"It's about this whole mood for femininity coming back — all the colors and the flowers. I also think women are very in touch with their bodies. You can exude your femininity in a dress. There is nothing more sensual. It's about loving yourself, too, and taking care of your appearance. You don't wear a dress like you wear anything else. You need the appropriate jewelry, a great pair of shoes and just the right bag for that perfect dress," she said.

To remind passersby how much they need dresses, Macy's has devoted window displays in its flagship to a wide range of white dresses on metallic mannequins.

Macy's shoppers are building dress wardrobes with sheaths, shifts and shirt strapless or one-shoulder styles. There is a lot of interest in "anything feminine, pretty prints and sheer styles, as well as special fabric manipulations, gathered, draped, pleated or tucked," said Fischelis, adding these types of dressmaking details are now being used for blouses, too.

BCBG, ABS, Maggy London, Anna Sui, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, CK by Calvin Klein, Betsy Johnson, MaxMara Weekend, Hugo by Hugo Boss, DKNY, Kors Michael Kors, Ellen Tracy and Macy's own Inc. label are among this season's strong performers. "What's interesting is the dress works for a whole range of customers from very contemporary to missy," Fischelis said.

Michael Fink, vice president, women's fashion director of Saks Fifth Avenue, said, "The good news is dresses are still going strong."

In the past three or four years, the trend has evolved beyond baby-doll, trapeze and wrap styles to include floral prints in high to low price points and slim silhouettes, he said.

One interesting marker in Saks' spring season is how unseasonably cool temperatures prompted many buy-now, wear-now purchases for transitional and pre-fall pieces in its northern stores, Fink said. Shoppers started buying an Oscar de la Renta lightweight tweed sheath as soon as it arrived in stores. "Right before the weather changed, some were wearing pre-fall before spring," said Fink, declining to speculate how if at all the I-had-it-first mentality may have come into play.

Color, especially a range of blues, fuchsia and yellow, has given women added incentive to buy dresses, he said. Shirtdresses have also helped spark sales. Aside from being flattering on various body types, shirtdresses, like many other styles, can easily be dressed up or down. "It's the new cargo pant. It takes you anywhere," Fink said. "I know I have said this a million times but what could be simpler than stepping into a dress for the day? It's easier than coordinating separates."