Dropped waist skirts are all over the high street. Unsure what that really means and if they'll suit you? Here's all you need to know

As well as keeping up to date with the biggest spring/summer fashion trends of 2026, it's our job to be on the lookout for more micro trends that are influencing the high street, and dropped waist skirts seem to be the only shape any store is stocking right now.

A look we predict will carry on into summer, it's the contemporary update to the A-line and slip skirt of previous seasons, but with a rather confusing name, you'd be forgiven for wondering what it all meant. To clarify, it doesn't mean your skirt will be slung low on your hips, but it means that the horizontal waistband panel is deeper than usual and sits snuggly from your waist down to just above your hips before flaring out into a floatier shape.

In theory, the fitted middle can make your torso appear longer and leaner, but thanks to the deep waistband, this new look skirt needs some clever styling to balance proportions. Neat and fitted tops as well as flesh-toned heels are key to streamlining your shape and making your legs appear longer.

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Despite its popularity on the high street, a drop waist skirt can be a little trickier to wear. Athletic, straighter frames and apple shapes excel with this silhouette in particular, as the yoke-style waistband can create curves and definition, especially if the drop waistband is curved like a semicircle.

They can be a bit trickier for hourglass and pear frames, as the shape can be a little clingier on the hips, as that's where the secondary seam cuts across your frame, and on hourglasses, you don't end up with as much waist definition, but my advice would be to look for less deep drop waistbands, that cut higher up the thigh area.

There is certainly a degree of trial and error with this look, as while there are plenty of dropped waist skirts around, the level of drop and the fullness of the skirt part can vary dramatically.

But don't let that put you off, this contemporary fit is the chicest way to refresh your spring skirt wardrobe, and with so much choice, you'll find the colour and exact cut that works for your wardrobe.