Fringe started as plumbing. Plains tribes made garments with fringe long before anyone called it fashion, and the strands worked as a type of gutter that repelled rainwater from the wearer. Buckskin trimmed that way also dried faster, because the fringe acted as a series of wicks. Then, in the 1920s, it crossed into fashion as part of the flapper look, when skirts rose above the knee for the first time in Western history and fringe added a bit of length to the daring styles.

One small correction before we get romantic: the fringed flapper costume is partly a myth. Fringed dresses existed, a 1922 Arizona newspaper even listed a knee-length fringed skirt among the marks of a flapper, but they were not the defining look. That is fine by me. A good fringe dress was always about movement, and it still is.

Ulla Johnson is a good place to begin, because her whole label leans on craft. She started it in 1999 in Manhattan with five tailored separates and her own savings, and her archaeologist mother's textile collection sparked a life-long interest in traditional crafts. Her Amina midi in a striped wool-blend knit has a swinging fringed hem and long sleeves, which makes it the easiest October entry: wear it with tall boots and tights.

For a bigger swing, the Cult Gaia Noosha is a floor-length silk halter covered in cascading fringe. The Toccin Patricia in white is a V-neck midi with tiers of fringe, and the Alice + Olivia Harmony slip in dark chocolate lets the fringe do the talking at the hem. Retrofête's Saddler in ochre and the Loewe brown knit maxi are the two I would pick for a dinner with a coat over the top. My test for any of them: walk across the room in front of a mirror and watch whether the fringe moves after you stop.

The Spring 2025 runways did not treat fringe like a costume. Vogue's trend story said texture, fringe, and crochet can do much for a minimalist wardrobe with very little, and the minis in this group prove it. Fewer strands, cleaner shapes, more attitude.

The Loewe purple wool-blend mini is the loud one, with long fringe and a small embroidered logo. The Zimmermann Indra is crocheted cotton with fringe trim, and the Alix of Bohemia Renny is open-knit cotton that shows a hint of skin, so both read as relaxed and boho rather than party. If you want a skirt that is fully fringed and swingy, the SIMONMILLER Bowie is the one. For black, the Attico halterneck and the Taller Marmo Ares jersey are the easy night-out choices.

Cara Cara's Valencia has raffia fringe at the hem on an ivory geometric print, and Simkhai's Elly is a striped knit, fitted through the body. In October I would wear either over thin tights with a boot, and keep a cropped jacket in the bag for the walk home.

Buying test: hold the hem up to the light and check how the strands are attached. Fringe sewn on a band lays flatter than fringe knotted into the knit itself. What I would skip: a mini with heavy fringe if you plan to sit on a low sofa all night, because the strands tangle in the seat.

Glamour Daze makes a point worth keeping: 1920s formal dresses were heavily beaded and decorated affairs, and only the top-end pieces had fringes sewn on by hand. So when a sequin fringe dress shows up at a holiday party, it is carrying a real tradition, even if the Hollywood version is louder.

Holiday party season is close, and this group is built for it. The PatBO Delya is a knit mini dripping in beaded fringe, and the Alemais Mokshini is a brighter beaded mini with swinging tassels at the skirt. Taller Marmo's Disco Dragon is sequinned mesh finished with fringe trim, built for the dance floor. Balmain's embellished jersey mini in black is the dressiest of the lot, covered in embellishment and long fringe.

For a slightly longer line, the Mac Duggal beaded sheath midi in light gold has shimmering fringe, and the Mac Duggal sequin mini in black has tiers that catch the light. Tadashi Shoji's Bina and the superdown Nia are the easy cocktail picks, and the Nia is black sequin with fringe, simple to style.

Fitting-room test: raise both arms and sit down. Beaded fringe is heavy, so the hem should not ride up, and the lining should not itch. What I would skip: bright sequin with bright jewelry. Let the dress be the only sparkle and wear plain shoes.

This is the group closest to those buckskin jackets. Buckskin fringe was functional in the first place, and the western look it left behind is still the quickest way to make a fringe dress feel grounded rather than glittery.

Toccin has three of the best here. The Seamed Fringe Mini and the Esther maxi both come in cedar, a suede-look brown with a fringe hem on the mini and long fringe down the skirt on the maxi. SIMONMILLER's Sina is vegan leather with fringe, the most modern of the group. The Understated Leather mini is suede-look with a long fringe hem, and the Lost + Wander Modern Muse is a dark brown faux-suede shift with a fringed hem.

If you prefer wine to brown, the Saylor Astelle in mulled wine is faux suede with fringe detailing, though size M is sold out. The CIEBON Jimena is a buttoned wine faux-suede shirt midi with a long fringe skirt, and I would wear it open over a bodysuit with boots. The superdown Riley is a black faux-leather mini with fringe trim.

Test: run your hand over the fabric. A good faux suede has a soft nap and no sheen, and it should not feel stiff at the fringe. What I would skip: a full cowboy hat and boots and suede dress together. One western signal is enough.

Sometimes you only want one piece of fringe. Marie Claire's Spring/Summer 2025 report named fringing at Roksanda, Ralph Lauren, Erdem and Ulla Johnson, and its tip for wearing it was simple: team a fringed skirt with a crisp, oversized white shirt.

I like that logic for the skirts here. The Loewe wool-blend mini is black and layered in fringe, the SIMONMILLER Za Za is a maroon knit with fringe throughout, and the L'AGENCE Karoline is a black faux-leather maxi with a long fringe finish. In October all three work with a chunky knit and boots.

For tops, Ulla Johnson's Willa is silk with fringe sweeping across the front, and La DoubleJ's printed silk-twill top has an asymmetric fringed hem. Zimmermann's Indra tank is crocheted cotton with fringe trim made to match the Indra mini, so you can wear them as a set or split them. The Free People Night Moves has long swingy strands with a western feel, and the Lovers and Friends Chrissa is a brown halter crop.

Test: lift your arms and check that the hem of a fringe top still covers your waistband. What I would skip: fringe on both top and bottom in different colors. Pick one piece to move and keep the other quiet.

Choose the night first. A dinner in October, I would take the Ulla Johnson Amina with boots. A party, I would take beads. A weekend with a leather jacket, the suede-look Toccin.

Then do the walk test in the mirror and look at the hem when you stop. The fringe that keeps moving after you do is the one that will earn its place. If two dresses tie, take the one you can wear twice: once with boots now, once with bare legs in spring.

It started as a way to shed rain, and I like that it never stopped working.