In March 2000, Charlize Theron walked her first Oscars in a burnt-orange halter gown by Vera Wang. It became the kind of look that lands on lists of the best Oscar gowns of all time, and Harper's Bazaar called the tangerine a welcome relief from black on that carpet. Theron has said the dress followed her into auditions: her agent would come back and report that people had seen her in the orange dress and did not think she could do the role. That is the power of this color. You remember it.

I think that is why an orange dress still feels like a decision, in the best way. The color name comes from the fruit, from the Old French pomme d'orange, and before the fruit reached Europe the shade was simply called yellow-red. It has always been a little louder than its own vocabulary. Wear it and people will say so, so choose a shape you actually like living in.

The midis in this first group are where I would begin. The NBD Leighton is the clean one: bright orange, square neckline, slim column skirt, and it asks for nothing but flat sandals and gold studs. The SIR. Panettone in tangerine has a twist front and a high side slit, which makes it the one I would wear to a dinner where I plan to walk a lot. The Ronny Kobo Wrenley in clementine has a ruched halter bodice over a pleated skirt, and it moves well. The A.L.C. Willa in persimmon has a draped knot at the waist that does the styling for you.

If you are unsure, hold the dress up next to your face in daylight. Papaya like the SEROYA Tallulah is softer against warm skin, while the true orange of the Elodie the Label Ozara wants bare shoulders and very little jewelry.

A maxi in orange has to be tested in motion, so walk across the fitting room and watch the skirt, not the mirror. The Petal & Pup Naira has a sunray-pleated skirt in a rust-leaning orange, and the pleats open like a fan when you turn. The Reiss Rowe is a halter maxi with a crossover neckline and a belted waist, which gives a full skirt some shape at the middle.

For something lighter, the MANGO chiffon maxi has thin crossover straps and floats rather than hangs. The Proenza Schouler White Label Michelyn is poplin, so it holds its fullness, with a ruched V-neck bodice that keeps the whole thing from looking like a sack. I would wear it with a flat leather slide and a straw bag.

Strapless is its own category. The Bec + Bridge Reina is bright orange with a ruched bodice and a side slit, and the endless rose version swaps the ruching for diagonal ruffles. Both need a bodice that stays put, so lift your arms and sit down before you commit. The ESSENTIEL ANTWERP Joye is jersey in orange brulee, with structured shoulders, and it is the easy one for a long day. The Petal & Pup Luna goes one-shoulder with a waist cutout in a coral-leaning shade.

What I would skip: a maxi with a hem that pools on the floor if you plan to wear flat shoes. Check the length with the shoes you actually own.

Chrome orange, the first synthetic orange pigment, was invented in 1809, after a French scientist found the mineral crocoite in 1797. I like to think the mini dress is its modern descendant: small, bright and very sure of itself. These eight each do something different with the same short length.

The STAUD Brio is a sleeveless swing mini with a square neck and studded straps, so it needs nothing else but boots. The COS gathered mini has puffed short sleeves in an orange-red and a relaxed shape, which is the one I would wear to a long lunch. The MANGO Knoty has a knotted pleated bodice in red-orange, one shoulder only. For the bold version, the HOUSE OF CB bandage mini in coral-orange is bodycon with a scoop neck, so wear it with a blazer over the top.

The A.L.C. Faye in persimmon is the quiet one: square neckline, slim fit, no fuss. The SIR. Elodie in poppy sits off the shoulder with a fitted body, and the Trina Turk Cappuccia is a lighter orange shift with a lace-up halter neckline, a good pick for a vacation. The Dress the Population Elodie is strapless, with ruching and a draped side panel.

Test every mini by sitting down on a low chair and reaching for something on the floor. If the hem or the neckline needs a tug, it will need a tug all night.

What I would skip: a bandage mini in a size you are hoping to shrink into. Buy the fit you have today.

Orange is a bright color, and satin makes it brighter, because the fabric catches the light and turns the shade from flat to glowing. That is the reason I would put a slip in tangerine before almost any other color.

The Zadig & Voltaire Rippies is a tangerine satin mini slip with a ruched, lace-trimmed bodice, and the Rayonne from the same brand is a rust-orange satin maxi with a V neckline, which looks much quieter. Both have thin straps, so check how they sit on your shoulders. The A.L.C. Lou is a one-shoulder midi with lace trim down the side, and the Equipment Leo is a silk jacquard slip with a side slit that I would wear with a boxy blazer and loafers.

For something with structure, the Proenza Schouler Naia is a viscose satin jersey maxi tank with a racer neckline, and the STAUD Adriana is stretch silk, strapless, with an asymmetric ruched hem. The Lysse Sakura has a handkerchief hem in coral orange. The House of Aama Anancy is iridescent silk with a plunging V neck, so it looks like a different color from every angle.

Hold the fabric against your hand under a light. If the satin looks stiff or the seams pucker, it will do the same on you. Silk and satin are happiest with a wrap and a low heel, nothing shiny on top.

What I would skip: a satin slip with heavy gold jewelry. Let the dress be the shiny thing.

Orange can be relaxed too. Linen is where I would go for a summer day, because the fabric wrinkles and no one minds. Reformation has three here, two in linen and one knit: the Ericka is a burnt-orange ribbed knit maxi with a scoop neck, the Janu is a chili-orange linen midi with a full skirt and a square neckline, and the Alix is a rust-orange linen maxi with a high neck and side slit. The ALEMAIS Boathouse Ballet is a linen sundress with tie shoulders and a printed hem, which is the one I would take to a beach lunch.

Print is next. The Shani Shemer Athena is an orange scarf-print midi with a halter neck and a handkerchief hem, and the Cara Cara Nash is an orange floral mini with short sleeves and a tiered skirt. The Show Me Your Mumu Happy Halter is orange crochet with a citrus-slice motif, so it is exactly as playful as it sounds. The Seven Wonders Juniper is a rust open-knit mini with flared long sleeves, a good one for a cooler evening.

Orange is worn by people who want to be seen, from highway workers to lifeguards, and a printed dress simply makes it a pleasant kind of visibility. Check that the print is not so busy that you need to hide it with a cardigan.

What I would skip: a knit that is very clingy in the hip if you are planning to sit for hours. Pull it on and sit before you decide.

Pick the length first, because that decides the whole outfit. Midi if you want one dress for work, dinner and a wedding. Maxi if you like to be noticed from across a room. Mini if you will be walking, not standing.

Then pick the shade for your skin: papaya and coral lean soft, tangerine and persimmon are brighter, rust and burnt orange are the calmest. Hold each one up in daylight and go with whichever makes you look awake.

Theron's agents worried that the dress said too much about her, and she wore it anyway. I would make the same bet. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Body Tape, From a Gaping Sweater to the Grammys Gown.