It’s 2007, I’m listening to a new song called Umbrella by Rihanna on repeat, my hair is straightened to within an inch of its life and I’ve done a full face of makeup apart from my eyebrows (because they weren’t even considered back then). Now, what to wear? As an 18 year-old most likely getting ready for a big night out in Norwich – where I’m from – this calls for one thing, and one thing only: a bodycon dress as tight as I could squish myself into.
In the era of the LBD, nothing quite compared to a little short dress for a night out with the girls, and I embraced absolutely any opportunity to have my dad tell me “you are not going out of the house like that”. And of course, as a defiant teenager, I refused to change my outfit and continued to go about my night tugging at my dress to cover what little modesty I had left.
Now in my 30s, I still love a great dress for an evening out, but I couldn’t think of anything worse than wearing a dress so tight it restricted me from finishing my dinner. That is, until I noticed bodycon dresses are making a big comeback for 2025. Yes, I kid you not.
“In this current chaotic social, political and economic climate, it makes sense that shoppers are keen to purchase things that serve a deeper purpose and satisfy this emotional need to feel safe and happy.”
Fashion brand House of CB has launched a “Bandage Is Back” collection, recreating styles found in the archives to celebrate its 15th Birthday. And as soon as I saw the campaign featuring models wearing bright mini and midi dresses in the stretchy, compression bandage fabric, it made me feel instantly nostalgic thinking of the many fun and, often, ridiculous nights out I’d previously had over the years. All of them were experience whilst wearing one of my best tight dresses. And it seems I’m not the only one, as searches for House of CB have since risen by 175%, according to influencer led shopping platform LTK.
With low-slung jeans, chain belts and baguette bags all making a comeback this year, why are we all suddenly so keen to rewear the things that take us back to our youth? “Psychological studies have found that when people engage in nostalgic thinking they not only experience psychological benefits, but also physical – nostalgia literally makes us feel warm and fuzzy,” says Fashion Psychologist Shakaila Forbes-Bell. And it seems to be more important now than ever. “In this current chaotic social, political and economic climate, it makes sense that shoppers are keen to purchase things that serve a deeper purpose and satisfy this emotional need to feel safe and happy,” adds Forbes-Bell.
Sure, I wore all of the 2000s accessories, sometimes at the same time, but there’s something about this particular style of dress just brings back all the feels. It would be remiss not to give my thanks to French fashion house, Hervé Léger. As the OG creator of the bandage dress, and pretty much introducing the term “bodycon” to the fashion world, it single handedly paved the way for this £400 – £1,400 dress to reach icon status.
The first bandage dress was seen on the 1992 runway for the brand, becoming an instant hit with supermodels including Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford throughout the decade. But it didn’t strut its way into public consciousness until creative director Max Azria stepped in around 2007 – and the bandage dress came into its full fruition. Relaunching the instantly recognisable style, every celebrity and WAG owned one, and every teenager and 20-something girl wanted to wear one. Hervé Léger was at its peak.
Many of these dresses have gone down in pop culture history. Victoria Beckham, blonde bob and all, wearing a purple and silver mini on the 2007 Marc Jacobs FROW. Kim Kardashian rocking a grey bandage number with patent peep-toe heels, Cheryl (during her Cole era) opting for a little halterneck dress. The brand had A-listers in a chokehold from 2007-2012. The look, naturally, made its way to the high street so that girls like me could recreate our favourite looks without spending our inheritance on a dress. For the last 20 years, the door has been firmly locked on the bandage trend, but the key has been found once again.
I would definitely wear it again – but not with patent court heels like I did the first time.
Now, we’ve got the likes of model Kaia Gerber trying out the trend her mum, Cindy Crawford, wore in the ’90s after being spotted on the red carpet in a white midi dress by Hervé Leger only last year. And it got me thinking, why are Gen Z also so keen to try out this nostalgic trend? Forbes-Bell explains: “The power of nostalgia is not only limited to people who have lived through something before. Gen Z often experience a type of ‘borrowed nostalgia’ where everything from the past, even if they didn’t witness it, is looked at with rose coloured glasses, so that’s where the appeal stems from.”
The trend, however, doesn’t come without problematic connotations. The celebs who loved the look the first time around all had more in common than their dress; they were all noticeably very thin women. As a young adult when they were most popular, I couldn’t help but feel as though this super slim aesthetic in their tiny little suck-you-in dresses was the way women had to look.
Fashion magazines and fad diets – a bowl of special K a day is the one I remember most – reinforced this “ideal” throughout the early ’00s. Have we come full circle with the rise of weight loss injections in 2025? And is this particular body type becoming a worrying trend again? Forbes-Bell has some thoughts. “I think there’s a new understanding that referring to bodies as being in or out of trend is harmful. Instead, we should focus on how certain styles impact different mindsets. I think we’re in an era where people are becoming more accepting and appreciative of a broader range of body types, and there is a new understanding that clothes which hug and showcase the body look great if they make the wearer feel great.”
Whether you’ll be rewearing the bandage dress trend, trying it out for the first time or avoiding it at all costs, there’s no denying this divisive trend is here to deliver all the nostalgia for 2025. And after trying out the new House of CB bandage collection (the House of CB Orange Sherbet Midi Bandage Dress (£169) can be seen in the above photo alongside my uni ensemble), I would definitely wear it again – but not with patent court heels like I did when I was at University. Oh, and my eyebrows will be groomed to perfection.
Celebs Wearing 2000s Bandage Dresses
Cheryl rocked up to Nobu (2000s celeb haunt of choice) in a bright, halterneck mini in 2008, pared with patent red platform heels. Obviously.
Ahh, a classic Kim K look. Worn in Florida in 2012, this was a vibe that was recreated by young adults all over the world.
You would be forgiven for thinking this is a recent J-Lo photo (she does not age!), but it’s actually from 2010. Surely it’s only a matter of time before peep-toe heels come back?
2007 Rihanna, at a pre-Grammy party in a plunging, pink mini.
Model Kaia Gerber proves the bandage dress is one for the ages, styling this a modern way in September 2024.
Harriet Davey is a freelance fashion editor with over 10 years experience writing and styling for many titles – including Vogue, Stylist, Grazia, Who What Wear and Glamour, to name a few. She has also styled campaigns for brands including Boux Avenue and Benefit and can be found working behind the scenes at ITV’s This Morning.
