A summer dress needs to breathe and move. Light cottons such as Tana Lawn are crisp enough to hold a shape but soft against the skin, while silk gives a fluid drape for evening wear.

Before you buy, check the width of the fabric and the pattern's yardage. As a rough guide, a simple dress needs two to three metres of 140 cm fabric. Each roll in our shop lists its length, so you can see how many dresses it will cover.

Tip: prewash cotton before cutting so the finished dress keeps its fit.