This lace dress and trousers trend is taking over - get the cool-girl look for less than £15

For those who were old enough to appreciate fashion in the early 2000s, the thought of wearing a dress over trousers might send chills down your spine. 

From H! Fashion's recent cover girl Mischa Barton wearing boho dresses over flared denim to High School Musical's Ashley Tisdale's embellished tunics layered over bootcut jeans, the trend almost defined the mid-2000s, becoming synonymous with Y2K it-girls and noughties maximalism.

© FilmMagic

© Getty Images

But for 2026, the trend has been given an impeccably elegant makeover. Longline lace tops that are shorter at the front and long at the back are all over social media right now. As opposed to the style from 20-plus years ago, this silhouette is more delicate, elegant, and infinitely more sophisticated - taking boho dressing to new levels of chic

Layering over trousers has become a favourite over recent seasons: sheer skirts over jeans, brands creating trousers with built-in skirts, and, of course, the cult-adored scarf wrap trend, which sees a silk bandana tied across a waistband to create the illusion of a layered skirt without the bulk. The new lace-over look feels like the natural next step in fashion's ongoing obsession with the boho revival, and adding texture and dimension through clever layering.

As the look continues to dominate social media, both high street and high-end brands have introduced pieces designed to nail the aesthetic.