Scalloped Dresses for Women: Scallop Hems, Lace Trim and Scalloped Necklines

A scallop is a row of shallow curves worked into an edge instead of a straight line. It sounds like a small thing. It is the slowest edge in the workroom, and it is the reason these dresses cost what they do.

I'm Sandhya Garg. I trained at London College of Fashion and at Alexander McQueen, and I competed on Project Runway season 13. Every print here is one I drew myself.

Why a scalloped edge costs more to make

A straight hem is one line of stitching. A scalloped one is a series of curves that each have to be stitched, clipped into the seam allowance, turned, pressed and set so the fabric lies flat instead of puckering. Miss a clip and that curve pulls. Every scallop has to match the one beside it, because the eye reads a row of curves and catches the one that is wrong immediately.

There are four ways to get there, and this collection has all four:

• A faced scallop, cut into the garment itself and turned with a facing. The cleanest and the most work.
• A scalloped seam, where two panels meet along a curved line rather than a straight one.
• Scalloped lace or guipure, where the border of the lace is already scalloped and the hem is cut to follow it.
• Applied scallop trim, a braid or loop tape laid along a neckline or waist.

Where the scallop sits, piece by piece

Noor ($278) is the one to look at first. The scallop is not on the hem — it runs vertically down the front, where the pink linen meets the yellow, with a button set into every curve. A colour-block seam that scallops instead of running straight. Square neck, wide straps, midi length.

Mosaic ($258) finishes a patchwork mini with a band of coral guipure lace whose own scalloped border becomes the hem.

Malta ($128) carries a gold looped scallop braid twice — along the boat neckline and again at the dropped waist where the ruffle begins, on a checked silk mini.

Casablanca ($298) edges an off-shoulder pinstripe wrap midi in white daisy guipure, following the neckline and then the whole asymmetric wrap hem.

Gia ($378) is the evening one — gold lamé burnout velvet with sheer printed bell sleeves, finished at the off-shoulder neckline with a blue scalloped loop braid.

Haveli ($258) scallops the hem of a printed patchwork midi and hangs a tassel from the point of each curve.

Three more pieces here sit next to the scallop rather than on it, and I would rather say so than let you order the wrong thing. Kesar ($228) and René ($178) are finished in white ric-rac — a zigzag braid, the scallop's angular cousin, and the same workroom tradition. Amber ($278) is hand embroidered with cream grosgrain banding and no scallop at all; it is here because it belongs to the same family of trimmed cotton dresses.

Scallops are not a trend, which is the point

No one is going to tell you scalloped edges are the look of the season, because they are not. They have been in couture for a century and they will be there next year. That is the argument for buying one.

What the season does say is that edges matter again. Who What Wear's six fall 2026 dress trends, published in September, is headlined "elegant, opulent and romantic" and names lace trim among them — "lace-trimmed dresses are one style that's here to stay." Marie Claire's spring 2026 dress trends lists lace-trimmed dresses too. And WWD found fall 2026 eveningwear turning decidedly more decorated.

A scalloped edge is the quietest version of that. It reads as considered rather than loud, which is why it works on a dress you want to wear for ten years.

What to wear it to

A scalloped hem draws the eye to wherever it sits, so it rewards being seen: standing, walking, photographed. It is wasted under a table.

Noor and Casablanca are built for daytime occasions — a garden party, a lunch, a shower, a graduation. Malta and Mosaic are short and quick and suit a cocktail evening. Gia is the formal occasion dress. Haveli and the Taj kaftan ($298) travel well and crease little.

Keep what you put with it plain. The edge is the detail; it does not need a second one competing with it.

More to browse

By length: mini, midi and maxi dresses. By detail: lace, floral, one shoulder, shirt, sheath, A-line and kaftans. By occasion: wedding guest and special occasion dresses.

Read more: every wedding dress code explained, cocktail attire versus party attire, and how to care for embroidered and trimmed pieces — worth reading before you wash anything with a lace border.

Sizes XS through 3XL. Check the size chart first. Free US shipping over $250. Afterpay available. Ships from Scottsdale, AZ within 1–3 business days.

Questions I get asked

What is a scalloped dress?

A dress with a row of shallow, repeating curves worked into an edge instead of a straight line. The scallop can sit on the hem, the neckline, the sleeve opening, or along a seam where two panels meet. It can be cut into the fabric and faced, formed by the border of a scalloped lace, or applied as a braid.

Why do scalloped dresses cost more?

Because the edge takes several times longer to finish. Each curve is stitched, clipped, turned and pressed so the fabric lies flat, and every scallop has to match its neighbours or the eye catches the odd one out. A straight hem is a single line of stitching; a scalloped hem is the slowest edge in the workroom.

Are scalloped edges in style?

They are not a seasonal trend and never have been, which is their advantage — a scalloped dress does not date the way a trend piece does. What is current is trimmed edges generally: Who What Wear and Marie Claire both named lace-trimmed dresses among 2026's dress trends, and scalloped lace is the oldest version of that idea.

What is the difference between a scallop and ric-rac?

A scallop is a row of rounded curves; ric-rac is a zigzag braid with points instead of curves. Both are applied edge finishes from the same workroom tradition, and ric-rac is the faster and more casual of the two. Two dresses in this collection use ric-rac rather than a true scallop, and I have said which.

What should I wear with a scalloped dress?

As little as possible. The scallop is already the detail, so a second decorative element beside it reads as clutter. Keep the shoe and the bag plain and let the edge do the work. If you want to add something, add it at the ear, well away from the scalloped edge itself.

How do I wash a dress with a scalloped lace hem?

By hand, flat, in cool water, and never wrung. Guipure and cotton lace borders hold their shape well but will stretch if you hang them wet. Dry flat on a towel and press on the reverse with a cloth between the iron and the lace. The full method is in my garment care guide.

Does a scalloped hem shorten well?

No, and this is worth knowing before you buy. A scalloped hem is cut as a complete row of curves, so taking it up means recutting the whole edge rather than simply turning it. Choose the length you want from the start, and check the size chart against your own measurements before ordering.