“There’s no place like home,” Judy Garland famously said as Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz. While Kansas may be perceived as a little more MAGA than “Merry Old Land Of Oz” these days, the 1939 film is still constantly referenced more than 80 years later. Dorothy’s gingham dress is arguably one of the most recognisable props from the film—second only to her ruby slippers—and occupies such a treasured place in the public consciousness that the costume is expected to fetch more than $1 million (£730,000) when it is eventually put up for auction, following a fraught dispute over its true ownership.
Skip forward to 2025, and the merry old land of fashion is clearly still feeling the Dorothy effect, as gingham has usurped classic florals as the key dress print of this summer. While historically it may have conferred a certain girlish charm (it summons bucolic visions of, variously, summer picnics, The Great British Bake Off and grass-stained school uniforms), in recent years fashion brands have put a more contemporary spin on the print. For example, for Loewe’s spring/summer 2025 men’s show, Jonathan Anderson sent out angular, thigh-grazing shirts in black and pale blue check. Elsewhere, for autumn/winter 2025, Louis Vuitton opted for supersized checks fashioned into asymmetrical minidresses and sculptural shirts.
Of course, there are plenty of more wearable, daytime options available off the runway, too. California brand Dôen has seen gingham success this season, with its Ischia and Leslie midi-dress both using strategic smocking to create eye-catching silhouettes. Younger designer brands, such as Frankies Bikinis and If Only If, have also delivered in this category, with the former collaborating with Bella Hadid on an edit of swimwear and ready-to-wear, which includes a number of ranch-worthy gingham dresses. Speaking of A-listers, Daisy Edgar-Jones was spotted in a Reformation gingham mini at Glastonbury, meanwhile girl-of-the-moment Olivia Rodrigo has been snapped in a number of gingham dresses, from vintage Ralph Lauren and Damson Madder, respectively. They say three’s a trend, but three fashion girls? That’s something to take note of.
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It’s also worth mentioning the abundance of Comme des Garçons gingham pieces available on the resale market—most notably from Rei Kawakubo’s 1997 collection (often referred to as the “lumps and bumps” show)—which featured gingham dresses distorted by bulbous padding on the bust, rear and midriff, creating an avant-garde silhouette that challenged the conventions of traditional women’s clothing construction. Surely, the ultimate proof that gingham doesn’t always have to be traditionally girly.
So, whether you’d prefer to defer to Dorothy, or be more Rei Kawakubo in your gingham styling this summer, rest assured that we’ve found a style for you. Scroll down to see and shop our edit of the best gingham dresses, available to buy now.
This story was originally published on Vogue.com.
