8 of the best trending skirt styles to wear instead of a dress this summer

Bored of wearing a summer dress on repeat? A skirt promises to be just as easy and breezy. And, given the number of different styles we spotted on the spring/summer 2025 runways, it is likely to earn you extra style points, too.

Sure, opting for a skirt does require thinking about what to wear on your top half. We totally get it's not quite the same throw-on-and-go, ‘one and done’ solution as a dress. But, sometimes it's worth putting in the extra effort and brain power needed to pull together a full look. That being said, you really can't go wrong with a graphic T-shirt (FYI, it's the new band tee) for a cool, casual look that's easily smartened up with a blazer added on top.

We take back what we said, wearing a skirt *IS* an easy outfit option this summer. To make sure you're bang on trend, we've rounded up the best trending skirt styles to know about RN. All that's left to do is for you to choose your fighter and pick whichever shoes or sandals you'll be pairing your selected skirt with.

Everyone's favourite Y2K trend shows no sign of slowing down, so if you have yet to get in on the look, consider now the time to try it. Like many of this season's skirt trends, bubble hems come in a few different lengths, meaning there's a style for everyone. You could even tick off two trends in one with a white bubble hem midi.

Tap into the naked dressing aesthetic without going starkers by donning a lace skirt. Again, this design comes in a few different length and colour options, but we'd advise sticking to a neutral colour palette of black or white if the skirt's sheerness is already enough of a statement for you. As for how risqué you want your outfit to be, wear with a long top or sports jersey that covers your bottom, or embrace the transparency and wear a pair of big knickers underneath.

The easiest trend to try is a simple white midi skirt. You may even have one in your wardrobe from last summer! Whether you opt for a just below the knee number or an ankle-grazing design, tiered or pleated, there are myriad different ways to style yours, depending on if you're heading to work or to a park picnic with friends. Consider this a crucial building block of your summer capsule wardrobe.

Bohemian, floor sweeping silhouettes – think cascading tiers, romantic ruffles and just generally floaty, flowy and frilly – are reigning supreme right now thanks to the likes of Chloé and Saint Laurent, where a sense of ‘70s nostalgia infected the runways. Counteract the look by wearing with an oversized tee (as previously mentioned) or a boxy leather or suede jacket.

Miu Miu led the way with preppy pleats parading down the SS25 runway, confirming this school girl favourite is back and all grown up. Whether you prefer a box-pleated mini or a swishy mid-length design in a more narrow knife-pleat, there's no limit to the number of options – from colourways to pleat width – available on the high street to make this look work IRL.

Charli XCX is your style muse when it comes to asymmetric skirts, as our Brat queen can regularly be seen rocking high-low hemlines. Whether you go for a subtle dipped hem or a dramatic diagonal situation, make sure to pair it with something simple on top and plenty of attitude.

Skirts are going statement! From 3D floral corsage adornments to beaded embellishments and all-over sequins, the brief here is more is more. The best part? You can get in on this look with just about every skirt length. Die-hard mini fans and exclusively midi gals unite!

Courtesy of Saint Laurent, Jil Sander and Dries Van Noten's SS25 collections, double-layer skirts are officially a thing. The premise is simple: a second layer peeping out from the bottom of your hemline in either the same or a different fabric. We'll totally be trying to DIY this trend by wearing two skirts together. The key to nailing the look is to make sure the gap between the first and second skirts finishing is a few inches – just enough to clearly differentiate, but not too much it loses its unity and blatantly looks like you threw your shortest mini over your floor-sweeping maxi.

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Alexandria Dale

Digital Fashion Writer

Alexandria Dale is the Digital Fashion Writer at Cosmopolitan UK. Covering everything from the celebrity style moments worth knowing about to the latest fashion news, there’s nothing she loves more than finding a high street dupe of a must-have designer item. As well as discovering new brands, she’s passionate about sustainable fashion and establishing the trends that are actually worth investing in. Having worked in fashion journalism for six years, she has experience at both digital and print publications including Glamour and Ok!