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We’re living in the cycle of everything, everywhere all at once, but one reference remains assuredly consistent: the style sensibilities of the early aughts will never wane, and it appears that the handkerchief hemline dress is back. Cool girls all over the internet (we’re looking at you, Bella Hadid and Elsa Hosk) are referencing the past for summer, opting for ruffled, asymmetric, and bias-cut silhouettes that invoke memories of a Teen Choice Awards red carpet from 2003.
These styles pay homage to the It girls dominating the party circuit of the past—think of Eve at the Met Gala in Tom Ford-era Gucci, Paris Hilton arriving at the Universal Amphitheatre in an ombré print dress, and even The OC’s Marissa Cooper.
However, the 2023 re-editions of the handkerchief hemline dresses are overall more sophisticated. While this trend often skews maximalist, brands like Joseph, The Attico, and Victoria Beckham are delivering pared-back versions with modern shapes in subtle shades. And if you prefer to dive enthusiastically into the Noughties, Bluemarine and Caravana are citing their archival references head-on. Whether worn with strappy sandals like Hadid or modernized with a woven leather mule, consider it the cool-girl go-to of the summer.
