODAY, our reporters interview a range of qualified sources and experts to capture a wide scope of perspectives on a given topic. We also ensure that all expert guidance and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Faisal Abedin is a textile scientist and postdoctoral researcher at Arizona State University, where he investigates advanced thermal manikins to study human heat exposure in extreme environments. He earned his Ph.D. from NC State University, where he pioneered new methods to evaluate breathable fabrics under dynamic conditions.
- Preeti Arya, PhD, is an assistant professor and textile expert at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
