The conversation around Olivia Rodrigo's love of babydoll dresses continues. The discourse began a few weeks ago, when the singer-songwriter released her song “Drop Dead.” In the music video for the first single off her forthcoming third album, Rodrigo hangs out in bed in the palace of Versailles, staring at her flashing computer screen. As she plays guitar and frolics through the halls singing along to the sweeping song, we see that she's wearing a short, off-the-shoulder minidress-slash-tunic with a pair of matching bloomer shorts and knee-high socks—something Marie Antoinette would have worn, perhaps, if she'd been a pop star in 2026 and not a queen in the 1770s.
Rodrigo's music video outfit—a look from Chloé’s pre-fall 2026 collection—has sparked some conversation, with some saying the babydoll silhouette is infantilizing, inappropriate, too Lolita. And that conversation has continued since the video made its debut, as Rodrigo has made the style part of her overall aesthetic for the you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love era. The star also wore a mini babydoll for her Spotify Billions Club performance (which is now streaming) in Barcelona, and even told British Vogue that she's obsessed with the look. “My Pinterest is all babydoll dresses and ’70s necklines," she said of her inspiration for the album's overall vibe. "I want it all to feel fun and laid-back.”
Not long after, Rodrigo told Vogue about why she was so drawn to the babydoll silhouette in the first place, including the set she wore in the “Drop Dead” music video. “I just remember being younger and having pictures of Courtney Love and Kat Bjelland from all these riot grrrl punk bands in their babydoll dresses, just owning it,” the star explained. “I always thought that that was really cool, and so I like that there’s an element of that. I also like that it kind of feels a little pajama-y," which, she notes, worked well in the fairytale, otherworldly Versailles setting. “Like, oh, I just woke up and I’m in Versailles, I’m traipsing through the halls in this outfit that I maybe could have just woken up in. That was sort of the nexus of it, and I think the colors went really well with the beautiful gold backdrop and then tied into my album imagery as well."
She also noted the difference between what she wears in her personal life and while performing. "I think everything that I wear on stage and in videos is a really heightened version of how I feel in my day-to-day life," Rodrigo said. “… It's really nice to express myself through clothes and tell stories through clothes because I think that that’s a huge part of an album rollout. I always try to keep that in mind when I’m picking out stuff for videos and for tour.”
As thoughtful and understandable as these comments may be, people still have feelings about the babydoll dress and Rodrigo's choice to make it an integral part of her on- and offstage wardrobe. The dress is cute, but it is polarizing! (A quick scroll through this Deuxmoi post will give you a pretty good idea.) Some are annoyed by the tone of the conversation and how Rodrigo is being policed in her choice of garments. “STOP BLAMING WOMEN FOR WANTING TO WEAR WHATEVER THEY WANT. START BLAMING MEN WHO’VE MADE IT ‘CREEPY’ TO DO SO," one Threads user wrote. Others noted that Rodrigo's personal style is more polished and traditionally feminine than the punkier looks of her forebears, and her version feels more childlike than rock chick. “This is bullsh*t. Courtney was kicking over amps, wearing smeared makeup and ratted hair while screaming and flipping off the crowd and cameras,” one Threads user wrote. “Olivia is rolling around in a bed wearing thigh highs, full glam, and singing in an intentionally soft voice. She can do whatever she wants but if what she wants to do is pander to the creepiest of male gazes she’s gonna catch heat, don’t pretend it’s emulating 90s [sic[ chicks cause it’s not.”
But sometimes, as one Threads user pointed out, a dress is just a dress! “Why are people losing their minds over this?! Even without context it’s clearly a 90’s [sic] throwback look,” wrote one. “It’s also an interesting play on her girlie rebel rock aesthetic. Men are disgusting and she shouldn’t be blamed for that. If this was a different artist maybe a discussion could be had but we know Olivia’s artistic POV.”
Ahead, learn more about the babydoll dress: what it looks like, when it became popular, and why it resonates with Rodrigo.
What is a babydoll dress?
A babydoll dress is a mini-length dress with a loose, body-skimming fit. Many babydoll styles have a high empire waist from which the skirt descends, but the empire waist isn't technically required to be considered a babydoll dress. Babydolls are typically sleeveless or have short cap sleeves, and are short in length, generally hitting the mid-thigh or slightly higher.
Babydoll dresses have been popular since the 1940s and were first designed to be worn as lingerie and sleepwear, often in chiffon and paired with with an accompanying set of bloomer shorts like Rodrigo wears in the “Drop Dead” video, or maybe a matching peignoir robe. (Or both!)
Babydoll dresses were more frequently worn as casualwear in the ‘60s, especially as the miniskirt became the ultimate silhouette for young women. Today, babydoll dresses come in all sorts of prints, patterns, colors, and styles, like the fluffy, full-skirted minidresses popularized by the brand Selkie to more faithful, vintage-inspired recreations. They’re just a popular now as they were more than 50 years ago!
What is the babydoll dress's connection to rock music?
Babydolls were worn by countless performers and models over the decades like Kat Bjelland, singer of Babes in Toyland, and Kim Gordon, singer of Sonic Youth. The babydoll dress is also often closely associated with Courtney Love, who wore many vintage babydoll dresses onstage with her band Hole in the '90s and popularized the look for young rocker and riot girls of the era.
With these frontwomen wearing them, babydoll dresses became an icon of the grunge era and were often styled with fishnets and boots to juxtapose their inherent sweetness and girliness, evoking a sense of irony. You can clearly see why the silhouette resonates with Rodrigo; the aesthetic aligns with her sweet-but-spicy, pop-punk and rock-influenced sound.
Babydoll dresses are also a mainstay in fashion; they've appeared on myriad of runways through the years, including Betsey Johnson, Versace, Anna Sui, and Gucci. As we stated above, Rodrigo's “Drop Dead” look was a Chloé design, and the star may have given us a hint at her video wardrobe during Paris Fashion Week, when she attended the brand's show in a blush pink gown. Chop off the skirt and voila! It'd be a babydoll.
Why is the babydoll dress trendy in 2026?
The style has gotten a major stamp of approval from some of today's biggest stars, Rodrigo included, and the loose, easy fit couldn't be more suitable for summertime. “Babydoll dresses embody the ease and effortlessness we crave in summer,” Nyree Leckenby, founder of the Olivia Rodrigo-approved clothing line My Mum Made It, previously told Vogue of the dress's enduring popularity. “The breezy silhouette keeps things light in the heat while still feeling styled and considered. From a design perspective, they strike the perfect mix of comfort and nostalgia without trying too hard. Celebrities love them because they photograph beautifully and carry a sense of romantic ease that still feels fashion–forward and unique.”
Over the past couple of years, we've also seen the rise in romantic styles coincide with the resurgence of grunge aesthetics. Combined with an obsession for vintage shopping and one-of-a-kind finds from thrift stores and Depop sellers, it's not surprising that babydoll dresses have made their way back into our wardrobes.
Just like she does in her music, Rodrigo blends romantic, coquettish designs with grungier, '90s-inspired styles often, drawing inspiration from fashion and rock history as she does so. At a time where coquette trends are criticized for youthful touches like bows, ribbons, and ruffles, the babydoll dress's place in rock and grunge history offers perspective on why the style has nabbed a whole new generation of fans.
