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It’s no secret that fashion is embracing the uniform. Following February’s New York shows, trend reports highlighted the return of wearable, everyday clothing—among that, some of the best pleated skirts.Proenza Schouler showed a series of well-tailored suits,Eckhaus Latta perfected wide-leg pants and oversized coats, andTory Burch opened with a ribbed, collared sweater and safety pin-secured skirt. AtThom Browne,Ambush, andSandy Liang, the uniform took on a more literal definition. Each of their collections included looks that evoked classroom nostalgia. And what’s the most quintessential ingredient of a uniform—at least, in academia? The pleated skirt.
An emblem of the most original “core”—prep dressing à la Cher Horowitz and Blair Waldorf — the pleated skirt is nothing short of iconic. It has reemerged on runways throughout decades, spotlighting in crowd-favorite collections likeComme des Garçons Spring 2006,Prada Spring 2012, andCeline Spring 2018. The garment is also no stranger to virality, thanks to Miu Miu’s ultra-low risepleated mini and Chopova Lowena’sspliced skirt. Whether plaid or neutral, midi or mini, the pleated skirt has a certain staying power, a badge of being foreverin.Miuccia Prada even once said, ina conversation with co-creative director Raf Simons, that her go-to uniform “is a white pleated cotton skirt and a blue sweater.” There you have it, a uniform recipe from Mrs. Prada herself.
Beyond the runways, fashion week goers also express a penchant for pleats. In Copenhagen, New York, and London, street style reveals that the pleated skirts of Spring 2023 collections have landed (yes, uniform dressing’s return has been cooking for some time). In September,Sacai,Issey Miyake,Altuzarra, andDion Lee all presented their own pleated skirts. Of their iterations, no two were the same. Each design represented a different fashion genre: glamor, modernity, collegiate, and cool. Perhaps that’s why the pleated skirt keeps coming back. Despite being associated with an academic look, it can be reinterpreted to fit a variety of archetypes. There’s one for every uniform.
Below, shop the pleated skirts seen in our favorite street style looks. From scholastic plaid to classic black to Miuccia’s go-to white skirt, our edit of the best pleated skirts has them all.
The Plaid Midi
Photos: Phil Oh
