Summer time is in full pressure and for the reason that first heatwave of the yr again in Might, there’s just one capsule-wardrobe piece that’s been always on my thoughts: clothes. And whereas I like a midi and maxi, I’m actually a sucker for something brief and unfastened, so it felt like destiny after I was scrolling by means of Instagram and stumbled throughout one in all my favorite trend folks (and fellow Who What Put on UK workforce member) in a silhouette I’d neglected till now: the swing minidress.
There’s not a lot that Who What Put on UK’s senior branded content material editor, Rebecca Rhys Evans, can’t persuade me to purchase. I constantly admire every part she wears (from afar and up shut within the workplace) and this time was no totally different. Whereas I’m all for the outfit-making magic of a traditional silhouette like a drop-waist costume or a shirred maxi when the solar shines, my go-to in the summertime is all the time a unfastened type with a brief hem. Why, you ask? As a result of they’re simply really easy.
Now, should you’ve learn any of my content material earlier than, you’ll know I’m fairly explicit concerning the tendencies I purchase into. Every part has to have that throw-on-and-go ease whereas working seamlessly with the remainder of my core capsule wardrobe, equipment and sneakers included. Which is precisely why I’ve grown to like the swing minidress.
Outlined initially by a barely fitted bodice and a flared A-line skirt that “swings” out from the bust or waist and falls above the knee, at the moment’s model of a classy swing minidress is a far cry from the Mary Quant mini popularised within the ’60s. Not too long ago, swing silhouettes had been noticed everywhere in the London and Paris spring/summer season 2025 runways, From the Chloé runway the place Alexa Chung’s notorious swing mini second was born (see beneath), to Christopher Esber and Miu Miu. Whereas each type felt totally different and contemporary, there was one frequent thread that ran by means of all of them: their swing minidresses echoed the 2010s “dollcore” aesthetic, a method that’s been steadily rising in reputation for a while. Swing clothes are sometimes merged with different acquainted types, such because the babydoll costume, or a cotton type with a lace trim, and there are not any laborious and quick guidelines relating to a swing type; if the skirt flares out, then you definitely’re coated!
Alexa Chung’s babydoll swing mini costume suits the invoice due to its barely flared skirt!
It was no shock to me, then, when the excessive avenue adopted intently behind the posh trend homes shortly after trend month. Manufacturers like Reformation, Ganni, Rixo and Réalisation Par have launched a plethora of swing minidresses, beloved by each Gen Z and millennials alike. From daring prints to lace broderie detailing, there are such a lot of swing minidresses available on the market proper now. And one of the best half? They work within the autumn too with tights and flats or boots.
Layered beneath a coat and paired with tights and loafers, this costume can have the identical straightforward really feel because it does in summer season with a flip-flop or sandal. Though the outfit formulation would possibly change, the attraction of the swing minidress does not. Maintain scrolling to seek out the 18 finest swing minidresses available on the market proper now.