Never underestimate the power of a great summer skirt. Choose well and it will serve you well from now through the colder months, equipping you for daily errands, beach days, nights out, and everything in between.
An Eighties revival manifested in the form of bubble-hem and ruffled, tiered skirts in Alaïa and Valentino’s SS25 collections (and many more besides). Fear not; there is not a crimped hairdo in sight, rather modern versions of these vintage relics that feel fresh when styled with a simple baby tee and ballet flats.
For something simpler, consider a crisp white cotton skirt, as seen on the runway (at Miu Miu and Ralph Lauren) and in real life, as worn by the likes of Daisy Edgar Jones and Sienna Miller at Wimbledon. Or one with polka dots, as at Acne Studios and Carolina Herrera, which lends itself equally well to monochrome styling.
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There are sheer and skin-baring styles, too, for which you may want to invest in a good pair of big knickers. At Gabriela Hearst and Ulla Johnson, there were crocheted maxi skirts that would look just as chic thrown over swimwear as they did with the coordinating tops with which they were styled on the catwalk. See also 1990s organza column skirts and wafty chiffon maxis (at Rokh and S.S. Daley, respectively), which also look excellent atop slips, if you do not dare to bare.
Speaking of slips, we are stocking up on lace-trimmed satin versions to wear with tanks and flip flops for the remainder of summer (and with boots and knits when autumn hits). Blame The Row.
Below, we’ve rounded up the seven best summer skirt styles, from puffball minis and modern ra-ras to lace-trimmed satin slips and crochet maxis.
A Bubble-Hem Summer Skirt
Boden Bubble Hem Midi Skirt Poppy Red
JW Anderson Gathered pinstripe balloon miniskirt
Cos Bubble-Hem Skirt
You may already have a bubble-hem skirt in your wardrobe from last summer, when Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber were both spotted wearing the Y2K-does-1980s style. Good news – the trend is still going strong, with puffball silhouettes popping up at Alaïa, Patou and Chloé’s SS25 shows, in midi, mini and micro-mini forms. Balance the frou-frou shape with ballet flats and a form-fitting tank or tee.
A White Cotton Summer Skirt
Mango Midi cotton skirt with pleats
Deiji Studios Tie-detailed organic cotton-poplin midi skirt
A cotton-poplin skirt in wear-with-everything white will serve you well for many years to come and for all manner of events. Choose romantic pleats (as at Ralph Lauren’s SS25 show, and on Sienna Miller at Wimbledon), or indeed, something a bit more pencil-like, like Daisy Edgar Jones’ crisp Gucci co-ord. Or strike the balance with Miu Miu’s sweet, A-line styles.
A Tiered Ruffle Summer Skirt
Alaïa Pre-Owned 2000s ruffled skirt
Zara Ruffled Midi Skirt
Maximalists, rejoice. Ruffles are back and we don’t mean a demure frilled trim here and there. Tiered ra-ra skirts shimmied down the SS25 catwalks, from Akris’ frothy tulle maxi (styled with slick brogues) to Valentino’s more faithfully Eighties-inspired iteration. We enjoy the unexpected touch of a ruffled skirt over trousers, as seen at Rokh.
A Polka-Dot Summer Skirt
Mango Long polka-dot skirt
Susa Musa Meadow Skirt
Ganni Polka-dot Double Satin Long Pocket Skirt
We’ve extolled the virtues of the polka-dot dress; now let us meditate on the sheer versatility of the spotted skirt. In a puffball shape with a peep-toe or stiletto heel (see Valentino and Carolina Herrera), it reads 1980s, while a semi-sheer chiffon pencil skirt (we’re looking at you, Susa Musa) nods to 1990s Prada in the best way. Clash or match your dots, or opt for simple monochrome styling.
The Lace-Trimmed Satin Slip Summer Skirt
Fleur Du Mal Lace-hem slip skirt
Reformation Carolina Lace-Trim Silk-Charmeuse Midi Skirt
Leset Barb lace-trimmed satin slip skirt
The Row started a slip-skirt revolution when they incorporated two (well three, if you count the dress styled as a skirt over trousers) in their Spring/Summer ‘25 collection. The beauty of the lace-trimmed satin skirt is that it can be worn with a tank and flip flops now, and with a slouchy cashmere knit and knee-high boots when the weather cools. We also love a mini-length version peeking out from beneath an oversized tee or shirt.
A Crochet Maxi Summer Skirt
Massimo Dutti Midi skirt with floral embroidery
Sara Cristina Sun pearl-embellished crocheted cotton maxi skirt
Don’t board your next flight without including at least one crochet skirt in your checked luggage – it’s a holiday essential. As Gabriela Hearst and Ulla Johnson both proved at their SS25 shows, one in white or cream is exceedingly versatile, whether thrown over a bikini in the daytime or worn with a matching top for dinner. Miuccia Prada has an enduring partiality for crocheted skirts, so we suggest checking Vestiaire Collective for pre-loved styles.
A Sheer Summer Skirt
Cos Sheer Column Skirt
M&S Lace Maxi Tiered Skirt
Mango Sequin beach wrap
If you want to dip your toe into naked dressing, may we present: the sheer skirt. It wafted onto the SS25 runways in diaphanous tartan chiffon (S.S.Daley), see-through lace (Michael Kors), and Nineties-esque organza (The Attico, Hermès), sometimes underlaid by opaque mini skirts, other times revealing granny pants or skimpy knickers. You can do either, of course; alternatively, ease in by layering one atop jeans or trousers.
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