7 Stunning Pleated Mini-Skirt Looks From The Most Fashionable Celebs
The pleated mini-skirt is among the celebrity-backed fashion trends expected to dominate 2025, with stars like Jenna Ortega and Sabrina Carpenter mastering the staple piece. The mini-skirt has a lengthy legacy in pop culture, largely being associated with the liberation of women's fashion throughout the twentieth century and eventually becoming a mainstay in music and media. Today, it's easily fashioned with lots of styles, ranging from sporty and preppy to edgy and alternative, making it a versatile piece of clothing.
Pleats serve to add texture and structure to the already iconic garment, making it even more of a must-have. "A pleated skirt is a classic statement piece in one's closet," Stylist Ashley Afriyie told InStyle. "If you didn't grow up wearing them to school, you most likely had one during Y2K." Alongside the grown-up ways to participate in the mini-skirt's revival, we recommend checking out how some of the most fashionable celebs have styled their pleated minis for the best style inspiration.
Taylor Swift's preppy plaid with knee-high boots
Pop sensation Taylor Swift has proved that the pleated mini-skirt isn't going out of style anytime soon. She wore a plaid rendition of the garment during a 2023 night out in New York City, pairing a belted skirt with a black Vivienne Westwood shirt, thigh-high boots, and gold jewelry. This casual outfit ranks as another one of Swift's preppy in plaid looks and serves as the perfect style inspiration for an early fall day.
Lisa's matching blazer and mini-skirt
Blackpink member Lisa went full academia in her take on the pleated skirt, sharing some snapshots in an Instagram post from November 2024. The K-pop idol wore a matching blazer and skirt in a brown and beige plaid, pairing the items with a grey turtleneck, calf-length socks, and black loafers. Naturally styled hair, featuring some straight-across bangs, and simple makeup with pink-toned lipstick and blush completed the look. For those who want to channel university-in-the-fall vibes, Lisa's look is definitely one to be impressed by.
Jenna Ortega's khaki-colored plaid for warm weather days
Arriving at the Venice Film Festival locale in August 2024, movie star Jenna Ortega combined her grunge-goth vibes with preppy academia in her pleated skirt look. The outfit, one of her many "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" press tour ensembles, was an homage to Adam Maitland, a character from the original "Beetlejuice." The scream queen wore a structured, black-and-white blazer layered over a red top and paired with a beige pleated skirt. She rounded out the look with a large, cross-body bag and loafers. A bit of an edgier take on a preppy pleated look, it's definitely a standout from Ortega.
Olivia Rodrigo's breezy ivory skirt
Another stylish celebrity who's put their own spin on the pleated skirt is Olivia Rodrigo, who was spotted wearing a white mini while in New York City in September 2023. The "Vampire" singer paired the piece with a cropped t-shirt featuring a close-up of Angelina Jolie licking blood from the corner of her mouth, an iconic shot taken by Martin Schoeller back in 2003. She styled the outfit with white crew socks, loafers, and round sunglasses. Her long hair was styled down while she opted for a bright red lip color. If you're looking for a casual, but effortlessly cool take on the pleated skirt, then Rodrigo definitely serves as inspiration.
Zendaya's athletic-inspired pleats
Zendaya was rocking preppy, tennis-core fashion throughout the press run for "Challengers," an aesthetic that the pleated mini-skirt fits right at home in. She sported a white-and-green rendition of the garment when spotted in New York City in 2024, pairing her mini with a cropped, athletic sweatshirt from Longchamp. The fashion icon completed the ensemble with white sneakers, a canvas tote bag, and a slicked-back ponytail. If you're wondering how to dress tenniscore for the upcoming summer, Zendaya's pleated skirt look should definitely be added to your Pinterest board.
Tinashe's denim micro-mini and fur ensemble
Singer-songwriter Tinashe took an edgier approach to the pleated mini in her look from iHeartRadio's Jingle Ball. The "Nasty" singer was festive in a green look, wearing a leather micro-mini with peek-a-boo plaid and silver chains. She donned a cropped, faux-fur jacket in a similar shade, layered with a green top over a lace undershirt, and a pair of lace up boots. The iconic music artist styled her clothing with a nude lip color, bold lashes, and middle-parted curls. Holiday-centered or not, this striking performance outfit from Tinashe fully demonstrates the power of the micro mini.
Sabrina Carpenter's ultra-short mini skirt and jacket combo
Sabrina Carpenter is another fashionable celeb who nailed the micro version of the pleated mini-skirt, sporting a buff-colored piece from Roberto Cavalli onstage at Coachella. The garment, which featured bejeweled leopard heads along the waistline, was paired with a textured jacket lined with animal-print. The "Espresso" singer wore the clothing pieces with a shimmery, silver top and brown boots, adding a berry lip color and pink blush. The shiny outfit looked great on stage, with Carpenter providing the perfect popstar take on the pleated miniskirt.