16 Black Maxi Dresses You’ll Live In This Season

The black maxi dress is a frock that knows no boundaries. Walking the dog? Throw your jersey tent dress over your pajamas and you’re presentable enough for the five-minute stroll. Meeting your friends for that much-needed Friday happy hour? Your long, slinky new shirtdress will go from the office to the bar with aplomb. Going to your fourth wedding of the summer? Throw on your gauzy black go-to and and you’ll turn heads like always.

Knowing that no moment is off-limits for this workhouse silhouette, we set about finding the best of the long, lengthy black dresses from our favorite shops, sampling every style echelon from beach-friendly boho to regal, formal and glitzy. No matter where you’re headed this summer — whether it’s around the block, out on the town, or out of town, we’ve got your head-to-toe black look in one of the slides ahead. Click through to find your black dress and be the long, cool woman of the summer.