2026 could be the year skirts reclaim centre stage

Jess Cartner-Morley writes that 2026 could be the year skirts get "main character" energy again, as hemlines shorten and skirts become more attention-grabbing across generations. She says skirts had been sidelined while trousers and dresses took centre stage, but that above-the-knee hems were widely visible in 2025 among Generation Z and Alpha and even adult women during the pre-Christmas party season.

Cartner-Morley argues the current mini renaissance is more about skirts than dresses — a short skirt can feel cooler and more about personal style than a minidress. Separates, she notes, are now the stars of the modern wardrobe: the Fashion Museum Bath named Miu Miu’s micro-kilt "dress of the year" for 2022, and even the Princess of Wales has favoured tailored suits over dresses.

Cartner-Morley suggests the shift to separates may also reflect attempts to shop less and focus on restyling existing pieces, since separates offer more layering options. The writer says the most wearable skirts need not be extremely short: knee-length pencil skirts and lace-trimmed calf-length satins are poised for a comeback (she mentions a White Company satin skirt with a lace band to wear with a polo neck, thick wool tights and flat boots).

Key Topics

Culture, Skirts, Jess Cartner-morley, Generation Z, Generation Alpha, Miu Miu