My All-Time Favourite Dress Trend Is Back for Another Year

My love for denim dresses started back in 2009 thanks to Stella McCartney's S/S 10 collection. The British designer had created a button-down summer dress in a light-wash jean fabric and a skirt in the same finish and waist-nipping fit. I fell for them both—hard. I was just starting out as a fashion assistant and had a chance to wear a sample of the skirt for a shoot, but alas, it was a fleeting moment, and I could not afford to keep it in my wardrobe.

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Stella McCartney Spring 2010

However, I knew, deep down, that I'd be able to find a good iteration from one of the many East London vintage stores I used to frequent of a weekend. And that made total sense because McCartney did, indeed, base these styles upon denim pieces her mother Linda had worn in the '70s. 

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Influencer Madelynn Furlong in February 2020, Paris

It's been happening for some time now, but designers can't resist the allure of this humble blue fabric—it instantly brings modernity and ease to more elevated creations. And when it comes to producing comfortable, easy-to-throw-on dresses for spring and summer, a denim option is second to none. 

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Influencer Lois Opoku in August 2020, Copenhagen

This is a dress style that has genuinely shifted from trend to classic over time, and in the decade since I first cottoned onto its powers, I've bought different versions from charity stores (heads up: they were also very present in the '90s, so there are plenty to choose from this era), M.i.h Jeans and Reiss. No matter what style you go for, whether retro shirt-waister or short, minimal, and strappy, you'll find that your chosen denim dress simply won't date.

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(Image credit: @sarahjanebea)

Sarah Jane Bea Wearing a Vintage Laura Ashley Dress

Interestingly, for spring 2021, the options appear to be endless, despite the fact that this enduring item isn't an obvious part of the season's top-line trends. Perhaps its innate combination of practicality and sass puts it in a prime position to win when many day-to-day schedules now centre around being comfortable but smart and many wardrobes are leaning to well-curated, hard-working staples.

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Alexander McQueen)

Alexander McQueen Spring 2021

Alexander McQueen's glorious, full-skirted, and bodiced style leads the way for a very luxe take on the idea—the more fabric the better. But in other corners of the retail world, you'll find that skimpy is the word—high-neck and long-sleeve styles do look very cute with mini hemlines. 

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

A Paris Fashion Week Guest, February 2020

Zara has a new-in piece that looks straight out of the '70s, while our team has collectively agreed that Gabriela Hearst's versions are the very ultimate high-end purchase. Me? I'll most likely track down a thrifted button-down on Etsy until I can get my hands on that OG Stella…

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Hannah Almassi
Editor in Chief

Hannah Almassi is the editor in chief of Who What Wear UK. Hannah has been part of the the Who What Wear brand since 2015, when she was hired to launch a UK sister site and social channels, localise content strategy and build out the editorial team. She joined following a seven-year tenure at Grazia magazine, where she led front-of-book news, fashion features and shopping specials as fashion news and features editor. With experience in both print and digital across fashion and beauty, Hannah has over 15 years in the field as a journalist, editor, content strategist and brand consultant. Hannah has interviewed industry heavyweights such as designers including Marc Jacobs and Jonathan Anderson through to arbiters of taste including Katie Grand and Anna Dello Russo. A skilled moderator and lecturer specialising in the shift to digital media and e-commerce, Hannah’s opinion and work has been sought by the likes of CNBC, BBC, The Sunday Times Style, The Times and MatchesFashion.com, among many others.

Hannah currently resides in Eastbourne with her photographer husband, incredibly busy toddler and highly Instagrammable cat.