17 Dresses For Causing A Rippling Effect

In the universe of dresses, there’s one type of frock that deserves more credit and attention than it currently gets: the ruched dress. And, as it is springtime (and subsequently wedding guest season), ruched dresses are having a moment. Ruching, which is the gathering of overlayed fabric to create a beautiful rippling effect across the bodice or at the waist and hips, offers incredible texture and depth to an outfit. (A slip dress, in comparison, would look rather flat.) Ruched dresses are often paired with body-contouring silhouettes — but given the extra folds of fabric that are built into the construction, there’s a “layer” of ease that comes with wearing a ruched dress. There’s less need to smooth out or pull down a dress after you’ve gotten up from sitting and often no reason to steam or iron beforehand; the ruching, which is generally achieved with an elastic-blend fabric, offers a level of stretch for more comfortable wear.

It’s why you’ll see ruching in a wedding reception bridal dress and also find it in a cute swimsuit. You’ll also see ruching details aplenty in maternity clothes, especially down the side seams of tops and dresses. Ruching will also show up on activewear, such as on the front of sports bras or down the crack of workout leggings for a butt-emphasizing effect. It’s also a style that exists nearly everywhere you look. Ruching knows no bounds when it comes to budgets — it’ll be in both affordable casual summer dresses and fancy cocktail attire. The pleat-inspired technique is clever like that: Ruching borrows the dramatic and sweeping aesthetic of Grecian draping but because the gathering is tighter and more bunched up, ruched dresses are suitable for everyday wear as well. What we’re saying is that the ruched dress ought to be a trend you try for its unique way of amping up elegance for whatever occasion you may find yourself in.

Ahead, we’ve “gathered” 17 viable ruched options for those seeking accentuation, attention, and attitude when it comes to spring dresses.

free-est Lyla Midi Dress, $88

The ruching at the chest and sides immediately gives this maxi dress more dimension.

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By Anthropologie The Maya Ruched Cowl-Neck Dress, $160

The hips don’t lie: Ruching has a gorgeous way of hugging curves.

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Skims Shaping Swim Ruched One Piece, $128

Because ruching plays with folds of stretchy fabric, it’s a great style for swimsuits. 

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Madewell Leedra Button-Front Midi Dress, $138

The subtle ruching detail at the bust takes this otherwise basic dress up a notch.

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Reformation Suvi Knit Dress, $198

The ripples on the bodice make this cocktail dress a heck of a lot more fun and festive.

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Susana Monaco Sleeveless Ruched Midi Dress, $268

Because of the ruching on the side, the slit up the leg has a more dramatic effect.

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Ganni Floral Ruched Mesh Midi Dress, $325

The cascading ripples on the front add an extra layer of romance to this dress.

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Superdown Sierra Ruched Mini Dress, $74

Extreme ruching on a neon green dress makes for a mischievous going-out look.

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Zara Ruched Front Dress, $29.90

The way this mini dress reminds us of puckered lips.

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Abercrombie & Fitch Asymmetrical Strappy Ruched Midi Dress, $100 $79.99

The ruching on a black dress may look subtle, but the effect up close remains dramatic.

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Good American Ruched Mesh Midi Dress, $129

If you’re traveling, consider bringing a ruched dress. We promise you won’t have to worry much about getting out the wrinkles.

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Lulus Total Appeal Lavender Ruched One-Shoulder Bodycon Midi Dress, $59

It’s a body-con dress but with more texture.

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Topshop Ombre Ruched Panel Mesh Midi Dress, $84

The patchworked ruching on this dress is wildly impressive. 

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H&M Gathered Mesh Dress, $34.99 $21.99

A short and sweet dress that does not skimp on the ruching.

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Rare London Ruched Asymmetrical Midi Dress, $89

We love any dress that allows the wearer to control the intensity of ruching.

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Norma Kamali Walter Off-the-shoulder Ruched Stretch-jersey Midi, $205

It’s elegance, it’s grace, it’s a ruched dress fit for a modern Greek goddess.

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Babaton Contour Ruched Cami Mini Dress, $88

The ruching has arrived for this red-hot moment.

Shop Aritzia

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How Designer Anna Sui Stays Inspired

I meet Anna Sui hours before she’s due to speak to an auditorium full of hundreds of eager students at SCADstyle, Savannah College of Art & Design’s annual design summit. So naturally I have to ask her: What was she like in school? “I went [to school] in New York in the mid ’70s, at the height of punk rock, and I was out every night,” she laughs. “So that could tell you what kind of student I was.”

In fact, Sui, who was born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit, MI, left after her second year studying fashion at Parsons School of Design in New York to work with her close friend Steven (for everyone else, legendary photographer Steven Meisel). Shortly after, in 1981, she launched her eponymous label, eventually doing her first runway show in 1991 featuring Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell, and winning the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Perry Ellis award for new talent two years later. “I’ve worked since I left school. And I think that I learned so much more actually working.”

Along the way, she’s piled up accolades and headlines for her vibrant, party-punk-meets-afternoon-picnic collections. In 2009 she received the CFDA Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award and her body of work has been featured at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology as well as London’s Fashion and Textile Museum. Her products can be shopped in over 30 countries and she’s done more collaborations than Drake.

But at heart she’s still that little girl who dreamed of being a fashion designer, that teenager making her own clothes, that twentysomething who lost it when Madonna wore her dress at Paris Fashion Week in the early ’90s. “I’m just so blessed to be doing what I love,” she says. “I think that I see that in the students, that they’re really doing what they love and they’re pouring everything into it.”

You’ve been in the industry for decades. What motivates you about fashion today? I love clothes. It’s the most exciting thing to realize there’s a new trend and to see how people are putting themselves together. Every time you see something like that, it spurs more ideas — like, how would I interpret that? As much as it’s a really hard business, I’m like a magpie. As soon as I see a piece of fabric or see a trend, it’s just like, ooh…just on it.

Now there’s a new way to do things. And that always spurs on much more creativity, when there’s a new way to do things.

Anna Sui

Where do you find inspiration? It’s everywhere. And it can come from the simplest things. I’ll see something on TV. Or I’ll read something in a magazine or in a book and explore it. My last collection was inspired by the Peppermint Lounge [in New York City]. I saw a picture of my friend Jane Holzer there, dancing in head-to-toe Chanel couture. I asked her where she was and I googled it and started seeing who went to the Peppermint Lounge in the early ’60s. And it was all: The Beatles with all their wives. The Rolling Stones. The Ronettes. Every movie star; every politician. Jackie Kennedy. All the rich and famous went there. 

How do you avoid the trap of burnout that many designers can feel after putting out collection after collection, season after season? I’m very disciplined, and I think that designers are one of the few creative people that have to create on schedule and so it’s that fear of, Oh my god, I have a collection to do. What is going to be the theme? What’s the color story? I start being overanxious about it. And suddenly something will click and it can come to you any time or you’ll just see one thing that will spark a thought. But you have to trust your instinct with the process. So I start putting pictures on the wall or a color that I like, or if I’ve seen a print that I like. I build my whole collection on my inspiration board, they’re quite involved and extensive and very personal… It helps me go on that journey of what I’m trying to express.

You also choose some really incredible collaborators, most recently Marc Jacobs on the limited reissue for Heaven. Who’s your next dream collaborator? That’s a hard one because I’ve worked with so many of my idols. Yeah, you know, I did one with Kansai Yamamoto. I did one with Zandra Rhodes. I’ve done Hello Kitty. So it’s really been in my DNA to be able to work with all these different characters and real people and other design houses. I used to always say, I wish I could do Pucci. I wish I could do Missoni. I wish I could do Chanel.

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Any up-and-coming designers you’re loving? There’s Susan Wong; she’s Chinese and she does these beautifully, very intricate, kind of appliqué flowers with chiffon. Her work is just incredible. Collina Strada I think is amazing. Now is such a great time for young designers because our whole industry has exploded and it’s kind of starting from scratch again. Now’s the time where you can really be creative with not only your process but also your target audience and the way you manufacture. I don’t think it has to be done now in the hubs like New York or L.A., it can be done anywhere. And I think that in the next five years, we’re gonna see fashion really change.

Is that exciting or terrifying? Both. I had so much security from that kind of structure. But now there’s a new way to do things. And that always spurs on much more creativity, when there’s a new way to do things.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Staud’s First Swimwear Collection Includes Crochet Bikinis & Barbiecore-Inspired Pieces

Wedding bells were ringing for Staud earlier this year when the brand revealed its debut bridal collection. Now, it’s time to pack for the honeymoon with the launch of Staud’s new swimwear line. 

On May 4, the Los Angeles-based label unveiled its first collection of swimwear just in time for the transition to warm-weather style, featuring 40 swimwear styles and 16 cover-up options. Available now, the Staud Sea line includes mix–and-match bikinis in bold colorways, one pieces, form-fitting swim dresses, and cover-ups that are all designed to be both California cool and functional. Fun nods to Staud staples and design cues, including swimsuits adorned with the Hampton Sweater stripes, as well as intricate beading and crocheting seen in the summer collection, can also be found throughout the line.

“We designed pieces that are effortlessly wearable and have an inherent style to them,” co-founder and designer Sarah Staudinger said in a press release. “My goal is always to provoke confidence and comfort.”

While Staud Sea is the brand’s first full solo swimwear collection, it’s not the its first foray into beach-ready fashion. Back in 2017, the label released a collab with New York-based swimwear brand Solid & Striped. More recently, Staud teamed up with New Balance for a collection inspired by the California surf scene.

Staud Sea is available in store, online and at Shopbop with, with prices ranging from $85 to $395.

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy or click on something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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