From cute minis to breezy linens, discover winery dress ideas that will have you looking fabulous (and feeling comfy) all day long. Plus, find tips for scoring stylish finds on a budget and transitioning your summer look to fall.
You’re traveling to wine country this summer and you have no idea what to wear. Don’t panic! Packing for wine country is easier than you think, and with this guide to the best winery dress ideas, you can plan what to bring in just minutes.
Don’t forget to check these wine caption ideas for those social media posts after an afternoon at your favorite winery! And, this post about how to hold a wine glass, if you’re nervous about your tasting.
What to wear to a winery or to wine country
Wine country is way more relaxed and laid back than it’s made to seem in luxury lifestyle blogs and magazines. Remember, the locals are regular people just like you and me! What I’m trying to say is, don’t feel pressured to plan the perfect, Instagrammable outfit. You probably have everything you need already in your closet.
Isn’t Napa Valley fancy?
Napa Valley is the most formal wine tasting region in California, and that fact is reflected in the price of tasting room visits and the cost of dining at popular Napa Valley restaurants. Most of the winery tasting rooms in Napa Valley offer a luxury inspired experience, so when you visit, feel free to dress up your wine tasting outfit a bit; you won’t be overdressed.
Downtown Napa tasting rooms are more casual, but out-of-towners are absolutely still wearing resort wear-inspired summer winery outfits.
Pro Tip: While you can dress up your Napa Valley wine tasting outfit, there’s one key tip to keep in mind: stay away from stilettos. Yes, wear your favorite winery dress, but pair it with a wedge heel, espadrilles, or even a kitten heel. Super high heel (of the stiletto form), are best kept for the restaurant you visit, and not the winery.
The rest of California Wine Country is more relaxed
If you’re visiting wineries in Sonoma wine country, Anderson Valley, Los Olivos, the Santa Ynez Valley, or the Central Coast, you have a lot more flexibility on your summer winery outfit ideas. You can go super casual and wear shorts with a bodysuit or blousey top, or jeans and your favorite graphic t-shirt. Summer dresses are always in style, no matter which California wine region you’re in.
In fact, a cute winery dress is the quickest and easiest wine tasting outfit. Throw on that dress, grab your shoes, and head to the tasting room!
Cute Mini Dresses
Summer winery dresses come in all styles, but if you’re tasting under the hot summer sun, then consider a cute mini dress. Comfort is key when you’re at a winery, and these dresses are just the solution you need when the temperatures start heating up.
Reformation has some great mini dresses that are perfect for taking a vineyard tour, and then grabbing some lunch in town. This cute wine tasting outfit will take you from day to night.
Boho style dresses are a fun wine tasting outfit option, too. Go cute and mini, like this version from MISA Los Angeles, or long and flowy.
Denim Dresses
Every girl needs a good denim dress in her wardrobe, especially if she plans on traveling to wine country. A basic denim dress will take you from spring to summer, and all the way to fall. Planning your wine tasting outfit is a breeze with a fun denim dress. Just add some simple jewelry, or a statement piece, and pair it with cowgirl boots, cute sneakers, or wedges.
Consider these denim winery dresses for your Napa outfits – or any wine region!
Anthropologie has tons of cute denim dresses.
This Free People dress is available through the Free People website or Revolve.
Linen Dresses
There’s just something so classy about a linen dress. These pieces have been popular since our grandmothers wore them way-back-when. Wear a linen dress when you visit your favorite winery and you will never have that hot, sticky, oh-my-gosh-I’m-melting-in-the-heat-feeling.
Not only is a good linen dress super stylish, but they are so, so cute!
Here are some ideas:
Love the blue and white in this Farm Rio dress!
Reformation has so many great winery dresses! Definitely a favorite in wine country.
Bright Pops of Color
Make those Instagram pictures ‘pop’ by wearing a winery outfit that features bright pops of color. Dresses with fruit patterns, like this one from Kenny Flowers, are the perfect wine tasting outfit for summer – and so easy to just throw on and go!
Temperatures at wineries in Los Olivos, Napa, and Sonoma can easily reach into the 90s or even the low 100s in late July, August and early September. If the weather is going to be hot-hot-hot, don’t be afraid to wear a light, strapless dress like this one from Tiare Hawaii.
Tips
- If you plan on visiting more than one winery, be sure to wear comfortable shoes. Try pairing your summer winery outfit with cute sneakers, sandals, or flats.
- All that wine can catch up with you fast, so the best advice I can give you is to wear shoes you’ll feel comfortable being a little wobbly in, if you know what I mean. Think chunky espadrilles, if you really want to do a heel, cowboy boots, flats… you get the idea.
- Try Rent the Runway for a new winery dress that you can take on vacation and then return. I have used Rent the Runway for wine country outings more times than I can count, and they have so many amazing options for wine tasting dresses.
- Go to Ross / TJ Maxx to find a cute wine country dress. I still wear dresses purchased 10+ years ago that I found on the sale rack at Ross! Case in point, this blue dress below that I think was around $20. Can’t beat that.
How to Transition from a Summer Winery Outfit to a Fall Winery Outfit
Just about all of these winery dress ideas will transition to a fall winery outfit with the addition of a light jacket. The preferred jacket for California wine country is a jean jacket. Throw it over your summer dress (or fall dress), and you’re ready to when you hit the town at night.
FAQs
Do wineries have dress codes?
Most wineries do not have dress codes, and what you wear depends on that type of winery you visit. A few good rules of thumb are: Wineries in Napa Valley are the fanciest, so dress your best. Especially if you’re going to a tasting that is $100+ per person. Other than that, you can wear sandals (though, I would avoid flip flops, unless the winery is super casual). Shorts are okay, tank tops and crop tops are also okay. You can also wear jeans.
Pro Tip: Check out the winery’s Instagram to see what other wine lovers are wearing.
What to wear to a winery in summer?
My favorite summer winery outfit are winery dresses. They’re easy to pack, you can wear them all day without a costume change, and you can dress them up or down.