The Going-Out Top Just Got A “Soft Drama” Makeunder

Sometimes less is more, especially when it comes to effort. Just look at the "lazy girl dressing" phenomenon. Wearing T-shirts, pajamas, and even flip-flops has made fashion unapologetically more comfortable, and giving ‘fits “makeunders” is totally aspirational. And the zhuzhing down doesn’t stop at basics, either; traditionally dramatic styles are being interpreted in a more effortless light — including everyone's favorite over-the-top detail: ruffles.

Between Jonathan Anderson’s Dior runways featuring a parade of voluminous confections and Zendaya’s recent red-carpet serves, the flouncy style practically screams couture. But you don't have to be an A-lister to get in on the hyper-romantic, extra aesthetic. Lately, everyone is finding ways to give those fancy ruffles a casual, day-to-day spin.

Welcome to the new era of the going-out top.

She’s less Y2K party girl, more soft drama. She’s not getting low at the club at 4 a.m. — instead, she’s probably scrolling The RealReal while sipping a strawberry matcha. Her ruffles are still flouncy, but the overall vibe is “I just threw this on.” It’s a delicate balance of drama and restraint that Anne Hathaway, Sydney Sweeney, and Jennifer Lopez have already perfected.

Fancy Tops Meet Super-Casual Bottoms

The most surprising way the ruffle has been styled is with shorts. Sweeney pulled off the look at the recent Venice International Film Festival, trading her recent rotation of white dresses for something much more low-key.

Opting for an all-cream look, she wore a sheer halter top with a lacy ruffle overlay paired with knee-length tan shorts (or, as Gen Z likes to call them, jorts). While the romantic piece looks like it should be paired with something equally dressy on the bottom, Sweeney kept it fresh in the dressed-down separates.

Lopez had the same idea back in July, when she was spotted in Paris wearing a billowy long-sleeved floral top featuring ruffles along the neckline. To make it more undone, she tucked it into khaki micro cutoffs and paired the look with peep-toe heels, sunglasses, a printed bag, and a headband.

Anne’s Soft Drama Era

One star who’s been loving the flouncy style is Hathaway, who’s been giving them a city-girl twist for months. This past August, while on her press tour for The End of Oak Street, she styled a high-low halter top with ruffles cascading down the neckline and hemline with sleek trousers. Looking very New York/urban, she completed her all-black ensemble with sunglasses and heels.

For her second monochromatic number, she experimented with ruffles once again. While out on her current promotional tour for the psychological thriller Verity, she stepped out in a pleated red top and skirt set with sculptural ruffled hems, proving that the romantic style works just as well with shorts as it does with something sleek.

Your Next Ruffle Obsession

Nailing this trend is all about embracing the drama. Want a high-neck that serves Victorian-era elegance? Go for it. Or a top that’s tiered and is meant for major movement? Shimmy away. You can even go as “simple” as you please, letting a single flouncy detail on an off-the-shoulder top do all the talking.

The trick to pulling off the look is all in the styling. Once you’ve chosen your favorite going-out ruffle top, it’s time to ground it with a basic bottom. You can keep things entirely laid-back with Sweeney-style shorts or Jenner-approved slouchy jeans, or completely pivot to a sharper silhouette entirely. To give the trend a sleeker, metropolitan flair, take notes from Hathaway and finish the look with structured black trousers or a matching set.