The bodycon is back – but how on earth do you wear it? Subtle design add-ons mean this time it's for everyone

The Sun

15-05-2025

HOLD on to your Spanx - the bodycon is back.
After going into fashion Room 101, the frock that defined the noughties is fighting its way back - and this time it's creeping into the wardrobes of the over 50s.
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Victoria Beckham, 51, has worn one on the red carpet while Sarah Jessica Parker, 60, is wearing a bejewelled blue number in the new series of And Just Like That which airs at the beginning of May. Both of them look incredible.
Sarah Jessica Parker 's crepe midi by Alex Perry has been referred to by Vogue as this decade's version of the iconic 'Carrie dress' which was a grey body-hugging mini worn by Carrie Bradshaw in the original Sex and the City series.
Only this time round the figure-flattering number has all the elements to make it a win for women of a certain age: long sleeves, check; embellishment to detract the eye, check; boxy shoulders to balance out the waist, check; knee length, check.
Of course, SJP could wear a paper bag, but this version of the bodycon could flatter anyone.
This was not the case for the original bodycon - the Herve Leger bandage dress.
The word bodycon is a shortened version of body-conscious - something that 90 per cent of us would feel if we poured ourselves into a figure hugging frock.
And you couldn't get more clingy than the original Herve Leger bandage dress. It was made from elastic strips of fabric sewn together to make a skintight aesthetic.
It was originally worn by the supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Eva Herzigova and by the noughties it had become a status symbol - the only dress celebs wouldn't mind being seen in twice or even caught matching someone else.
From Rihanna to Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham in her silver and purple style - the dress defined an era.
Retailing from £400 to £1,400 there were of course dupes lining the rails of Topshop and Miss Selfridge which took the sheen off the designer brand.
Molly-Mae fans as she goes braless in tight-fit bodycon dress after Tommy Fury split
And by the end of the decade - as we all realised we quite liked breathing - the pandemonium had died down and we exhaled into looser, more comfortable silhouettes.
That was nice while it lasted but let's be honest, a giant tent dress while certainly making a statement doesn't have the same wow factor as a curve-clinger like the bodycon.
Now, like with all things in fashion, we've come full circle.
Last year, Kaia Gerber - daughter of Cindy Crawford - wore a white-hot Herve Leger bodycon, almost identical to the one her mother wore to the 1993 Academy Awards. It had a sweetheart neckline and underwire cups.
And a quick search on Boohoo and Pretty Little Thing reveals Herve Leger dupes for around £52 for those brave enough to relive their noughties heyday.
That particular style is not for the faint of heart - my bandage dress days are well and truly over - but the high street is championing bodycons with a twist this season.
The likes of River Island, Next and M&S are offering tweaks on the original style that make the look more wearable for every woman, regardless of shape, size or age.
Think ruching around the tum, hips or waist to enhance your shape - like Victoria Beckham's steel blue version - or flattering prints, loose and light overlays, knots and shirring.
These subtle design add-ons made the 2025 bodycon something we can all get on board with.
BODYCON FOR EVERYONE…
RUCHING
Just last week, Posh wore her own design to a launch in Dubai.
Her take on the trend is to wear a dress that looks like Lycra but is more likely to be 90 per cent polyester and 10 per cent spandex (as some of her currently available dresses are). This hugs the body's shape but allows you to breathe.
The dress then has strategically placed ruching in the fabric to flatter and enhance her natural shape.
And it's not all over tight - with a little room for manoeuvre in the skirt created by folds in the ruching creating a gathered effect. This is also slimming.
Take a leaf out of Posh's book with a green floral dress from New Look, £35.99.
PRINTS
Marks & Spencer know what they're doing when it comes to figure flattering fits and this strapless polka dot dress, £35, ticks two body-con boxes.
Not only does it have the ruching that covers a multitude of sins but the eye-catching, polka dot print is brilliant for disguising anything you don't want to draw attention to.
With a straight silhouette its body-con without being tight, plus it has a light mesh overlay which gives the illusion of the dress being loose. Plus, spots are bang on trend.
PLEATS
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Pleats are a perennial trend that never fades - and TU at Sainsbury's has this hybrid body-con wrap dress which is ideal for anyone a little conscious of their stomach.
At £22 it's made from plisse which is a pleated texture created by applying a solution that shrinks part of the fabric.
The vertical lines and pencil shape are slimming and the knot at the smallest part of the waist draws the eye's attention there, creating the perfect hourglass shape.
It's also an ultra comfortable material.
SHIRRING
Similar to the plisse texture, shirring does a similar job - and is very popular on the high street this season.
Despite its tightly stitched together look, shirring is hugely comfortable as it has elastic running through each panel so you can breathe and look good without the need for a tiered, tent-like dress.
Next's £30 mini dress available in pastel blue, green and floral, with short sleeves and frilled hem contours the body whilst the rows of shirring conceal everything beneath the dress.
Which means not only is it flattering but there's no VPL so wear your comfiest briefs without fear of them being glaringly obvious.