A dress these days is a term commonly used for is a garment that consists of a skirt with an attached bodice and sometimes a corresponding bodice giving the garment a one-piece look. The hemlines of a dress vary depending on the trends of fashion and the modesty or individual liking of the wearer. These days, dresses are preferred by women of all ages as an alternative to a separate skirt and blouse or trousers. Dresses nevertheless can be cooler and more comfortable than many trouser or pant styles, so they are consequently usually worn in warmer weather.

In most varieties of western formal dresses, a dress of an appropriate style is necessary for a woman. They are also very popular for special occasions such as kitty parties, evening and cocktail parties etc. Dresses can be worn by sports persons - most particularly lawn tennis, badminton and figure skating. Their conventional reputation as formal wear has made the garment very popular.

Women's dresses nowadays consist of both formal and casual wear made with different fabrics and decorated with number of embellishments. Traditional Indian clothing such as the kurti has been converted into dresses and gives over the edge look to the garment. Fashion designers in India have blended several elements of Indian conventional designs into western wear to create a unique style of contemporary Indian fashion. Both miniskirts and shorts are now worn by girls in bigger urban areas.