I Predict the Return of the Ballskirt… and It’s a Good Thing

The trends that stick around the longest are the ones that are easy to recreate in cheaper fabrics and a wider range of sizes. Think about it: the skinny jean, the peasant top, oversized/boyfriend shirts and blazers, tank dresses… they can all be created larger or smaller, taller or shorter, from cashmere or acrylic, cotton or polyester, mass-produced or handmade, and still look on trend.

This is why the midi-length slip skirt keeps sticking around. This bias-cut skirt is sticking around because it's cheap and easy to mass-produce, and it's not so complicated that it can't be regraded for more sizes. But I wouldn't invest in more bias-cut slip skirts and dresses unless it's a favorite type of apparel. Because I predict their popularity will be replaced next holiday season with a drastically different silhouette: the ball skirt.

I Predict the Return of the Ballskirt

There's a real appeal for vintage couture and fashion from iconic labels and designers. There is also the nostalgia trend going around and GenZ finding the 90s and Y2K when their parents were their age to be pretty cool.

The Ball Skirt Trend of the Late 90s

Remember in 1998 when Gwyneth Paltrow wore that pink taffeta Ralph Lauren dress to the Oscars? It was tailored in a way that it looked so… casual. The following year, Calista Flockhart wore a yellow ball skirt with a white collared shirt to the Emmys which was reminiscent from Sharon Stone's iconic men's shirt and long satin skirt from the year prior.

Through the late 90s to the beginning of Y2K, popular celebrities were rocking ball gowns and skirts with more casual tops, shoes, and hair.

This whole look of ball skirts and gowns worn in a nonchalant way is back. It's so back, Paltrow re-wore that iconic dress (and a few of her other iconic looks) in a Goop ad last holiday season and last year, Flockhart rewore that yellow Ralph Lauren skirt.

Mass retail is always a bit behind, especially these days when folks are so comfortable with new looks every week and not paying more than what they paid $24 years ago even though everything, including the price of eggs, has become more expensive, not just here but anywhere that isn't down for lead-infused fast fashion being made by imprisoned tweens. Hence, the long-lasting slip skirt and a stretchy semi-fitted sweater without any major design details, made from an easily sourced textile.

But the ball skirt was also a trend easy to replicate with cheaper fabrics and easy to regrade to smaller or larger sizes. All that needs to fit is the waistband; the rest doesn't touch the body. There is no need for lining, it is super easy to have tailored… and it works with lower-heeled or flat shoes.

Sometime around 1999, I was a visual merchandiser for Express World Brand… or was it just Express by that time? Anyway, every couple of months, Express would come out with new collections. I would educate store managers and then their employees on the concept of these collections, and that spring, inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow, Sharon Stone, and the rest, Express launched a ball skirt collection.

Bridgerton fans, you would drool over this collection. It came in blush pink, ivory, periwinkle blue, lilac, and black. The collection was taffeta ball skirts and cigarette pants with cashmere sweater separates and the occasional faux jewel-encrusted piece. It proved so popular, that winter they re-launched it in colors like navy, burgundy, and pewter.

I bought the periwinkle taffeta ball skirt as soon as it was launched, matching cashmere jewel-neck cardigan, and tube top with removable cashmere spaghetti straps. I owned them until I got pregnant in 2008 and had to clean out the office closet, which was becoming a nursery closet. I wish I kept it.

The Ball Skirt Trend of the Early 2010s

Fast-forward to 2013, Eva Chen attended New York Fashion Week wearing a red and black midi-length ball skirt from Tibi, and it was immediately all over Pinterest and being recreated by every blogger and influencer, including yours truly.

I headed to Etsy, where I bought a similar skirt in black polyester taffeta and wore the sh*t out of it for years. I don't wish I had kept it because it was cheap fabric that looked cheapy, but if I bought better quality, I would have been angry at past me who decided to donate it.

In 2015, I did a campaign with Talbots for their holiday collection. As you can see from the Talbots holiday capsule wardrobe I made recently, I have been loving Talbots holiday collections for a long time. And in 2015, the collection had a full-length black ball skirt with giant white polka-dots all over it. I picked it for the campaign with the white shirt Talbots had that season. The shirt was wrong for me, but the skirt was oh so right.

Ball Skirts Transcend Trends

That year, I wore it when we hosted Thanksgiving, and every year after that. I also wore it on occasion at other times of the year when there was a rare opportunity. It taught me the beauty of signature pieces. Signature pieces can be worn time and time again and never look wrong. It can be styled with more than one thing, and it brings comfort and joy when worn.

The Talbots polka-dot ballskirt is made of a fabric that looks and feels like a stiff grosgrain ribbon: formal yet not shiny. It is unlined but keeps its fullness even after sitting. It has a wide waistband that does not scrunch down or fold over and can look nice at the natural waist, or higher up at the narrowest part of the torso. It has pockets deep enough to hold multiple iPhones, a corkscrew, a tea towel, and my lipgloss.

Ball Skirts Are Surpringly Versatile

A ball skirt can be worn with a sleek cami bodysuit and Sambas, a crisp white shirt and kitten heels, a cashmere turtleneck and granny boots, a silk knit twinset and slingbacks, a leather bustier and Chucks, a knotted t-shirt and Docs, a denim jacket and white tank top, a sequin or beaded cropped top and ballet flats, a band t-shirt and cowboy boots… I could go on.

Ball Skirts Are Easy to Make, Grade, and Fit

It feels vintage, but also classic. It can take on almost any decade or current trend because it has been stylish so many times in different ways over the decades… heck, over the centuries! It's easy to make (even for a beginner sewist), can be made with cheaper fabrics, and can be graded for any clothing size. And hello pockets! It's relatively timeless and definitely ageless, and it's way more comfortable on a cold winter's night than a slip skirt.

This year, many fashionistas and runway shows featured midi-length bubble skirts and gathered maxi skirts. For 2025, we're already seeing fuller and longer skirts in designer collections. The collage above is of looks seen in Spring Ready-to-Wear and Resort 2025 collections showing full midi- to full-length ball skirts in stiffer fabrics than the micropleat and slip styles of recent years.

The Ball Skirt Trend is a Good Thing for Grown Women

I'm not thrilled about the return of the ball skirt because I own one, or because it's a way to get a luxurious look for less, but because it's such a great trend for us grown-ass women. My signature Thanksgiving hostess look is proof positive. Comfortable, functional, easy to tailor, and such a statement it transcends trends.

I know I keep raving about the cocktail pantsuit for us grown women, but if you're more of a skirt kind of person or desire a more formal outfit, keep your eye out for the long formal or ball skirt. While there aren't a lot to find at stores this year, I predict in 2025 you're going to see a lot more of them. In the meantime, I've gathered the ones I've found for this season:

Shop Ball Skirts: