I'm a dress-obsessed fashion writer—here are 12 of best bubble dresses you'll actually want to wear

A stylish and versatile addition to your wardrobe

Campaign imagery bubble dresses
(Image credit: Zara, Peachy Den, Reformation)

The Y2K renaissance is here. We saw several references trickling through the Spring/Summer 2024 catwalks: we're talking: cargos, metallics, butterfly heels. We've even seen some IRL throwback moments—like Blake Lively wearing Britney Spears' iconic 2002 Versace dress. Now, several have made their way into the new season too.

The most persistent of them all: bubble hem silhouettes. From Miu Miu's famed mini bubble hem skirts to Ulla Johnson's neutral-toned bubble mini dresses, this silhouette has really been taking over this season.

Miu Miu SS24

Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2024.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

This unlikely hemline was originally popularised in the 1980s, with Princess Diana serving as a key purveyor of the trend. Famously popularising it by wearing a mid-length striped black and white bubble dress with a double-breasted ivory blazer over it.

A year after Princess Diana's infamous spotting, Yves Saint Laurent released three different corsetted black dresses featuring billowing bubble hemlines for the brand's Autumn/Winter 1988 collection.

Bubble dress: Princess Diana wearing a bubble dress

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Today's iteration of the skirt feels much more current and, as searches for bubble dresses have increased +5700% according to LTK Spotlight Trends, this wardrobe hero is a clearly great piece that will see you through the transitional weather and beyond. If this isn't indication enough, Hailey Bieber was recently spotted wearing a mini black bubble dress at an outing with husband, Justin Bieber. She paired her little black bubble dress with a sleek pair of loafers, a black leather bag, and sunglasses—we're taking our styling cues from her.

So, if you, like us, are looking at investing in this vintage-inspired trend, scroll below for our top 12 bubble dresses, regardless of your choice of length, colour, or print preference.

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Sofia Piza
Fashion Writer

Sofia Piza is the Fashion Writer at Marie Claire UK. 

Sofia Piza is a Fashion Writer with experience working across runway trends, shopping picks, creative production, and celebrity fashion news. Born in Mexico and raised in five countries, Sofia decided to settle in London after spending four years at the London College of Fashion, studying Fashion Journalism. When she's not sourcing inspiration from social media, you will most certainly find Sofia anywhere from a local vintage market to busy central London streets people watching - the possibilities are endless.