Dress Dream Meaning

What does it mean to dream about a dress? We wear all sorts of dresses every day in our daily lives, so it is not surprising this is a common dream symbol. In this post, we’ll explore the meaning of seeing a dress or wearing a dress in your dreams.

There are hundreds of types of dresses that come in all kinds of colors and styles. When thinking about your dream, it’s important to consider the style of the dress and the color – this can give you some valuable insight into what this symbol means for you.

It’s also important to think about the reason for wearing a dress in the dream. For example, dreaming about a wedding dress can mean something entirely different than an evening gown worn to a party.

What it Means to Dream About a Dress

In dreams about dresses, we see some common themes. Let’s look at these in detail.

How You Express Yourself

Our clothes are a form of self-expression – you can tell a lot about a person by what they wear.

We generally wear clothing that reflects the aspects of ourselves we are most proud of – we choose outfits that make us feel good and draw attention to our positive qualities. This is also true for the types of things people wear in their dreams.

If you dream about wearing something that doesn’t reflect your personality, pay attention to how you feel when you’re wearing it in the dream.

In your daily waking life, you may be trying to figure out a way to share your real thoughts and feelings about something with someone. Don’t be afraid to express yourself – even if it’s not a popular opinion or you are worried about rejection.

“What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language.”

—Miuccia Prada

Your Self Worth

Dreams about fashion often speak about our sense of self-worth. Our sense of fashion in a dream can reveal how we want others to view us.

Think about how you feel in the dream – do you feel confident? Self-conscious? Insecure? Chances are there is something in your real life that is also making you feel this way.

You may feel like you’re not good enough in a situation – or you might even feel that way all of the time! This just means that you need to learn how to be comfortable in your own skin.

Social Status/A Chance for Success

Similarly, dreaming about a dress can also reveal something about our social status or our desire for some kind of success.

The saying “Dress for Success” means to wear clothes that reflect what you want to achieve. What you wear to a job interview can help an employer know that you’re serious. Likewise, wearing bold colors like red can show your confidence about a situation.

In some dreams about dresses, it’s a desire to be successful in your life. You want to better your situation, and the dream can give you some insight on what steps might help you get there and reach your goals.

Trying to Impress Others

If you are wearing a flashy and fancy kind of dress, it could mean that you are trying too hard to impress someone in your life. You might be doing things you don’t ordinarily do.

It’s important to remember it’s what’s on the inside that counts and you should surround yourself with people who accept you as you are. You shouldn’t have to pretend to be something you are not in order for someone to accept you.

“When you don’t dress like everyone else, you don’t have to think like everyone else.”

— Iris Apfel

Your Femininity

In the past few centuries, dresses have usually been clothes for women – although of course men wore dresses and tunics in early historical times.

Feminine qualities include nurturing, caring, relationships, and creativity. Think about your current life – are there any areas where you could be more nurturing to others? Are you thinking of creating something new?

Now that we know the things your dream about a dress could mean, let’s look at some specific examples.

Common Dreams About Dresses Explained

There are so many different ways a dress can appear in a dream, so let’s look at some of those different scenarios and what it means when we see this symbol in context.

Dreaming About Trying On Many Different Dresses: This symbolizes your choices in life. You might be reflecting on choices in the past, or you may be trying to decide between your current options.

Dreaming About Trying on a Dress That Doesn’t Fit: If you are trying on a dress in a dream and it is either way too big or way too small, it means you are afraid of not living up to expectations or that someone or something is not meeting your expectations.

Buying Dresses: Shopping in our dreams means we are exploring our options in life. Buying the dress means that you are ready to commit to one of your decisions.

Seeing a Beautiful Dress in Your Dreams: If you see a beautiful dress in your dreams but do not try it on, it can mean you don’t feel like you can reach your goals.

Wearing a Beautiful Dress in Your Dreams: If you are wearing a beautiful dress in your dreams, it means you are secure in how you feel about yourself and how others see you.

Dream About an Ugly Dress: To see an ugly dress in your dreams means you are feeling neglected or you are avoiding how you really feel. You might need to take more time for yourself, so that you can nurture your own needs and feelings.

Dreaming About Wearing a Wedding Dress: This symbolizes a desire for a true partnership with another person. You are ready to take the next step in your relationship. Learn more about what it means to dream about a wedding.

Dreaming About a Bridesmaid Dress: If you are wearing a bridesmaid dress in your dream, it means that you are looking for someone who can support and encourage you.

Dreaming About Wearing a Prom Dress: If you are wearing a prom dress in your dreams, it can mean that feelings about the past are surfacing. You may be reverting to old habits that don’t always serve you well in life.

Vintage Dresses: To see vintage dresses in your dreams mean that you are reflecting on what you did in the past. Depending on the time period, there may be something you can learn from how people of that era acted.

“Playing dress-up begins at age five and never truly ends.”

—Kate Spade

Dreaming About Your Favorite Dress: To dream about your favorite dress of the past, means that you are nostalgic about the way things used to be. You might be feeling nostalgic about another person as well.

Dreaming About People Making Fun of Your Dress: You are feeling vulnerable or self-conscious. You might be worried about what other people will think when they learn the truth about you.

Dreaming About an Evening Gown: An evening gown can mean you are trying to impress others. You might be acting out of character in order to advance in life.

Dreaming About Struggling to Get Out of a Dress: You feel trapped in your current situation. You are trying to escape from something in your life.

Dream About Ripping a Dress: This means you are concerned that others may find out your secrets. You are worried they won’t like you if they find out the truth about how you really feel.

Dream About Spilling Something on a Dress: To spill something on a dress means you need to be careful in how you tell others what you feel. You may need to approach a sensitive situation gently. If someone else in the dream spills something on your dress, it means you may feel like someone is trying to sabotage you in some way.

Dream About Losing a Dress: If you lose a dress, it means that you have lost your identity or sense of self-worth. You are feeling like you don’t fit in with other people.

Dreaming About Wearing a Dress on Vacation: If you dream of wearing a dress while you’re on vacation, it means you want to relax and re-energize yourself – it can also mean that your life is taking a toll on how you feel and who you are as a person.

Dreaming About Repairing a Dress: If you are repairing a dress in your dream, it means you are looking for a way to solve your problems. You want to find a solution.

Dream of Sewing a Dress: Sewing and designing your own clothes in a dream means that you are looking for creative ways to express yourself. You may be preparing for a big event in your life.

“I don’t design clothes, I design dreams.”

– Ralph Lauren

Getting a Dress as a Gift: This means you have an open mind and are accepting of others. See gifts in dreams for more insight.

Matching Your Dress With Your Shoes: Shoes in our dream can symbolize where we stand in life. See meaning of shoes in dreams to learn more.

Dreaming of Wearing a Dress as a Man: If you are a man and dream about wearing a dress when you normally do not in real life, it can mean that you need to tap into your more emotional, nurturing and creative side.

What Color is the Dress in Your Dreams?

In addition to these scenarios we just covered above, the color of the dress can have great meaning as well.

Green: You are thinking about your finances or may even be jealous about something in your life. Green can also be a very healing color.

Yellow: You want to attract attention or you may be feeling like your energy is not at its highest. See what yellow means in dreams.

Purple: You wish to tell others you are an authority figure – you’ve dressed fit for a queen! It can also mean you are seeking ways to be more spiritual in your life. Learn what it means to dream about the color purple.

Red: You wish to make a statement and are confident in how you feel. You may be looking to attract a partner in your life.

“When in doubt, wear red.” 

—Bill Blass

Pink: You may have feelings of unrequited love or you may be embarrassed about something in life.

Black: You are not showing people how you really feel.

White: You are asking for help with your soul or spiritual search or wish to be honest in a situation in your life.

Brown: This means you are worried about something in your life, or that a part of you is neglected.

Blue: You need to find your inner calmness and think more rationally.

Learn More About Colors and What They Mean in Dreams Here.

How To Interpret Your Dreams About Dresses

So now that you know what the dreams about dresses could mean for you, let’s look at how to interpret those dreams.

Ask Yourself:

• What colors were in the dream? What do those colors make me feel?
• How Did I feel in the dream? Happy? Excited? Upset?
• What am I doing in the dream? Do I feel like I am doing what I want to be doing?
• What is the setting of the dream? Was it my own home, or somewhere else entirely? What does this say about how I feel about my life right now?
• What do the other people look like in my dreams about dresses? Are they people that would be important in my real life? Why are they in this dream at all?

Did you have a dream about a dress? What do you think it means? Share your thoughts in the comments below!