Ruffles done badly are a lot. They pile on volume where you don’t want it, they date a look instantly, and they can make even a well proportioned dress feel like it’s wearing you rather than the other way around. Done well, though, they’re genuinely playful without being fussy, and the high low hem does something clever on top of that: it shows ankle and creates movement without the full commitment of a maxi. We’ve always thought this silhouette is underrated. The length works particularly well for occasions where you want to feel dressed up but not formal. Garden parties, summer weddings as a guest, an evening out where a midi feels too safe and a mini feels too much. The ruffles we’ve selected here are controlled. Placed deliberately. They add interest at the hem or the neckline rather than cascading everywhere at once. Some of these dresses are quite simple in their cut, letting the ruffle detail carry the whole look without competing with anything else. We think that restraint is exactly what makes them work. A ruffle should feel like a choice, not an accident.