Summer 2021's Sexiest Dress Trend Is Secretly 90 Years Old

Bring on the backless designs.

By Avery Matera

Apr 07, 2021 @ 4:30 pm

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If you're looking to show some skin this summer, but aren't a fan of the up-to-there slit or down-to-there V-neckline, the backless dress is the slightly scandalous trend for you. While it's sexy in a subtle way, and cool enough for the hottest days, it also has a long and fascinating history that might make you appreciate these pieces a bit more.

Backless dresses actually date back well into the 1930s. With a nipped-in waist and elegantly long silhouette, many evening gowns left little to the imagination when it came to a woman's back. Sure, clothing as a whole might have been more conservative nearly a century ago, but designers certainly knew how to design a dress that showed off a little skin.

Years later, in the 1980s, backless dresses came back for another trip around the sun. Many featured a high neck in the front, designed almost backwards, and were accentuated with a long necklace hanging down a woman's spine. For the '90s and '00s, ultra-low backless dresses were in style, most notably with slip dresses that showed up on the red carpet and nightclub dance floors alike.

For summer 2021, this small yet statement-making detail is once again on our shopping list. In addition to the updated trend including sleek, silk slipdresses with a barely-there rear, flouncier puff-sleeve dresses have also gotten the backless treatment, creating a sassy-but-sweet vibe that plenty of fashion lovers are already craving.

Ahead, draw a bit of inspiration from the decades that came before, then shop the best backless dresses for every budget, just in time for warmer weather.

The '80s

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Take a note from Princess Diana and style your backless dress by wearing a long strand of pearls backwards, letting them cascade down your spine.

The '00s

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Hilary Swank's stunning Guy Laroche look from the 2005 Oscars is one that will forever remain on the Best Dressed list. It was all business in the front and a total party in the back.

With a Tie

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Many opt for a totally open-back with no closure to speak of, but whether you're going with an evening gown or a daytime sundress, consider a style that ties at the nape of the neck, like Priyanka Chopra's red version.

Long-Sleeved

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Though you don't need to embrace butt-fashion with the visible thong trend, you can still channel Hailey Bieber on cooler days and nights by opting for a high neck and long sleeves, covering up all but a totally open back.

Mini

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Silky and slinky tend to be a go-to for Y2K lovers but that hardly sums up the backless mini. Instead, search for something pleated and extra flowy, much like the Hanifa design Zendaya wore on InStyle's September cover.