The frill factor: Why ruffle dresses are set to be huge this summer

Feminists wear pink. They’re also fans of giant frills and avid appreciators of supersized florals. A scan of the dresses chosen to attend pub soirées, morning meetings and school runs right now stand as proof.

The wardrobe fodder of some of the capital’s most-photographed is equally compelling evidence for the cold, hard truth that females have made peace with femininity. Certainly, as a species we’ve come along way from the day and age of power suits and shoulder pads as the only signifier of empowerment.

Scan the new-in section of your favourite retailer and you’ll find romantic dresses — think puff sleeves, frills and valances to rival your grandma’s bedspread — in full bloom. A audit of vibesy labels, among them Ganni, DÔEN and Rixo, which go all out on romance are reclaiming girliness on behalf of womankind.

Poster girls for this look include British designer Molly Goddard who, buoyed by Killing Eve’s Villanelle, has ensured fashion with flounce serves to reflect the marvellousness of the woman who wears it; and Susie Cave, whose label The Vampire’s Wife is among the most buzzed about labels among smart women with places to go.

For Elizabeth von der Goltz, global buying director at Net-A-Porter, the return to feminity is indicative of women feeling confident to be who they want to be. “I think there’s a real return to femininity. Women now feel empowered to look as feminine as they want. It’s not a weakness, it’s a strength.”

Matchesfashion.com’s Natalie Kingham has also noticed a surge in demand for clothes that embrace fashion’s romantic side, with labels including Erdem, Rodarte and Preen doing well.

Is there a trick to wearing ruffles with the class and conviction of a spellbinding Russian assassin or the presence of Alexa Chung — who has fully legitimised the velvet bow as a tool for power-dressing? “Whether you’re a maximalist or a minimalist, it’s about expressing yourself in the way that you want,” says von der Goltz.

But what if you want to want to go full flounce without looking like an oversized toddler? Kingham suggests cutting through the prettiness: “We’ve seen a tougher take on this look via our fashion pioneer or curator customers. When styled out with chunky boots and denim, ruffles don’t always have to be worn in an overtly feminine way.”

In real terms this means repurposing your winter hiking boots and wearing them with layers of pastel coloured tulle and throwing a raw-edge denim jacket over a fuchsia-pink ballgown.

But more than that it’s about attitude. Let’s go girls.