In case you missed it, drop waist dresses are everywhere. Most years we see a distinct shape of summer dress trumping all the others; last year was the linen dress, a few years prior was the milkmaid dress, and 2019 was all about that polka dot dress from Zara. 2025 is dedicated to the elongated waist.
A flattering, somewhat-retro style that we saw feature on the runways (at Jacquemus to Schiaparelli, in particular), drop waist dresses are now all over our Instagram feeds, so we want in on the trend.
Having seen the style all over the runways, at Jacquemus and Shiaparelli in particular, our favourite online clothing stores quickly adopted drop waist dresses into their spring/summer collections, with the rest of the fashion industry swiftly following suit.
This isn’t their first rodeo, though. Dropped waist dresses originally became popular back in the 1920s with “flappers”; a term used to describe young women who were breaking away from traditional norms during a decade synonymous with social revolution. Flapper dresses featured a low waistline that sat on the hips, contrasting with the hourglass shape that dominated fashion for decades, allowing for a looser, more comfortable fit.
Natch, those are the exact attributes we love drop waist dresses for today. In fact, even the wedding industry has been influenced. Arguably the most popular bridal gowns for 2025 feature dropped waists, and some of the best wedding guest dresses we’ve seen this season feature a lower waist too. So, if you’re looking for a frock that’ll show off your figure in a less obvious way than bodycons do, you know where to look.
And if that still isn’t enough motivation enough, A-list celebrities are all over the movement as well.
Recent red carpets, including the Met Gala and Cannes Film Festival, spotlighted celebrities like Lana Del Rey, Demi Moore, Rachel Zegler and Rawdah Mohamed wearing drop waist dresses, proving that, 100 years later, this universally flattering silhouette is in it for the long haul.
Want in? Shop the best drop waist dresses below.
For more from GLAMOUR UK’s Senior Commerce Writer Georgia Trodd, follow her on Instagram @georgiatrodd.
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