It's the Summer of the Great White Skirt

Mar 05, 2024

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There was a time not too long ago when the only skirt fashion insiders wanted to wear was the length of a blink. Miu Miu’s itty-bitty mini skirt started an online frenzy when it debuted on the runway and promptly in boutiques and online. (It also spawned dozens of knock-offs still proliferating in stores). But fashion currently has a case of collective amnesia where that once unavoidable skirt is concerned. This summer, I’ve observed all anyone is wearing are pristine white skirts that float past their knees and sometimes skim the ground.

Designers have spent this year making a case for the best white maxi and midi skirts. From early May up until the present, brands from COS to Ralph Lauren to The Row have filled with skirts featuring extra-long dimensions and a pearly palette. Street style outside the summer’s men’s and couture shows adopted them in the form of sinuous slips and petticoat-like circle skirts. Walking around New York City, without a single fashion event in sight, I’ve seen them worn with tiny white T-shirts and cowboy boots on the Lower East Side and Oxford button-ups and satin ballerina flats in SoHo. And before celebrities joined the SAG-AFTRA strike, I clocked Gabrielle Union in a slim-fitting silky maxi skirt paired with a Prada Galleria bag. Katie Holmes styled her poplin, ground-skimming version with a nubby oversized sweater and Chloé’s platform Teva sandals.

This maxi and midi skirt moment was somewhat pre-ordained by forces beyond fashion’s control. There’s an adage about hemlines rising and falling in inverse correlation with the economy; in our is-it-or-isn’t-it a recession moment, skirt lengths were bound to increase. The rise of billowing white skirts alongside denim maxis has a little more creativity going for it. The clean palette and extended lengths graft onto any aesthetic: lace tiers for a bucolic, cottage-core look, tailored linen and cotton poplin for a summer suit set, tiered gauze for the modern bohemian, and so on. (Minis, this editor would argue, don’t cover all those bases.)

Across the board, “maxi skirts feel like an alternative option to a wide-leg pleated trouser, and ultimately a fresh take on a core wardrobe piece,” Bazaar senior fashion and accessories editor Jaclyn Alexandra Cohen told me. She adds that any top you’d pair with a trouser works with a white midi or maxi skirt in every cut, whether it’s a boxy, tucked-in T-shirt or a ribbed tank with an opened button-down on top. “It's an effortless update for a clean-girl-aesthetic look, that can be finished off with chic Emme Parson sandals or new Wales Bonner metallic Adidas sneakers,” Cohen said.

Hemlines are guaranteed to rise again at some point—but no matter which skirt length reigns over fashion, it’s good to have options. For the best of the moment, shop the 15 great white midi and maxi skirts of summer 2023 below.

"Timeless" and "trendy" don't always belong in the same sentence, yet this clean maxi skirt by Posse manages to be both at once. It's made from a breathable, lightweight linen, so it can slot immediately into your wardrobe for the height of summer. Personally, I plan to keep it in rotation with a beige button-up cardigan and matching tank top when temperatures start to dip in September.

Sizes: 0–16

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Emma Linen Maxi Skirt

$249.00

modaoperandi.com

Helsa combined two winning summer looks into one perfect piece: a touch of the runway's sheer trend, plus a billowing white poplin skirt. While it's styled with a cloud-like poplin top, I'm imagining it for a weekday outfit with a black tank top tucked into it.

Sizes: XXS–XL

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Cotton Poplin Skirt

$298.00

revolve.com

When I asked Cohen for her favorite white maxi skirts, she immediately directed me toward this Reformation style. It has the relaxed proportions and nonchalant air of the best denim maxi skirts, but it's re-done in a cool white shade.

Sizes: 23–31

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Myles Maxi Skirt

$188.00

Every question you've had about summer white party dress codes is solved by this intricately embroidered skirt and matching puff-sleeve top. They're instant best-dressed guest material; all that's missing is a statement heel in a bright color. (And if you want to take the skirt to daytime, try it with a blue Oxford button-up shirt.)

Sizes: 00–20

What reviewers are saying: "Fantastic skirt and matching top."

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Tulay Skirt

$295.00

marahoffman.com

I've daydreamed about this skirt dotted with folded flowers since its runway debut. As the white skirt trend gains followers, this one will keep its main character energy by virtue of being a Prada creation with unique embellishments and perfectly cascading folds. Other fashion lovers clearly have had this piece on their wish lists as well; it's already sold out in several sizes.

Sizes: 38IT–42IT

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Flower-Applique Pleated Poplin Midi Skirt

$5000.00

bergdorfgoodman.com

This is the skirt that sold me on the white maxi moment. In late May, I wore it with an oversized crewneck sweater and Chloé sandals; at the peak of July, it's been my go-to with the same sandals and a cropped linen vest. The poplin is lighter than air and the stretchy smocked waistband is unbelievably comfortable; I loved the fit so much, I ordered it again in black.

Sizes: XS–XXL

What reviewers are saying: "So, so comfortable with the smocked waist, which you can position higher or lower depending on how you want to style it. I love how it is as comfortable as an Ellie but versatile in a new way - so easy to style with other pieces and perfect for dressing up or dressing down."

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The Delphine Nap Skirt

$125.00

hillhousehome.com

All white midi skirts have a floaty, effervescent effect. This cotton poplin option takes that effortless quality up several notches with a wrap tie at the waist and large pockets—two features that make wearing it for a full day a breeze.

Sizes: 2–10

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Cotton Poplin Wrap Midi-Skirt

$395.00

saksfifthavenue.com

Maybe you're a late-summer 2023 bride, or you're dressing for an indoor-outdoor gala. This skirt from COS Atelier, the label's craftsmanship-focused capsule, is made for your special occasion. Elevated details include a shimmery, pearlescent finish to the fabric and a just-above-the-ankle hemline. Add the coordinating blazer to make it a summer suiting moment.

Sizes: 2–14

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The Flared Silk Skirt

$250.00

cos.com

Between Barbie's domination at the box office and The Summer I Turned Pretty's return to streaming, it's a great season to be an adult in touch with her inner teenager. This confection of a white lace midi skirt by LoveShackFancy fits the girlhood dress code, with or without the matching crop top.

Sizes: 00–14

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Kasiana Midi Skirt

$495.00

netaporter.com

This Free People skirt has a bohemian sensibility, in a gauzy fabric with free-flowing tiers. Yet it's exactly the kind of skirt I've seen all over downtown Manhattan this summer with baby T-shirts and sporty wraparound sunglasses. The takeaway? These skirts transcend aesthetics.

Sizes: XS–XL

What reviewers are saying: "I just love[d] this skirt from the minute I saw the catalog. I already wore skirts like this in the '80s with oversized tops."

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In Full Swing Midi Skirt

$98.00

freepeople.com

Around the same time that Taylor Swift's skorts influenced my summer shopping, she also single-handedly put this eyelet skirt on my must-have list. In her case, it was an easy choice to wear with an all-white outfit for a visit to the recording studio; in my case, it's coming with me to a beach vacation in August and outdoor dinners throughout the rest of summer.

Sizes: 00–18

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Eyelet Linen Skirt

$349.99

ralphlauren.com

Bazaar senior fashion and accessories editor Jaclyn Alexandra Cohen has this white skirt on her wish list. It's the epitome of understated luxury, from the clean lines to the stark white fabric.

Sizes: 2–14

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Ryon Cotton Poplin Maxi Skirt

$990.00

mytheresa.com

Headed to a New England beach town in the final weeks of summer? Bring this just-nautical-enough skirt along for the weekend. It's made from a linen blend that will stay cool even on long, sunny days spent by the water.

Sizes: XS–XL

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Pinstripe Skirt

$69.99

mango.com

The polish of a slim tailored skirt meets the romance of a cottagecore matching set in this lace-trimmed midi. Add a beaded bag and a little white suit vest for an outfit that's equally grown-up and whimsical.

Sizes: UK2–22

What reviewers are saying: "The item is the same as the picture, the fabric is soft and pleasant to the touch. The design is luxurious. Enriches any top item. One of the items that should always be in the closet. Next month I will definitely buy the black one as well.'

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Crystal Skirt

$265.00

rixolondon.com

Yes, this is technically an ivory skirt (not white) and it technically belongs to J.Crew's excellent fall collection (not summer). It still speaks to me as belonging to the look of the moment, reminiscent of the slim-fitting satin skirts I noticed around the shows at couture week in July. Back then, they were worn with suit vests or semi-sheer tops; by the time fall rolls around, this sort of skirt will be a dream with a cropped cashmere sweater.

Sizes: XXS–3X

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Pull-on Maxi Skirt

$168.00

jcrew.com

For more than 150 years, Harper’s BAZAAR has been the preeminent fashion, beauty, and lifestyle resource for women at every age. We cover what’s new and what’s next in fashion by working with the world’s leading authorities in ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and more. Every story we publish has been thoroughly researched and vetted by our team of editors and industry experts.

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