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FASHION

OLIVIA RODRIGO'S NEW FAVOURITE STYLE? THE BABYDOLL DRESS

By Ayis Stephen-Diver, 1 June 2026

If you’ve kept up with pop culture recently, you’ll know that the latest social media-born controversy concerns a dress: the babydoll dress. And it's all thanks to superstar Olivia Rodrigo. Switching the gritty girl-next-door aesthetic of GUTS for something slightly sweeter ahead of her upcoming album – you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love – she donned a cutesy dress during a recent performance. After the look went viral, searches for babydoll dresses skyrocketed.

WHAT'S THE HISTORY OF THE BABYDOLL DRESS?

With its iconic empire waist and billowing skirt, the style can be traced back to the early 20th century. It became a popular form of nightwear after women realised those (literally) breath-taking corsets and petticoats were stylish, but too uncomfortable to wind down in. In 1942, lingerie designer Sylvia Pedlar chopped the originally floor-sweeping design at the knee in response to WW2 fabric shortages. Her rendition stuck, but the name wasn’t set in stone until the 1956 film Baby Doll, where actress Carroll Baker wore one. After Balenciaga and Givenchy took hold of the silhouette in the late 50s-early 60s, it transcended nightwear and became the piece to be seen in. Fast-forward to the 90s, and the hyperfeminine, figure-freeing babydoll dress was intentionally vandalised and cropped even shorter by Courtney Love and her punk-rock peers, officially becoming a feminist icon.
Olivia Rodrigo

Picture: Getty

Olivia wore a Génération78 babydoll during a Barcelona performance.
Olivia Rodrigo

Picture: Getty

She has a penchant for impeccable stage style.

WHY IS THE BABYDOLL TRENDING RIGHT NOW?

Long story short: Olivia Rodrigo. However, she isn’t the only pop princess to have endorsed the babydoll. It was part of Sabrina Carpenter’s Short ‘n’ Sweet clothing rack, becoming almost as synonymous with the tour as her glittering playsuits and gogo boots. Before that, big-name fashion houses made the babydoll their own. Prada, Miu Miu and Cecilie Bahnsen, to name a few – so it was always a hot topic in fashion circles. 

If babydoll-gate has influenced you snap up a one for yourself, you’re in just the right place. From classic white babydolls to babydoll tops, ASOS has all the styles you need to make your own kind of statement this summer.

WHITE BABYDOLL DRESSES

Collage of ASOS dresses

It all starts here: the white babydoll dress. Think of it as the sibling of the milkmaid dress. Despite seeming outdated, its simplicity and lack of details is exactly what makes it so endlessly adaptable. You could lean into the Western look with cowboy boots and a hat to match. Or why not dabble in some boho with help from a fringed bag and moto boots? If you haven’t seen white babydoll dresses styled with grunge pieces, we implore you to try it out. Team it with a biker jacket and silver jewellery for the perfect blend of feminine and edgy. And if white isn't your thing, we suggest using the same styling notes, but investing in black babydoll dresses instead.

 

GET THE LOOK:
01: ASOS DESIGN babydoll mini sundress with ruffle hem in white, £26
02: ASOS DESIGN babydoll button down mini dress in white, £28
03: ASOS DESIGN swing baby doll mini dress with puff sleeve in white, £32
04: Cotton On Eliza babydoll button down mini dress in white, £30
05: Kiss The Sky broderie babydoll dress with frilly straps in white, £45

PATTERNED BABYDOLL DRESSES

Collage of ASOS dresses

Fashion trends continuously evolve, and the babydoll dress is no exception. While the classic white style can never be discredited, today’s iterations feature stripes, polka dots, gingham and more prints to suit our 21st-century craving for personality. If you’re scrambling for your new-season wardrobe, secure a babydoll dress with summer feels – think something floral or in a golden-hour shade. Play with the silhouette, too – you’ll find all the sleeveless, puff-sleeve and strappy variations on ASOS.

 

GET THE LOOK:
01: ASOS DESIGN babydoll button down mini dress in red gingham, £30
02: Hollister chiffon baydoll mini dress in polka dot, £39.95
03: Hollister bandeau tie up ruffle babydoll mini dress in blue floral print, £39.95
04: ASOS DESIGN babydoll lace trim mini dress in pink brushed check, £35
05: Hollister bandeau tie up ruffle babydoll mini dress in navy polka dot, £39.95

BABYDOLL TOPS

Collage of ASOS tops

If you’re intimidated by the babydoll dress, babydoll tops are the solution. They come with the same empire waistline and floaty silhouette, without the need to commit to a full dress. Thanks to their fluidity, babydoll tops are a favourite among the boho crowd. Hollister and Cotton On have brought the babydoll top to the beach with help from studded details, ruffled hems and light-wash denim pairings. Easy to dress up or down, it’s a piece that leaves plenty of room for experimentation.

 

GET THE LOOK:
01: Hollister ruffle boho babydoll cami in black, £29.95
02: Cotton On eliza babydoll tunic smock top in dark oak, £25
03: Hollister handkerchief boho babydoll top in pink, £29.95
04: Hollister babydoll tunic top in brown check, £27.95
05: Cotton On eliza babydoll tunic smock top in white, £25

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