I'm Very Against Pants, Jeans, and Leggings—This Is the Timeless Skirt Trend I Wear Non-Stop Instead

By Swedan MargenOctober 27, 2025

I've long been obsessed with a pleated skirt. Sometimes I wonder if I'm drawn to it because I went to public school my whole life, and never had to wear a uniform. The pleated skirt felt foreign to me and so I was drawn to it instantly. It was more than a skirt associated with rule following and strictness. It was something I could slip into in order to become another version of myself.

Pleated skirts have been a key part of my personal style for as long as I can remember. It's funny because while they represent orderliness and tradition, I often wear them in a way that is anything but. I lean more into a grunge aesthetic, which is probably why pleated skirts are so fun to wear. Because of their use in private school uniforms, they're easy to wear in ways that feel more subversive. Wearing a pleated skirt the 'wrong way' makes it all the more fun.

For me, wearing a pleated skirt has become like a second skin. Whereas some people constantly reach for their favorite pair of worn-in jeans, I always gravitate towards a pleated skirt, of which I own too many. They often come in varying lengths, so I have longer ones and shorter ones I wear according to the season. There's great options in bright bold shades, simple neutrals, or loud patterns and prints and plaids.

As long as designers and brands I love keep putting out pleated skirts, I will keep buying them. But to me, a pleated skirt is always something I'm happy to invest in. You can never have too many. Below are a handful I currently have my eye on.