Dinosaur Dresses for Women and Girls: Skater, Bodycon or Sundress, and How to Size Each

A dinosaur dress is a bit of a dare. It says you like dinosaurs and you're not going to hide it under a hoodie. The good news is that the print does most of the work, so the only real decisions are the cut and the size.

We make three kinds of dinosaur dress: a flared skater dress for women, a fitted bodycon dress, and an A-line sundress for girls and toddlers. Everything below comes straight from the live listings, so the fabrics, size charts and prices are the real ones.

The short version

• Women's skater dress (16 prints): XS to 3XL. 82% polyester, 18% spandex. $49.99 to $57.99.
• Women's bodycon dress (2 prints): XS to XL. 82% polyester, 18% spandex, four-way stretch. $39.99.
• Girls' and toddler sundress: 2T to 6T, then kids' S to XL. 95% polyester, 5% spandex. From $34.99.
• Women's skirt (matching prints): XS to 3XL. 82% polyester, 18% spandex. $41.99 to $44.99.

You can see every one of them in the dinosaur dresses and skirts collection.

The skater dress: the one most people want

If you picture a "dinosaur dress," you're probably picturing this one. It's sleeveless, with a fitted top, an elastic waist and a flared skirt that lands at mid-thigh. The fabric is smooth and stretchy, and the print runs over the whole dress rather than sitting in a box on the front, which is why the designs look so bright.

The prints fall into a few loose groups:

• Soft and pretty. Dinosaur Flowers, Purple Watercolor Dinos, Blue Watercolor and Plesiosaur Watercolor. These are the easiest to wear to a wedding shower, a museum date or the office.
• Bold and graphic. Black Dinosaur Skeletons, Dinosaur Camo, Dinosaur Scale and Dinosaur Terrazzo. The skeleton print is the one to reach for if you want something dark for fall.
• Bright and fun. Colorful Dino's, Pink Brontosaurus, Blue Brontosaurus and Blue & Gold.
• Just for laughs. Dinosaur Nuggies and Frosted Dino Cookie, for anyone whose love of dinosaurs extends to the dinner plate. There's also American T-Rex for the Fourth of July crowd.

How to size the skater dress

The top is fitted and the skirt is loose, so the bust and waist are the numbers that matter. Here's the chart from the listing, in inches:

Measure your bust and natural waist, then pick the size where both fit. If one says M and the other says L, go with the larger. The spandex gives a little, but a skater dress that pulls across the chest is the one that never leaves the closet. Hips matter less here because the skirt flares out.

The bodycon dress: fitted, stretchy, a little dressier

The bodycon is the opposite idea. It's cut close to the body from top to hem, in a smooth microfiber with four-way stretch. It's a heavier fabric than you might expect, listed at 6.78 oz per square yard, so it skims rather than clings. Right now it comes in two prints: Dinosaur Terrazzo and Dinosaur Nuggies, both at $39.99.

The bodycon runs XS to XL, with the same bust, waist and hip numbers as the skater chart above. Because it's fitted all the way down, hips count here. Pick by whichever of your three measurements lands in the largest size.

Skater or bodycon? Choose the skater if you want something easy that moves, or if you're between sizes. Choose the bodycon if you like a close fit and want a dress that works with a jacket and boots for a night out.

Dinosaur dresses for girls and toddlers

Our girls' sundress is an A-line cut with a round neck and no sleeves, in a light, slightly silky polyester with a bit of stretch. The hems are double-stitched, which matters on a dress that's going to be climbed in. Sizes start at 2T and run through 6T, then continue into kids' S, M, L and XL, so one style covers most of childhood.

Prints include Cool T-Rex, Rainbows & Dinos, Neon Fossils, Colorful Dino Shapes and Dinosaur Nuggies. For October there are two Halloween prints, Halloween Party and Trick or Treat Dinos, which work for a class party or as a costume layer.

The easiest way to size a child is by length. Measure from the top of the shoulder to where you want the hem, then compare it to the chart:

A sleeveless sundress has room to grow. If your child is between sizes, size up and put a long-sleeve tee or leggings under it in cooler months. For more ideas at this age, see our dinosaur gifts for 3 year olds guide, and browse the full girls' dinosaur apparel range.

Matching prints: dress, skirt, or both

Many of the skater dress prints also come as a skirt, made from the same stretchy fabric with an elastic waistband and a mid-thigh flare. That makes it easy to match without wearing the exact same thing. Some pairs that line up:

• Dinosaur Flowers dress and Dinosaur Flowers skirt
• Purple Watercolor Dinos dress and Purple Watercolor Dinos skirt
• Pink Brontosaurus dress and Pink Brontosaurus skirt
• Colorful Dino's dress and Colorful Dino's skirt

For a parent-and-kid match, the Nuggies print is the one that crosses over: there's a women's skater dress, a women's bodycon and a girls' sundress, all in the same chicken-nugget dinosaurs. The cookie print works the same way, with the Frosted Dino Cookie skater dress for you and the Frosted Dinosaur Cookies sundress for her.

How to wear a dinosaur dress when it's cold out

All three dresses are sleeveless, but that doesn't make them summer-only. A few things that work from fall into winter:

• Layer on top. A cropped cardigan or denim jacket keeps the waist visible on a skater dress. A long blazer suits the bodycon.
• Go dark below. Black tights calm down a bright print and let it be the main event. With the skeleton or camo prints, try them with boots.
• Pick one loud thing. If the dress is busy, keep the shoes simple. If you'd like a bit more dinosaur, a pair from the women's dinosaur shoes range works best with a plain dress like Blue Watercolor. Our dinosaur shoes buying guide covers how they fit.

Before you check out

Every dress is printed when you order it, in the size you pick, so it's worth two minutes with a tape measure first. Check the size chart on the product page for the exact item, since the skater, bodycon and sundress charts differ. If you're buying as a gift and don't know the measurements, the skater dress is the forgiving choice: the flared skirt fits a wide range of hips, so you only need to get the top close.

If you're still deciding between a dress and a tee, our guide to ladies' dinosaur shirts covers the other half of the wardrobe. Otherwise, the whole range is in the dinosaur dresses collection.