Fashion Editor POV: 5 Dress Trends That’ll Take Off in 2025

This year, expect gowns to be bolder and more spectacular than ever. In 2025, we're bidding farewell to the quiet luxury trends and embracing bold, statement-making designs like those at Le Bal des Débutantes in Paris, where Apple Martin, daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, donned a striking blue custom Valentino gown. Picture dramatic balloon hems, regal Cinderella gowns, vibrant prints like polka dots and florals, and exquisite details like bow accents and intricate beading. The motto for this trend? Go big or go home. So, consider this your official invitation to play dress-up and make a grand entrance.

Senior Commerce Editor Stephanie Maida was quick to recognize a nod to iconic Old Hollywood style with the return of the scarf dress, evoking legends like Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe. This sultry yet simple silhouette typically features a strapless dress paired with a delicate scarf draped around the neck, though I’m now seeing more innovative halter styles with the same elegant effect. Despite its minimalist nature, the scarf dress exudes an effortless sophistication and timeless grace that’s bound to look classy no matter the occasion.

This may come as no surprise to some, but sheer fabrics and overlays will continue to remain a popular option this year. While the transparent trend can feel rather exposing and intimidating to many, there are various ways to make it more modest and appropriate for numerous occasions. If a head-to-toe see-through dress isn’t in the cards for you, try looking for styles that incorporate hints of lace throughout the bodice to show a hint of skin, or lean into dress options that expose smaller pops of skin, whether it’s with sheer sleeves or an extended sheet hem.

Think of the lampshade silhouette as a modern take on the traditional A-line fit-and-flare design, just with a more pronounced and dramatic flair. Often imitated but never duplicated, Odd Muse London’s signature Muse dress has proven that there is a demand for the defined shape in 2025 for brides, businesswomen, wedding guests, you name it. I also find this style to be universally flattering, but particularly beneficial for anyone who doesn’t already have hips or a curvy figure, because that built-in hourglass shape will give you the illusion of a snatched waist and curvier hips.

We only brushed the surface of the bohemian resurgence in 2024, so going forward prepare to see plenty of flowy frocks with movement and heaps of drama, from billowy sleeves and high-low hems to tendril-like textures and ruffled tiers. And don’t be surprised if you see the occasional fringe hem, either, or really anything that incorporates a fluidity and flounce. The key is to have fun with this playful trend and stick to silhouettes you know and love on your frame, then let the extra additions act as an enhancement or accessory, if you will.