The French-Girl Top Trend to Wear If You Want to Look Timeless This Summer

From the tablecloths at Italian trattorias comes this season’s most ubiquitous trend: gingham tops. Indeed, the checkerboard print has quietly staged a comeback for 2025, ready to saturate hot days with a sense of charm and class. In my opinion, there’s no better way to cement summer’s arrival than by method dressing in the print that is synonymous with warm-weather activities like long picnics in the park, alfresco lunches, sipping on some sort of spritz and generally frolicking around.

"Gingham has that lovely mix of nostalgia and freshness," says Morgane Sézalory, founder of perennially chic Parisian-based brand, Sézane. "After a few years of bold, graphic patterns, I think people are drawn to something that still makes a statement but in a softer, more timeless way," she explains of the print's return. "It feels familiar yet new again, especially in unexpected colours or silhouettes. And honestly, I think there’s something quite joyful about gingham. It lifts your mood instantly."

Are Gingham Tops Still in Fashion?

Of course, the classic print has long held appeal for those in the know. Its most visible moment was as Dorothy Gale’s iconic blue-and-white apron dress in The Wizard of Oz. (And subsequently, Harry Styles’s custom Gucci rendition of the look during a Halloween performance in 2021 as part of his Love On Tour). Post-1940s, gingham was been adopted as part of the gamine uniform. The aesthetic’s poster child, Audrey Hepburn, often wore gingham capri pants, including whilst off-duty in Rome during filming the adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's 1869 epic, War and Peace.

These days, however, the print is favoured by discerning dressers who want to inject their summer outfits with a sense of ease. In 2023, Margot Robbie kickstarted the gingham comeback in a custom pink-and-white Prada two-piece set during the early stages of the Barbie press tour.

The skirt co-ord referenced the brand's spring/summer 2023 menswear collection, and the print wasn’t touched again by Miuccia Prada until Miu Miu’s most recent autumn/winter 2025 collection, where she presented a series of gingham trench coats and candy-coloured skirts.

As is often the case in fashion, where Prada goes, the style set follows. Recently, Alexa Chung wore a gingham zip-up windbreaker jacket, harking back to her twee days. This, in part, is the reason that gingham, unlike polka dots, hasn’t enjoyed mainstream popularity; thanks to the association with the cottagecore aesthetic, gingham has often felt a little "country" and costume-y.

But this season, gingham is having a chic reinvention. We're seeing it in throw-on dresses, lightweight trousers and flowing skirts, and now, with recent reappraisals by the likes of Dôen and independent Australian brand Mode Mischief, we're focusing on gingham tops, which have shifted away from any provincial connotations and become a crucial part of city dressing. Devoid of whimsical collars or excess frills, gingham has become discernibly cool—see the sculptural Maison Margiela set worn by Cynthia Erivo whilst in New York. (Her Wicked co-star Ariana Grande also made gingham a part of her Glinda-fied promotional wardrobe.)

How to Style Gingham Tops

So, whilst people won't automatically think you're wearing it to dress like the interior of your favourite rustic bistro or channel your inner Old Hollywood starlet, it's understandable that gingham tops can still cause apprehension to some. They shouldn’t, though, argues Sézalory. "Gingham is so versatile—across seasons, across styles," she contends. "I guess you could also say gingham is seen as quintessentially French, so maybe that plays in our favour too." No stranger to the print, Sézalory adds. "Gingham adds just the right touch of femininity and playfulness without ever feeling over the top. It’s an easy, understated way to add a bit of colour or pattern to your wardrobe. And above all, I believe getting dressed should feel joyful. Gingham keeps that spirit alive."

Her styling advice? "Don’t be afraid to mix prints—gingham pairs beautifully with florals, stripes and even bolder patterns. It’s more adaptable than people think." She describes gingham as a signature print for the brand this season, and recommends that first-timers stick to classic cuts. "Personally, I love a square neckline—simple, clean, but so flattering," she says. "For a more relaxed look, a tie-front shirt in gingham is perfect for an easy summer day. The gingham brings personality, and the cut keeps it elegant. It’s about striking that balance between charm and structure."

This is something that styles from Reformation, Posse and Nobody’s Child have all achieved, too. But as Sézalory reminds me, it’s not just in the shopfronts of UK high-street favourites and in designer boutique windows where you’ll find a chic gingham top to covet. "You’ll spot it all across Paris, too. It feels very now, yet still completely timeless. That’s the magic, isn’t it?"

Ready to feel the allure? Ahead, find the best gingham tops to shop now, along with all the styling inspiration you’ll need to wear them this season.

The Best Gingham Tops to Shop in 2025

The Best Gingham-Top Outfit Ideas

Style Notes: The combination of the puff sleeve and raffia bag makes this outfit perfect for the streets of Paris.

Style Notes: Make like Margot Robbie by emulating Emmanuelle Koffi's pink-and-white Posse bandeau top and lace-up Chloé sandals.

Style Notes: A quintessential gingham-top outfit that pairs a billowing blouse with white denim Bermuda shorts and red ballet flats.

Style Notes: From the flouncy blue gingham tank to the white jeans and brown boat shoes, consider this a city-approved outfit I'll be replicating all summer.

Style Notes: British songstress Raye brings the gingham-top trend to Tokyo.

Style Notes: I adore this pretty gingham co-ord set, especially when paired with this very sweet butter-yellow manicure.

Style Notes: What's black, white and red all over? An extremely chic gingham-top look, obviously.