Cutout Dresses Are Taking a Whole New Shape This Summer

While the name of the game with a cutout dress is showing skin, the beauty is that there are no rules about where that skin can and should be. No longer reserved to cleavage or abs, cutouts can now showcase random sections of your torso or a single swath of your lower back. Player's choice.

Cutout dresses were huge in the ‘90s, when Tom Ford and Thierry Mugler sent iconic iterations of this trend down the runway. Since then, cutouts have been synonymous with uniquely ferocious femininity. From iconic revenge dresses to red carpet sensations, cutout dresses serve sensuality with an edge. Best of all, the geometry of cutout dresses is always evolving. 

From hard-edged geometric shapes and classical, swooping draping, there's no end to the options provided by cutout dress designs. And this past year has delivered something of a cutout dress renaissance, with nary a red carpet event passing without at least one celeb debuting an exciting take on the cutout dress. Ahead, enter the brave new world of cutout dresses, featuring the daring cutout dress styles we've been seeing on celebrities and street style stars in recent months.

The Underboob Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: LaQuan Smith Sequined Embellished Cutout Dress, $2,750.
Formerly relegated to the world of swimwear, the underboob cutout has begun appearing on dresses from music festivals to the red carpet. You're definitely going to want to utilize boob tape when wearing this style of cutout dress, but don't let that deter you.

The Low-Rise Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: Bronx and Banco Cameroon Pink Gown, $2,800.
Like a pair of low-rise jeans, the low-rise cutout dress is not for the faint of heart. However, unlike low-rise dresses are designed to show off curves, not restrict them, as Lori Harvey demonstrates here.

The Diamond Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: Ronny Kobo Normella Dress, $448.
Reminiscent of a well wrapped holiday gift, the diamond cutout dress features geometric cutouts across the torso. We love this strapless style, but you can find sleeved versions of this cutout dress that shows skin with a bit more support.

The Hourglass Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: Chloe Cutout Crochet-Trim Wool Dress, $1,350.
Spotted up and down the 2023 Met Gala carpet, the hourglass cutout dress of today definitely pays homage to Karl Lagerfeld's 1983 Chloé violin dress, like Olivia Wilde's here. It's not not revealing, but the looser fit makes it a bit more comfortable.

The Corset Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: Heiress Beverly Hills Chiffon Corset Gathered Cutout Maxi Dress, $398.
Waist-cinching never looked so naked. The cutout corset dress combines two of this year's most sultry trends for a look that's pure, unfiltered vampiness.

The Front Slash Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: FARM Rio Warm Color Blocking Maxi Dress, $300.
A more demure take on the trend, the slashed fabric on this style of cutout dress is either unlined or has skin-toned fabric to keep you covered. Either way, we recommend pasties for a bit of added coverage.

The Hardware Embellished Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: Nana Jacqueline Adeline Dress, $480.
Hardware brings an edge to any trend, but we especially love the rock n' roll goddess vibe created by polished metal accents, whether they're branded O-rings or chainlink straps holding it all together (as they do literally in the case of Ashley Benson's dress here).

The "Crop Top" Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: T.La Twisted Cutout Dress, $88.
Recently, celebrities have been reaching for the laidback "crop top" cutout dress. For a form-fitting silhouette, find one in a comfortable stretch fabric like cotton blends and jerseys.

The Bandage Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: Herve Leger Low-Waist Banded Fringe Gown, $1,194.
Drawing inspiration from another now-vintage trend — the bandage dress — the bandage cutout dress is definitely a statement-maker. We recommend having plenty of fashion tape on hand for this style, which ought to fit like a glove.

The Whale Tail Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: Nana Jaqueline Omaira Dress, $480
It seems that whale tails are inescapable. While we've watched the return of the whale tail skirt with interest, we're actually kind of loving the optical-illusion layers of the whale tail cutout dress Kim Kardashian is wearing here.

The Side-Tie Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: Balenciaga Patched Bikini Dress with Cutout Details, $4,200.
In years past, designers have focused on adding cutouts to the front or back of dresses. Recently, we've seen that geometry expand to include cutouts at the hips and asymmetric cutouts along the waist, but the side-tie cutout dress trumps them all in terms of creativity.

The Lace Up Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: Dundas Viva Evening Gown, $1,850.
This spring and summer, celebrities and their stylists have amped up the red carpet cutout dress game with embellished cutouts edged in beadwork, crystals, and embroidered appliques. Now, laced-up cutouts can be added to the list of outside-the-box cutout dress options for fashion girlies.

The Shirt Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: Lulus Collared Cutout Tie-Front Midi Dress, $79.
Even minimalists can get in on the cutout dress craze by opting for a simple shirt dress with cutout details. If you're unsure about getting into the cutout trend, this is the way to do it.

The Knotted Cutout Dress

Shop Similar: BAOBAB Ada Dress, $300.
Asymmetrical yet balanced, the knotted cutout dress draws its inspiration from Shibari, a gorgeous Japanese knot-tying technique. While you might think this style would lend itself towards beachier styles, knotted cutout dresses come all levels of formality, from casual to black-tie.