Hand Picked, The Pleated Dresses Worth Shopping

A pleated dress lives or dies on the pleat itself. Knife pleats set into a firm, slightly synthetic fabric hold their line through a day of sitting, walking and getting in and out of cars, while pleats pressed into something soft or natural tend to soften out by lunchtime and never quite recover. The good ones are constructed with that movement in mind, sitting close through the shoulders and ribcage before releasing into the skirt, so the pleating reads as considered shaping rather than fabric that has simply been folded and stitched at the waist. Anything that flares too aggressively from the bust tends to add bulk rather than movement, so it is worth checking where the pleat actually starts.

What makes the category worth paying attention to is the way it moves without needing help from the wearer. Walking, sitting, turning, the skirt does something a flat panel of fabric never will, catching light along each fold and releasing it again.

That kinetic quality is really the whole argument for pleats over a plain A line or shift, and it is why they photograph and move so well from behind, a detail worth remembering given how much of daily life happens while walking away from someone rather than facing them.

Styling them well is mostly about resisting the urge to compete with the movement. A structured jacket or a fitted knit on top keeps the eye on the skirt doing its work, while too much additional volume elsewhere just cancels it out. Boots ground a floaty pleated skirt for daytime, while a slim heel or a clean flat sandal takes the same dress into evening without any real effort.

A leather jacket thrown over one for the day is one of the more reliable pairings going, cutting the softness of the pleats with something harder edged.

Occasion wise, this is a category that spans further than most people give it credit for. Midi lengths in a fluid fabric do desk to dinner without a change of clothes required, while a shorter, crisper version earns its place at anything with a drinks reception attached. The versions worth actually owning are the ones that can be dressed down with trainers on a Tuesday and dressed up with heels by Friday, proof that a good pleat is doing more work than most dresses in the wardrobe put together.

Top Picks

BROOKLYN’S PICK SELDOM SEEN STYLESRetro Floral Puff Sleeve Pleated Resort Lace Tiered Ruffle Mini Dress

$59.99 SELDOM SEEN STYLES

JASMINE’S PICK NATORITweed Pleated Dress - Natural/Black

$160.00 $48.00 NATORI

CARL’S PICK ZEAGOOOff Shoulder Summer Casual Dresses Solid Loose Fit Short Flowy Pleated Dress Swing Beach Sundress - Green / M(6)

$32.99 ZEAGOO

SYDNEY’S PICK GYMBOREEGymboree | Girls | Tile Pleated Ruffle Dress - Amalfi Coast in White | Size

$29.97 GYMBOREE

RILEY’S PICK GODDIVAGoddiva Crochet & Pleated Top Midi Dress

$85.00 GODDIVA

SELDOM SEEN STYLESPlus Size Button Decor Pleated Pinafore A-Line Dress, Casual Sleeveless Tank Dresses for Fall & Winter Daily Wear Holiday, Women's Clothes, without Sweater $20.04 SELDOM SEEN STYLES

IFCHICPleats Please Issey Miyake Monthly Colors October Pleated Midi Dress $680.00 IFCHIC

CHICSEW TRADING CO., LIMITEDElegant V-Neck High-Low Mother Of The Bride Dress Pleated Satin A-Line Sleeveless Gown $139.99 CHICSEW TRADING CO., LIMITED

W CONCEPT (US)Heart Neck Pleated Two-Piece Flare Dress Set (GR2A0dress271) $421.00 W CONCEPT (US)

SELDOM SEEN STYLESWomen Cable Knit Sweater Dress Crewneck Long Sleeve Pleated Mini Dress Twofer Style Patchwork Dress $42.99 SELDOM SEEN STYLES

CHICSEW TRADING CO., LIMITEDSleeveless Chiffon Mother Of The Bride Dress Pleated Midi Dress With Shawl $149.99 CHICSEW TRADING CO., LIMITED

CHICSEW TRADING CO., LIMITEDChicSew Elegant Satin A-Line Halter Pleated Chiffon Maxi Long Wedding Dress $259.99 CHICSEW TRADING CO., LIMITED

W CONCEPT (US)Color Block Pleated Slim Fit Knit Dress [Beige] (GR2P1OP221) $193.00 W CONCEPT (US)

GODDIVAGoddiva Bardot Pleated Skirt Maxi Dress $125.00 GODDIVA

ZEAGOOOff Shoulder Summer Casual Dresses Solid Loose Fit Short Flowy Pleated Dress Swing Beach Sundress - Green / M(6) $32.99 ZEAGOO

HELLOMOLLY (US)Moonlit Night Pleated Strapless Maxi Dress Pink $109.95 HELLOMOLLY (US)

SHOEMALL.COMMasseys Pleated High Neck Dress Orange Dresses $41.97 SHOEMALL.COM

THE LUXURY CLOSETVersace Kids Blue Floral Print Silk Chiffon Pleated Dress 6 Yrs $269.00 THE LUXURY CLOSET

GYMBOREEGymboree | Girls | Tile Pleated Ruffle Dress - Amalfi Coast in White | Size $29.97 GYMBOREE

GODDIVAGoddiva Crochet & Pleated Top Midi Dress $85.00 GODDIVA

FARMRIORed Berry Garden Long Sleeve Pleated Maxi Dress, BERRY GARDEN RED $380.00 FARMRIO

LINTICOWool Layered Neck Pleated Midi Dress BILLIE $79.90 LINTICO

GODDIVAGoddiva One Shoulder Pleated Bardot Lace Maxi Dress $95.00 GODDIVA

W CONCEPT (US)Two-way Pleated Short-sleeve Dress [Dark Grey] (AW5MJ41013) $276.00 W CONCEPT (US)

SELDOM SEEN STYLESRetro Floral Puff Sleeve Pleated Resort Lace Tiered Ruffle Mini Dress $59.99 SELDOM SEEN STYLES

−70%

NATORITweed Pleated Dress - Natural/Black$160.00 $48.00 NATORI

−57%

EILEEN FISHERGarment-Dyed Organic Handkerchief Linen Pleated Dress$249.77 $107.40 EILEEN FISHER

−70%

NATORIAndora Printed Cotton Poplin Pleated Dress$496.67 $149.00 NATORI

−70%

NATORITech Cotton Taffeta Pleated Dress$696.67 $209.00 NATORI

−50%

HARVEY NICHOLS USLovebirds Zen Pleated Silk Midi Dress - Black And White - M (UK12)$816.60 $408.30 HARVEY NICHOLS US