Hello! Style Director Sara Holzman here. Senior fashion news editor Halie LeSavage handed me The A-List Edit keys this week, and I couldn’t think of a more fitting topic for the middle of a July heat wave than the one dress I’ve been reaching for on repeat.
Summer strips fashion down to its essentials. Once the temps climb into the 90s, there’s nowhere to hide behind clever layering or a great coat. The clothes either work—or they don’t. Even celebrities start making practical decisions.
Yes, summer celebrity style means Birkins swinging through the Hamptons, vintage jewelry sparkling on the Italian Riviera, and yacht wardrobes photographed from every possible angle. But beneath all the high-impact looks, I’ve noticed that the best-dressed rely on remarkably simple clothes. Lately, that means the babydoll dress.
It’s airy, unfussy, and far easier to wear than its overly sweet reputation suggests. You throw one on, add a great pair of shoes, and never regret the decision. Maybe that’s why celebrities can’t stop wearing them. It’s certainly why I’ve been living in mine.
The Baby Doll Dress, Without the Baby Talk
I’m wearing the babydoll dress trend around NYC, to the Hamptons, and beyond.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Anyone who knows me knows I am not a jeans person. Stiff denim and a 100-degree subway platform are simply not a combination I’m interested in exploring, which is why dresses make up most of my warm-weather wardrobe.
The babydoll, though, is not a one-look-fits-all proposition. Olivia Rodrigo leans into its youthful edge in Sandy Liang and Chloé, while Elle Fanning makes it feel refined in Chanel. It can channel Courtney Love’s ’90s grunge just as easily as it can feel clean, minimal, or romantic. Few trends have appealed to women with such wildly different personal styles—which may be why the babydoll dress survives every fashion cycle.
The difference usually comes down to the shoes. Celebrities are grounding theirs with slim flip-flops, Mary Jane pumps, and even combat boots—anything that adds a little friction to the dress’s more innocent reputation. The silhouette may look specific, but it gives you plenty of room to make it your own.
Dôen
Nessie Cotton Minidress
Posse
Ezra Shift Mini Dress
Le Bop
Babydoll Mini Dress
Matteau
Babydoll Printed Linen and Cotton-Blend Mini Dress
For Love & Lemons
Emma Sleeveless Mini Dress
Sandy Liang
White Hugo Midi Dress
How I Style It
The babydoll dress trend works for everyone.
(Image credit: Sara Holzman)
I almost never wear this white Merlette dress without someone stopping me to ask where it’s from. The tiered cotton creates beautiful movement, while the knee-length hem keeps it from feeling overly precious. I styled it with leather fisherman sandals to ground all that volume, plus an easy summer tote, gold jewelry, sunglasses, and a striped knit thrown over my shoulders for overzealous air conditioning.
That’s what I love about the babydoll dress: Rihanna, Sabrina Carpenter, and I couldn’t style it more differently, yet the silhouette somehow works for all of us.
Freda Salvador
Sera Fisherman Sandal
Roxanne Assoulin
Heart & Soul Gold-Tone Hoop Earrings
Jacques Marie Mage
Verlaine Round-Frame Gold-Tone Sunglasses
J.Crew
2025 Rollneck™ Sweater in Stripe
This Bernadette dress is my case for investing in one really beautiful babydoll dress. I wore it to a daytime garden party with Roger Vivier kitten heels, but I’d pack it just as quickly for a cocktail wedding with a chic black blazer thrown over the shoulders and an embellished clutch. Personally, I love it with a delicate shoe, but it could just as easily go in another direction with a mesh flat, a penny loafer, or—even if you’re feeling bold—a combat boot.
Babydoll dresses are so easy to elevate with the right pair of shoes.
(Image credit: Sara Holzman)
Rohe
Sculptural Satin Mini Cape Dress
Roger Vivier
45mm Patent Leather Pumps
Altuzarra
Crystal-Embellished Origami Leather Baguette
Dorsey
Kate Rivère Bracelet
Tibi
Tropical Wool Liam Blazer
Cartier
Panthère De Cartier Watch
TOPICS
