Weeks after Copenhagen Fashion Week 2025, I’m still feeling inspired by all the street style looks from the event. Most recently, they prompted me to take a long hard look at my closet and debate what to wear with a pleated skirt. It seemed like every notable It-Girl and stylish attendee I saw was wearing short, midi, and maxi pleated skirt outfits with those signature vertical folds. And then Anne Hathaway showed up on the set of The Devil Wears Prada sequel in one (as seen above), all but confirming this will become fall’s favorite piece.
In fashion, almost every trend is connected to another through an invisible string. Pleated skirts are no exception. The fact that they’re trendy again can be traced back to all those cute tennis skirts we’ve been seeing on every notable runway show (think Miu Miu, Tommy Hilfiger, and Burberry) from the past year. As a result, the popularity of “tenniscore” and “prepcore” is branching out even further into pleats of all kinds and styled to match every mood.
Which is why I didn’t have to stand in front of my closet for too long wondering how to wear a pleated skirt. I instantly found a top, a blazer, and shoes that seamlessly worked with a pleated midi I bought from Aritzia more than a year ago. In fact, I perhaps had a little too much fun playing dress up in front of my mirror because I soon discovered that there are actually endless ways to style the preppy skirt.
Rather than send you my awkward selfies, I’ve collected all the best outfit ideas and styling tips, below. Here’s how to style a pleated skirt for fall 2025 like the fashion pros.
With a Pullover and Sneakers
Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
