Beat the heat in these trending strapless and tube dresses

Trust us, it's all the rage rn

By Lena Kamarudin - 29 May 2023

Credits: Bottega Veneta, Loewe, Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2023

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First conceived in the 1930s, the strapless dress has been embraced by strong and powerful female icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Bianca Jagger, who wore the shoulder-baring style with fearless confidence at parties and on the red carpet.

In the 1946 movie Gilda, ’40s Hollywood star Rita Hayworth channelled the eponymous femme fatale in a slinky bustier strapless gown, while the inimitable Audrey Hepburn captivated audiences in an elegant strapless embroidered Givenchy gown as the titular Sabrina in the 1954 film.

But it was only in the late ’90s that the strapless dress became a massive trend when the silhouette appeared on countless runways – from the thigh-high leather mini dress that Gianni Versace revealed in his Fall/Winter 1997 collection, to the long and elegant versions at Calvin Klein in 1999.

These designs, which were all the rage then, wouldn’t look at all out of place now. This time, the Spring/Summer 2023 runways are adding a more dramatic spin to the look – think Loewe’s structured skirt silhouettes, Louis Vuitton’s leather dress with oversized zipper details, and the asymmetrical dresses paired with striking blue gloves at Alexander McQueen.

We've rounded up some of the cutest strapless fits to add to your shopping cart.