Fashion is a second skin, yet some skins are tighter than others. No, I’m not plugging botox, but rather something that never loses its elasticity. The body-coiling, hermetic structure that is the bandage dress.
Like all great relics of the Noughties, bandage dresses remain a highly contentious subject. Body-conscious to the max, these tongue-in-cheek designs accentuate the curves rather than conceal them, making confidence essential before wear.
Pioneered by Hervé Léger, the dress became the house’s signature. The brand took the concept of the bandage and made it sexy, conjuring up the Lindsay Lohan-approved piece for all celebrities and OG Victoria’s Secret models to hanker after.
Founded in 1985 by Hervé Peugnet, the brand used a technique inspired by couture, crafting the figure-hugging, architectural designs from elasticated fabric strips. The bandage dress became a symbol of Nineties glamour, but garnered increased attention in the early Aughts, making them a millennial must-have.
Sported by the likes of Penelope Cruz, Salma Hayek and Kate Winslet, the dresses quickly became hot property in Hollywood. However, their pop princess connotation proved the most dominant, with stars like Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton coining them an influencer staple – way before social media entered stage left.
Cue 2025, the year of the bandage bounce-back. There were already utterings of a bodycon renaissance, catalysed by Kaia Gerber’s appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival back in September.
© WireImageThe 23-year-old model wore a recreation of her mother’s famed 1993 Academy Awards dress by none other than Hervé Leger. The piece featured a tubular fit, a sweetheart neckline and underwired cups.
A year before, Margot Robbie sported a monochrome striped bandage dress by Léger during the Barbie promotion tour, a recreation of ‘The Original’ 1959 Barbie, courtesy of her stylist Andrew Mukamal.
Sean Baker’s Anora saw Mikey Madison grace the screen as a young Brooklyn stripper in an aqua blue variation (by, you guessed it, Hervé Léger) paired with a Calvin Klein fur jacket and knee-high boots. Hollywood proved its point – bandage dresses were no longer an industry wound, but the sexiest fashion fix.
© Gossip GirlDo they work today? The jury is still out. “Bring bandage dresses back” pleads one Twitter, sorry, X user, with another writing: “If you need me I’ll be getting ready for the return of the bandage dress.”
Others weren’t so optimistic: “Bandage dresses have to be banned. What type of discomfort is this?”
Citing bloating as my primary excuse, I confidently declared to my colleagues that I would never wear a bandage dress – and waited for their nods of agreement. None came.
© Miss CongenialityHowever, just a day or so later, I found myself eyeing up a pale blue option on Vinted for £20. Strappy, sultry and sculpting, it was the perfect party dress. Was I having a change of heart?
Then – a lightbulb moment. The issue was me being too chicken to wear the dress. Not the dress itself. Quelle horreur! I was the problem.
Bandage dresses demand boldness. They’re designed to showcase your assets unapologetically, worn by those who embrace the spotlight. My aversion stemmed from insecurity. In my head, bandage dress-wearers were club-going, extroverted, Beyoncé-level dancers – all things I’m not.
© GettyAlas, I didn’t buy the dress because, deep down, I knew it wasn’t me. At the end of the day, true confidence isn’t about squeezing into something daring for the sake of it, or to prove you are actually confident. It’s about knowing your own style and owning it unapologetically.
That pale blue bandage dress made me pause and reflect (catastrophize morelike) – not on my body, but on my identity. But, confidence isn’t found in a single outfit; it’s in the choices that feel authentic, whether that’s a bodycon, a tailored suit, or a flowy midi.
I started to wonder why I’d pinned so much meaning on one dress. Was it really about confidence, or had I turned it into some kind of litmus test for my self-worth? But confidence isn’t a performance, and it’s not about proving anything to anyone. It’s quieter, more grounded, and it’s found in staying true to yourself – bandage dress or not.
How to style a bandage dress:
© @herveleger
© @herveleger
© @herveleger
© @hervelegerHow I would style a bandage dress:
If I were to indulge in a bandage dress, I’d go for a longline option. I love champagne gold for black tie ‘dos, and of course, if we’re going for a bandage dress, it simply has to be Hervé Léger. Rabanne’s iconic chainmail bag adds another layer of gilded glamour to the Noughties-inspired look, which can be elevated via pops of crimson courtesy of these Mango heels and Heaven Mayhem’s decadent jewels.
- DRESS: The Metallic Iris Gown, £1,074.54, HERVÉ LEGÉR
- EARRINGS: Heaven Mayhem Plaza Earrings, £100, SELFRIDGES
- BAG: Rabanne Mini Sparkle Layered Bag, £635, FARFETCH
- SHOES: Pointed Shoe with Patent Leather Effect, £45.99 MANGO
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