Bubble-Hem Dresses & Skirts Are *So* Back

In the age of the Y2K fashion renaissance, where clothes like the butterfly crop top and accessories like tiny shoulder bags are now all over everyone’s FYP, it was only a matter of time before another one of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie’s go-to styles made its way back into the mainstream. Today, that style is the bubble hem.

Though the bubble hem — which is created by sewing an elastic band to the bottom of a piece, creating a voluminous bubble effect when it’s cinched — supposedly originated in the late 1950s, where it was primarily used on elegant evening gowns, more modern versions of the trend surged in the ’80s, with headline-makers like Princess Diana and Madonna sporting colorful bubble dresses and skirts in public on multiple occasions.

The design returned in the noughties, becoming a red carpet staple not only for the Simple Life stars, but also for fellow ‘00s it girls like Anne Hathaway, Whitney Port, and the Olsen twins, and on iconic TV characters such as Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf and SATC’s Carrie Bradshaw.

Giving The Bubble Hem A 2024 Makeover

Now, the bubble hem is back in rotation, with updates worthy of posting on main. Like most styles that have been brought back to life, creative liberties have been taken to modernize the look.

Back in the 2000s, bubble-hem dresses and skirts were typically low waisted and always complemented a bold outfit. Many celebrities of the time paired these looks with a statement belt that hung at the hips or wrapped around a bare waist.

2024 is a different ball game. When the bubble hem started making its way to runways and street style in 2022 and 2023, the ‘fits were chic, high-waisted, and solid colored. They’re not just for formal settings either, and are being introduced into casual everyday wear like jackets and minis.

Below, you’ll find six of your fave stars who have been embracing the bubble-hem trend in 2024, and how they styled it for different occasions.