The Pleated Skirt Is Secretly a Versatile Closet Essential
The school uniform piece is about to become your summer style hero
Reported by Harper's Bazaar.
Skirts are having a moment — and not just among the already-converted. According to Harper's Bazaar, even the hardcore pants loyalists on their editorial team have recently switched sides, driven by relentless summer heat and an appetite for something different. The pleated skirt, specifically, has emerged as the silhouette worth investing in: nostalgic enough to feel intentional, structured enough to work harder than its breezy reputation suggests.
This season's iterations cover serious ground. Folds range from chunky and architectural to barely-there and delicate. Fabrics run the gamut — bright white cotton, collegiate khaki, lightweight leather — which means the pleated skirt is no longer the exclusive territory of prep school aesthetics. Pair it with a slick pump for polish, a chunky platform for attitude, or sneakers and a windbreaker when the vibe is deliberately undone. The Oxford-shirt-over-pleated-skirt combo alone earns it a permanent spot in the rotation.
Seven Ways to Actually Wear It
The real argument for the pleated skirt is its range. A creamy pleated midi with a cool-toned knit and translucent wedge handles Summer Fridays effortlessly. A semi-sheer, tulle-adjacent version in black with a slinky knit and gold jewelry is a date night outfit that requires zero overthinking. For gallery-hopping, a leather pleated skirt anchors a statement tee, two-tone flip flops, and a lace-trimmed silk scarf worn at the head or waist. Heading somewhere coastal? Swap in a poplin top during the day, metallic kitten heels at night — same tote, added hoops that catch light.
There's also the heatwave formula worth bookmarking: a knit halter layered over a breezy pleated maxi, flat white sandals, stacked bangles, and a bag built to last from afternoon into evening. It sounds maximalist; it wears like a second skin. And for the equestrian-meets-city-girl energy that's genuinely having a cultural moment, riding boots, tennis whites, and a sheer oversized shirt over a skin-toned bra pull the whole thing into something surprisingly cool.
The pleated skirt has always been capable of more than its prep-school origins let on — this season, it's finally getting credit for it.
Read the original at Harper's Bazaar.
