Since sweltering summer heat is no excuse to ditch the LBD, I was on a mission to find a dress that was airy and cute, but that didn’t make me feel like I was walking around with a 103 fever.

While I love linens and lightweight wovens for days of frolicking around the city, when you need movement on a hot day, a stretchy knit is the way to go.

It should come as no surprise that I found the perfect summer LBD at none other than…Reformation. Call it brand loyalty, or an (un)healthy obsession, but I can’t get enough of my favorite store. I always try to shop elsewhere in an effort to expand my shopping horizons, and I definitely have the most luck at Aritzia and Zara. However, after an unfruitful search for the perfect summer brunch/birthday dress, I perused ref since I’ve NEVER left empty handed. Sure enough, I found the Naya dress which, potentially scandalous, was amazing. The very bare top was balanced by the midi length and A-line silhouette. The bare back (one of my favorite areas to expose) made it feel daytime-elegant.

My only hesitation was how bra unfriendly this dress was. Having a larger chest makes dresses like this difficult. Not even strapless would work and I hate wearing the sticky petals, so it was a bit of trial and error to figure out a solution. Turns out, bathing suit pads stayed pretty much in place without any need for tape or adhesive. Win.

PSA: Removing anything sticky off of your breasts is one of the more unpleasant sensations there is.

Since this specific style won’t work for everyone (I was a bit nervous about having a wardrobe malfunction- especially since drinking was involved), I’ve rounded up my FAVORITE black reformation knits below.

Which would you wear?