Claire's Picks

High Low Dresses Worth Having in Your Wardrobe

0 items

The high low hem is one of those silhouettes that genuinely solves something. It gives you the drama and movement of a longer skirt at the back while keeping the front shorter and easier to actually walk in. That is not a small thing. We have always thought the high low gets slightly undersold because people associate it with a particular era of going out dresses that were doing a lot. But the silhouette itself is excellent and it works across occasions far more quietly than its reputation suggests. A well cut high low in a fluid fabric can go to a wedding, a summer party, or a dinner without announcing itself too loudly. It creates shape without being fitted. It moves beautifully. We have pulled together the ones that feel current rather than costume, the styles where the hem differential is considered rather than exaggerated, and where the fabric does real work. Some are printed, some are plain, all of them are worth your time. Done properly, a high low dress is one of the most flattering and wearable things you can own.

Claire's Top Picks

High Low Dresses Day That Work Harder Than They Look GODDIVA Floral Wrap High And Low Midaxi Dress - Navy by Goddiva Jump to section ↓

£54.60 GODDIVA

High Low Dresses for Long Moments Worth Dressing For BLUE VANILLA Mandarin Collar High Low Mini Dress - S CREAM PATTERN Jump to section ↓

£18.00 BLUE VANILLA

High-Low Oversized Button Long Top Shirt Dress with Hem and Long Sleeves - Beige One Size Fit to

High Low Dresses Sleeves Worth the Extra Layer INSTOCK UK High-Low Oversized Button Long Top Shirt Dress with Hem and Long Sleeves - Beige One Size Fit to Jump to section ↓

£15.94 INSTOCK UK

Lace High Low Dresses That Feel Grown Up GODDIVA Scalloped Neck Embroidered Lace High Low Midi Dress - Magenta by Goddiva Jump to section ↓

£135.00 GODDIVA

Red High Low Dresses That Actually Earn Their Place in Your Wardrobe GODDIVA_UK Goddiva Floral Wrap High And Low Midaxi Dress Jump to section ↓

£65.00 GODDIVA_UK

Ruffle High Low Dresses That Don't Overwhelm INSTOCK UK Catalina High Low Ruffle Hem Maxi Dress - ML ROYAL Jump to section ↓

£19.94 INSTOCK UK

High Low Dresses Day That Work Harder Than They Look

The high low hem solves a problem most dresses refuse to acknowledge. You want the drama of length at the back, the ease of a shorter front, and a silhouette that photographs well from every angle without requiring you to think about it. That is a lot to ask of a dress. These ones deliver. We have been genuinely impressed by how much a well cut high low can do for a daytime occasion. It works for garden parties where you are standing on grass. It works for summer weddings where you need to move freely. It works for days when you want to feel dressed without feeling restricted. The hem line does the interesting work so the rest of the outfit does not have to. What we look for is a proper drop at the back, fabric that flows rather than clings, and a cut that flatters without being fussy. Some of our favourites here are florals. Some are solid colours with serious presence. All of them are more interesting in person than they appear on the hanger. The high low dress rewards the wearer who actually tries it on.

GODDIVA Floral Wrap High And Low Midaxi Dress - Navy by Goddiva £54.60 GODDIVA

GODDIVA Gathered High & Low Tiered Midaxi Dress - Berry by Goddiva £52.50 GODDIVA

GODDIVA Floral Wrap High And Low Midaxi Dress - Blush by Goddiva £85.00 GODDIVA

GODDIVA_UK Goddiva Pleated Chiffon High Low Midi Dress £58.00 GODDIVA_UK

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Goddiva Floral Wrap High And Low Midaxi Dress In Light Beige £85.00 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

GODDIVA Off The Shoulder Lurex High Low Dress - Nude by Goddiva £48.00 GODDIVA

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Goddiva Off The Shoulder Sparkling High Low Dress In Nude £48.00 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

High Low Dresses for Long Moments Worth Dressing For

The high low hem is one of those cuts that looks considered without requiring you to have thought very hard about it. Shorter at the front, longer at the back, it creates movement and drama in a way that a straight hem simply does not. We think it suits occasions where you want to look like you made a real decision about what to wear. A summer wedding where you are not the bride. An evening out that calls for something memorable. A birthday dinner where you actually want to feel like yourself. What we love about the high low specifically is that it shows off good shoes and gives you length at the same time. You are not choosing between the two. The silhouette photographs well, moves beautifully, and works across body shapes in a way that feels genuinely democratic rather than flattering in a marketing brochure sort of way. We have pulled together the ones that justify the occasion. Not just dresses with an interesting hemline but pieces that feel like the right answer to a long moment worth turning up for properly dressed.

BLUE VANILLA Mandarin Collar High Low Mini Dress - S CREAM PATTERN £18.00 BLUE VANILLA

INSTOCK UK High-Low Oversized Button Long Top Shirt Dress with Hem and Long Sleeves - Mustard One Size Fit to £15.94 INSTOCK UK

SPARTOO.CO.UK Izabel London Floral High Low Maxi Tea Dress women's Long Dress in Green £45.00 SPARTOO.CO.UK

INSTOCK UK High-Low Oversized Button Long Top Shirt Dress with Hem and Long Sleeves - Coral One Size Fit to £15.94 INSTOCK UK

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Roman Abstract Print High Low Shirt Dress In Blue £24.00 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

INSTOCK UK High-Low Oversized Button Long Top Shirt Dress with Hem and Long Sleeves - White Cream One Size Fit to £15.94 INSTOCK UK

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Wovcor Floral Print Sheer Sleeve High-Low Midi Dress With Tie Neck £37.21 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

SPARTOO.CO.UK Izabel London Floral High Low Wrap Maxi Dress women's Long Dress in Bordeaux £28.00 SPARTOO.CO.UK

INSTOCK UK High-Low Oversized Button Long Top Shirt Dress with Hem and Long Sleeves - Lilac One Size Fit to £15.94 INSTOCK UK

High Low Dresses Sleeves Worth the Extra Layer

The high low hem is one of those silhouettes that actually solves something rather than just looking interesting. It gives you the drama of a longer length at the back while keeping the front shorter and more wearable, which means it moves beautifully and flatters almost every height. Add a sleeve and the whole thing becomes genuinely useful across seasons, not just a warm weather option you pull out twice a year. We are particularly drawn to high low dresses with sleeves because the sleeve finishes the look in a way that a bare arm sometimes doesn't. There is a completeness to it. A floaty chiffon sleeve, a fitted three quarter length, even a soft bishop sleeve all add something rather than simply covering up. These dresses work for weddings, for evening events, for occasions where you need to look properly dressed without resorting to separates. We have been pulling together the ones that earn the silhouette rather than just wearing it. The sleeve is not an afterthought here. It is the reason the whole thing works.

INSTOCK UK High-Low Oversized Button Long Top Shirt Dress with Hem and Long Sleeves - Beige One Size Fit to £15.94 INSTOCK UK

MILANOO_UK Boho Summer Dress V Neck Short Sleeves Printed High Low Cut Out Beach Dress £21.03 MILANOO_UK

FOREVER_NEW_UK Forever New Women's Elsa Trim High Low Mini Dress in Porcelain, Size ViscosePolyesterViscose £44.00 FOREVER_NEW_UK

GODDIVA Scalloped Neck Embroidered Lace High Low Midi Dress - Coral by Goddiva £135.00 GODDIVA

INSTOCK UK High-Low Oversized Button Long Top Shirt Dress with Hem and Long Sleeves - Wine One Size Fit to £15.94 INSTOCK UK

INSTOCK UK High-Low Oversized Button Long Top Shirt Dress with Hem and Long Sleeves - Tan One Size Fit to £15.94 INSTOCK UK

GODDIVA_UK Goddiva Crinkle Lurex High Low Layered Midi Dress £79.00 GODDIVA_UK

GODDIVA Jacquard Chiffon Wrap High Low Midaxi Dress - SageGreen by Goddiva £59.50 GODDIVA

INSTOCK UK High-Low Oversized Button Long Top Shirt Dress with Hem and Long Sleeves - Mint One Size Fit to £15.94 INSTOCK UK

GODDIVA_UK Goddiva Scalloped Neck Embroidered Lace High Low Midi Dress £135.00 GODDIVA_UK

GODDIVA Cap Sleeve Skater High Low Midi Dress - Cream by Goddiva £78.00 GODDIVA

GODDIVA Crinkle Lurex High Low Layered Midi Dress - Wine by Goddiva £18.00 GODDIVA

Lace High Low Dresses That Feel Grown Up

Lace has a reputation problem and we understand why. Worn badly it reads as costume, all bridal energy and fussy detail that fights with everything around it. The high low cut adds another layer of risk because the uneven hem can tip easily into something that looks unfinished rather than intentional. But when both elements are handled well the result is genuinely special. The lace brings texture and femininity without being precious about it. The high low hem creates movement and shows off a good heel without the drama of a full length skirt. These dresses work for occasions that need some effort but not a gown. Garden parties, summer weddings where you are a guest, evening events where you want to look considered without being overdressed. We have been very selective here because this particular combination rewards selectivity. The lace needs to be substantial. The hem needs to fall correctly. The overall silhouette needs to feel modern rather than nostalgic. Every dress in this collection clears that bar. Lace that earns its place rather than simply announcing itself.

GODDIVA Scalloped Neck Embroidered Lace High Low Midi Dress - Magenta by Goddiva £135.00 GODDIVA

SPARTOO.CO.UK Izabel London Lace Trim Sleeve High Low Sundress women's Dress in White £32.00 SPARTOO.CO.UK

MILANOO_UK Halloween Women's Gothic Dress Purple Lace Gothic Velour Tunic High Low Hemlibe Dress £28.04 MILANOO_UK

MILANOO_UK Lace Boho Long Slip Dress for Women - Tassel V Neck High Low Sundress- Summer Beach Vacation £25.70 MILANOO_UK

SNEAKIN UK Women's dress Goddiva High Low Tulle £57.02 SNEAKIN UK

GODDIVA Scalloped Neck Embroidered Lace High Low Midi Dress - Pink by Goddiva £135.00 GODDIVA

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Goddiva Scalloped Neck Embroidered Lace High Low Midi Dress In Pink £135.00 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

GODDIVA Scalloped Neck Embroidered Lace High Low Midi Dress - Burgundy by Goddiva £135.00 GODDIVA

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Double Second Lace Top High Low Hem Dress In Navy £85.00 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

Red High Low Dresses That Actually Earn Their Place in Your Wardrobe

The high low hemline does something quietly clever: it gives you the drama of a longer silhouette at the back while keeping the front light and easy to move in. In red, that combination becomes genuinely hard to ignore. We've always thought red dresses carry a built-in confidence that other colours simply don't, and the high low cut amplifies that rather than complicating it. There is something about the sweep of fabric behind you that feels considered without trying too hard. These dresses work for occasions that need a bit of presence. A wedding where you are not the bride but want to look like you took it seriously. A dinner where the room is nice enough to dress for. An event where you want one strong choice rather than a lot of small ones adding up to not very much. We have been strict about what earns a place here. The cut has to sit properly. The red has to be a red worth wearing, not washed out, not aggressively bright. These are the ones we actually wanted for ourselves. That is always where we start.

GODDIVA_UK Goddiva Floral Wrap High And Low Midaxi Dress £65.00 GODDIVA_UK

MILANOO_UK Cocktail Party Dresses Red High Low Prom Dress Lace Applique Asymmetrical Party Dress £65.20 MILANOO_UK

GODDIVA_UK Goddiva Off The Shoulder Lurex High Low Dress £48.00 GODDIVA_UK

GODDIVA Floral Wrap High And Low Midaxi Dress - Red by Goddiva £45.50 GODDIVA

GODDIVA Cap Sleeve Skater High Low Midi Dress - Red by Goddiva £78.00 GODDIVA

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Fs Collection Button Down High Low Strappy Dress In Dusty Red £33.75 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Goddiva Floral Wrap High And Low Midaxi Dress In Red £45.50 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Goddiva Cap Sleeve Skater High Low Midi Dress In Red £78.00 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

DOROTHY PERKINS UK Izabel London Floral High Low Wrap Maxi Dress In Red £21.00 DOROTHY PERKINS UK

INSTOCK UK High-Low Oversized Button Long Top Shirt Dress with Hem and Long Sleeves - Red One Size Fit to £15.94 INSTOCK UK

GODDIVA_UK Goddiva Cap Sleeve Skater High Low Midi Dress £78.00 GODDIVA_UK

GODDIVA Off The Shoulder Lurex High Low Dress - Red by Goddiva £48.00 GODDIVA

Ruffle High Low Dresses That Don't Overwhelm

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.

INSTOCK UK Catalina High Low Ruffle Hem Maxi Dress - ML ROYAL £19.94 INSTOCK UK