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If, like me, you’re not Very Online, you may have missed the recent swirl around bias-cut skirts on social media (shoutout to
for keeping me in the know with your always-excellent deep dives!)It started with this innocuous enough tweet by a stylist noting the difference in drape and fit on a bias-cut skirt (left) and straight-cut counterpart (right).
If you spotted it, that’s right: as of this posting, this single tweet has been viewed over 4 million times.
For a breakdown of the hot takes that ensued, and the history of the bias-cut skirt, Sarah shared this in-depth piece by Marie Claire.
But the TL;DR on all of this is:
Bias cut dates back to the 1920s, pioneered by French designer Madeleine Vionnet. By cutting fabric at a 45-degree angle, she discovered you could give skirts and dresses a floaty, fluttery effect at the hem.
I’d believe you if you told me the dress on the right was Toteme or The Row. Source: Madeleine Vionnet archive
Bias cut has gone in and out of fashion, reaching a boiling point in the 90s, where it was seen everywhere from Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy to The Limited store at the mall (right next to The Body Shop — IYKYK).
To many, the implication of the tweet, whether intentional or not, seemed to be that bias-cut is more 'flattering’ and elevated. (If you haven’t already, you need to read ’s pitch-perfect take on the word ‘flattering’ and why it sets her teeth on edge.)
This set off subsequent musings across social on whether bias-cut hems, being vintage-inspired, feel ‘dated,’ are less sustainable because they produce more fabric waste, and so forth. Again, if this really gets you going, I highly recommend the Marie Claire deep dive.
The online conversations prompted me to reflect on my own associations with the bias cut, which—for better or worse—as a millennial, are firmly planted in the 90s.
Sources: Sarah Jessica Parker c. 90s, Kate Moss c. 90s, Wayward Vintage, Clare Danes c. 90s
While I love bias cut’s drape and ease, I tend to gravitate more towards straight-cut hems, which feel more unfussy and—yes—straightforward as a minimalist.
So, how to style bias cut to make it feel more modern? And what are the best search terms to source quality bias-cut styles? That’s what I’ll be focusing on in today’s post.
Modernizing The Bias Cut
There are a few ways to make a bias-cut skirt feel more modern, including pairing it with a ribbed tank:
Source: The Forme
A crew-neck tee:
Source: Instagram @dissh
Source: Instagram @orlaithmelia_
Or even a Bode-style camp shirt:
Source: unknown
The above combinations create the necessary ‘friction’ between textures and and shape (more on this method from at here). You can also achieve this through footwear, like
from does here:Source: Viv Chen
And while most of us experiencing record-high temperatures don’t want to even think about layering, winterizing a bias-cut dress with boots and contrasting textures can help make it feel fresh.
Source: Getty | Edward Berthelot
Source: Style Du Monde
The above look with the color-coordinated skirt and sweater could easily be replicated with neutral pieces already in your closet.
The final look below packs several examples of friction between the sweater, casual bucket hat and sneakers, but what really struck me was the idea of knotting your bias skirt at the hem, which freshens up the silhouette while maintaining the beautiful drape.
Source: Getty | Kirstin Sinclair
Search Terms to Try
There are a lot of modern brands, like Lee Matthews and Vince, that nail the bias cut, but I personally prefer to go the vintage route on this one for quality and timelessness.
Here are some search terms to try in combination:
Vintage / Y2K / 90s
Bias
Slip
Silk
Satin
And a selection of finds1 using these terms:
1 Vintage unbranded | 2 Giorgio Armani | 3 Nicole Miller | 4 Donna Karan New York | 5 Laundry by Shelli Segal | 6 Lauren by Ralph Lauren | 7 Alberta Ferretti | 8 Tom & Linda Platt for Saks Fifth Avenue
I prefer neutral colors and subtle prints when shopping bias-cut pieces, not only as a minimalist, but because it allows the shape to stand on its own without any distracting elements. If you love prints, however, you can find some fantastic options by leaning heavily into the ‘Y2K’ search term.
has some fun styling ideas here.Happy thrifting!
Do you have a hot take on the bias cut? Please share!
You can source Alberta Ferretti and Tom & Linda Platt for much less on sites like Poshmark, eBay and The RealReal, but I couldn’t resist sharing these Etsy beauties, especially the ingenious sheer styling of the Ferretti dress.
That Tom & Linda Platt dress is killer!
Despite being a millennial with 90’s nostalgia, bias cut to me immediately brings Ginger Rogers to mind. Nothing felt more feminine than seeing her fluttering hem move so ethereally when she danced! I would also recommend throwing “1930s” into the search terms because of this! Lots of art deco night gowns floating around eBay (just don’t buy the ones I’m watching 😂)
Also bias cut is perfect if you have a fluctuating body type because having the fabric grain diagonal leaves more room to exaggerate the bust, waist and hip measurement. I used to recommend it to my clients looking for non-maternity maternity dresses!
I’m obsessed! Thank you for all the context, styling inspo and search terms. I am a huge fan of bias cut skirts and dresses. And yes, I’m chronically online and happy to report my findings.