Sienna Miller heralds the return of the noughties ruffled sheer dress

She’s presided over best dressed lists for almost two decades now, but Sienna Miller’s early 2000s boho chic era was undoubtedly her finest.

And last night in New York, the Anatomy of a Scandal star confirmed the aesthetic to be firmly back on the menu for 2023, as she rocked a bias cut asymmetric ruffled floral dress to attend The National Board of Review 2023 Awards.

One look at the slinky slip of an Alessandra Rich maxi and we were transported straight back to a simpler, pre-social media time of pink Motorola flip phones, Jude Law as Alfie and Juicy Couture tracksuits. In case any further proof of the noughties revival was required, Miller styled the dress exactly as it had been in Alessandra Rich’s SS23 show, with a glittering diamante chain belt slung about her hips.

“The bias cut takes the shape of the body and the silk georgette fabric makes it slightly sheer so it’s a sexy style,” says Rich, whose SS23 ‘Let’s Kiss’ collection featured several similar gossamer-light frill detail maxi dresses in everything from black to romantic florals.

A poster girl for the look the first time around, Miller’s recent red carpet look was not dissimilar to the sheer Alexander McQueen maxi she wore to the British Academy Film Awards in 2005. Back then she accessorised with lashings of boho necklaces and bangles, whereas last night’s look felt pared-back and modern, with sleek diamante earrings her only jewellery.

As the drizzle drizzles on in London you may think it premature to be considering barely-there summer dresses. But full warning, the ultra feminine sheer and frilly maxi is destined for cult status come summer – the sweeter little sister of 2022’s pant-flashing mesh maxi mania.

At Victoria Beckham’s SS23 show, sheer panelled silk georgette dresses came in Parma violet and baby pink hues with fluted sleeves, Blumarine did stretchy one-shouldered minis with trailing ruffle hems, while French designer Ester Manas made the case for one-size-fits-all ruched dresses in lime and lilac.

Anyone looking to invest now might want to check out Acne Studio’s violet chiffon sheer dress (£550, shop here) or its Dafina raw-edge chiffon midi thats now £364 in the Matches sale (shop here), Mango’s easy and affordable ruffle maxis in magenta and leopard, Rat & Boa’s hot holiday-ready slinky numbers or House of CB, which stocks some lovely lemony versions on Selfridges.

For those that prefer their hemlines a little higher, Knwls had an asymmetric blue chiffon paisley mini in its SS23 show, and there’s a floral mini Philosophy di Lorenzo Saffini on Farfetch that ticks all the noughties but nice boxes.

Shop the trend:

Mango asymmetric ruffled dress, £109.99; shop here

Alessandra Rich silk geprgette evening dress, £2320; Shop here

House of CB pixie ruffled maxi dress, £180; shop here

Philosophy di Lorenzo Saffini, now £248; shop here

Alessandra Rich tie dye evening dress with crystals, £3555; shop here

Jacquemus draped maxi dress, £970; shop here