Blue Dresses

Blue dresses for women are the easiest thing to get wrong online, because blue is the colour a screen either flatters or ruins. Something Pretty chooses blue dresses for women in small numbers, from navy through cobalt to turquoise, so the shade you choose is the shade that arrives. See one in daylight at one of our three Cape Town boutiques, or order with tracked delivery across South Africa.

Occasion Dresses | Summer Dresses | Silk Dresses

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A woman walking on a city sidewalk wearing a long, flowy maxi dress with a blue, purple, and black paisley pattern. She is carrying a woven straw tote bag and wearing sunglasses. A bohemian-style maxi dress with a vibrant paisley pattern in shades of blue, purple, green, and gold, featuring a split neckline with tie details and a drawstring waist.
Cobalt Mirror Paisley Resort Dress
1,799.00 ZAR
Blue Cotton Floral Shirt Dress, a floral print office wear dress from Something Pretty Blue Cotton Floral Shirt Dress, floral print office wear dress from Something Pretty, alternative view
Blue Cotton Floral Shirt Dress
1,899.00 ZAR
A woman wearing a white bohemian midi dress with colorful blue, red, and green patterns, a beige straw hat, and brown sandals, walking down a sunny, sunlit street with white walls and pink bougainvillea flowers. A short-sleeve button-front tunic dress with a white base and an intricate multicolor bohemian print featuring blue, pink, orange, and green floral and paisley motifs.
Cream and Blue Print Amarah Viscose/Silk Dress
2,199.00 ZAR
Teal and Gold Terry Dress A sleeveless maxi dress with a tiered ruffle skirt, featuring a blue and beige wavy pattern, a deep V-neckline with tie-back straps, and a small tassel detail at the waist, shown against a plain white background.
Teal and Gold Terry Dress
1,999.00 ZAR
A woman stands indoors against a pale wall wearing a loose, flowy dress with an abstract painterly print in blue, purple, and white. The room has wooden stairs, a wood floor, and wall decor.
Navy Marble Print Silk Dress
2,155.00 ZAR
A woman modeling a navy blue midi dress with white polka dots, blue and orange circular patterns near the hem, and white lace trim at the neckline, standing in a cafe setting with red-and-white checkered chairs. A navy blue satin slip dress with large white polka dots, a band of blue and orange polka dots near the hem, and a patterned border trim.
Navy Polka Dot Amalfi Dress
1,899.00 ZAR
A woman stands barefoot in shallow ocean water on a beach, wearing a long flowing maxi dress with a deep V-neck, sheer long sleeves, and a high slit. The dress has an intricate blue, green, and gray floral or paisley-like pattern.
Teal Paisley Split Sleeve Dress
1,899.00 ZAR
A woman modeling a sleeveless navy blue maxi dress with a gathered waist, standing in a sunlit stone alleyway with potted plants and outdoor seating in the background. Navy Cotton Halterneck Dress
Navy Cotton Halterneck Dress
2,299.00 ZAR
A woman stands by a swimming pool wearing a sleeveless maxi dress with a navy blue upper section and a colorful scenic print featuring yellow lemons, white buildings, and blue water. She is holding a woven straw handbag. A sleeveless spaghetti-strap dress featuring a colorful Mediterranean coastal scene with lemon trees, white buildings, and a blue sea, set against a dark navy background.
Navy Lemon Amalfi Dress
1,899.00 ZAR
Turquoise Paisley Halter Dress A long halter-neck maxi dress with a blue and white paisley pattern, featuring tassel ties at the neckline, shown against a plain white background.
Turquoise Paisley Halter Dress
1,699.00 ZAR
Pink, Blue and Cobalt Halter Dress Pink, Blue and Cobalt Halter Dress
Pink, Blue and Cobalt Halter Dress
1,699.00 ZAR

Last updated: 15 September 2026

Blue dresses for women, chosen in daylight rather than on a screen

Something Pretty Boutique, the luxury womenswear boutique founded by Tasneem Ismail in 2015, sells a carefully curated collection of European Fashion to women across South Africa, and stocks blue dresses online and at three Cape Town boutiques: Constantia Village, Cavendish Square in Claremont, and Piazza St John's in Sea Point. Every blue dress is chosen by hand in Europe and arrives in small numbers. Blue is the one colour worth seeing in person before you commit to it, which is the honest reason the fitting rooms matter more here than they do with black.

Which shade of blue suits you

Match the blue to your undertone, not to the trend. Look at the inside of your wrist in daylight. Veins that read blue or purple mean a cool undertone, and veins that read green mean a warm one. Cool undertones carry navy, cobalt and royal blue. Warm undertones carry teal, turquoise and aqua. If you cannot tell, you are most likely neutral, and dusty or powder blue will suit you either way.

Shade Suits Wears best at
Navy Almost everyone, cool undertones especially Anywhere black is expected but feels heavy
Cobalt and royal blue Cool undertones, dark hair, olive skin Evening functions and anywhere you will be photographed
Teal and turquoise Warm and golden undertones Summer lunches, coastal holidays, the Winelands
Powder, baby and dusty blue Neutral undertones, fair and mid skin tones Daytime weddings, christenings, garden parties
Aqua and sky blue Warm undertones and sun-touched skin Resort, holiday and a Cape Town summer

Why a blue dress looks different on a screen

Deep blues sit near the edge of what an ordinary screen can display, so cobalt and royal blue often render flatter, darker or slightly purple than they are in the room. Photographs taken under warm indoor light push the same dress greyer again. Nothing about that is anyone's fault, it is what screens do to the blue end of the spectrum, and it is why seeing a blue dress in daylight settles the question in seconds. Store addresses are on our stores.

How blue photographs at an event

Cobalt and royal blue hold their colour under flash, which is why they photograph strongly at evening functions. Powder and baby blue wash out under the same flash and look best in daylight. Navy reads almost black once the light drops, so it behaves like a black dress in photographs while staying softer in person. Choose the shade for the light you will actually be standing in.

What shoes and jewellery go with a blue dress

Nude and tan shoes work with every shade of blue, and gold metal warms blue in a way silver does not. Silver and pearl belong with the paler blues. Black shoes are the usual mistake, because black flattens navy rather than finishing it. Choose the shoe first, then let the bag agree with the shoe rather than with the dress.

Shade Shoes Jewellery
Navy Nude, tan or metallic gold Gold for warmth, silver for a formal evening
Cobalt and royal blue Nude, gold, or white in high summer Gold only, since silver competes with the blue
Teal and turquoise Tan leather or raffia Gold, and coral or shell if you want colour
Powder and baby blue Nude, white or soft silver Silver, pearl or very fine gold

The shoes edit carries the nude and metallic shapes that do most of this work, with flat sandals for the warm months and comfortable shoes for a day you spend standing. Finish with gold necklaces and one of the small handbags, or a silk scarf if the neckline is plain.

Blue dresses for every South African occasion

Blue earns its place in a South African wardrobe because it moves from a beach lunch to an evening function without changing register. A blue maxi dress handles heat and a long afternoon. A navy or cobalt piece does the work of a blue formal dress at an evening event. A printed blue summer dress carries a market morning and a coastal holiday on the same hanger.

  • Weddings and christenings: powder, dusty or navy, which read respectful without disappearing.
  • Evening functions: cobalt or navy, alongside the rest of the formal dresses.
  • Summer lunches and the Winelands: turquoise, aqua and print, shown with the summer dresses.
  • Holidays and resort: a long shape from the maxi dress edit that packs flat.
  • Office and daytime: navy print, or a shirt shape from the wider dresses range.

Blue in silk, cotton and linen

Fabric changes the shade as much as the dye does. Silk holds blue deepest and shifts as the light moves, which is why a blue silk dress reads richer at night than the same colour in cotton. Cotton and linen lift blue and make it look fresher in daylight, and both crease honestly rather than hiding it. Denim is the blue most women already own, and a printed blue dress rarely sits beside it cleanly, so treat the two as separate blues rather than a set. The silk dresses edit shows how far one blue can travel, the silk edit journal covers how to care for it, and the reversible denim journal covers the blue you pack.

Something Pretty buys blue in small numbers, so a shade on the rail today may not be there in a fortnight. New pieces land through the season in new arrivals, alongside the floral dresses where blue prints usually appear first. Order with tracked delivery anywhere in South Africa, or come and stand in front of a window with it in one of the three boutiques, including the Sea Point boutique, which is the only way to be sure of a blue.

Frequently Asked Questions

What colour shoes go with a navy blue dress?

Nude or tan shoes suit a navy blue dress best, because they lengthen the leg and keep the outfit light. Metallic gold works for evening, and navy shoes work if the shades match exactly. Avoid black unless the dress already carries black in the print, since black flattens navy rather than finishing it.

What colour jewellery goes with a blue dress?

Gold suits most blue dresses, and it warms navy, cobalt, teal and turquoise in a way silver does not. Silver and pearl belong with powder, baby and dusty blue. Keep the metal consistent across earrings, necklace and bag hardware, because mixing metals beside a strong blue reads unfinished rather than relaxed.

How do you accessorise a navy blue dress for a wedding?

Choose nude or gold shoes, one gold necklace, and a small bag you can hold while standing. Add a wrap or silk scarf for the evening, since South African venues cool quickly after sunset. Keep the print or texture on one piece only, so the dress stays the thing people notice.

Can you wear a blue dress to a wedding in South Africa?

Yes. Blue is one of the safest wedding guest colours because it avoids white and reads formal without being severe. Powder, dusty and navy suit daytime weddings, and cobalt suits evening receptions. Check only that the shade does not clash with a stated colour scheme for the bridal party.

Which shade of blue suits my skin tone?

Check the veins on the inside of your wrist in daylight. Blue or purple veins mean a cool undertone, which carries navy, cobalt and royal blue. Green veins mean a warm undertone, which carries teal, turquoise and aqua. If you cannot tell, you are likely neutral, and dusty or powder blue will suit you.

Where can I buy blue dresses in Cape Town?

Something Pretty sells blue dresses at three Cape Town boutiques: Constantia Village, Cavendish Square in Claremont, and Piazza St John's in Sea Point. Seeing blue in daylight matters more than with any other colour, because screens shift it. Addresses and hours are on our stores.

Do you deliver blue dresses across South Africa?

Yes. Something Pretty delivers blue dresses across South Africa with tracking on every order, and delivery is free on orders over R1,500. Blue comes in very small numbers because the buy is small, so a shade showing today may be gone within the week. Sizing is on the size guide.

Can I return a blue dress if the colour is not right?

Yes, if you request it within 72 hours of delivery. The dress must be unworn, with tags and original packaging, and a R155 fee applies to returns and exchanges. Sale items cannot be returned or exchanged. Full terms are in the returns policy.