Switching our forgiving winter garments for a more flimsy, light and floaty summer collection can be daunting. Giving up your structured pencil skirt and embracing a thigh-skimming mini skirt can provoke panic in those whose legs haven’t seen sun in a few months, but fear not. This summer sees the return of a rather more flattering, feminine skirt style that harks back to the fashionable fifties, a style that will add swish and shape to your summer silhouette.

The dirndl skirt is originally a style associated with traditional Austrian and southern German dress worn by Alpine peasants. Evolving dramatically over the decades, the dirndl has fast become a key trend especially during the 1950s, defining the curves of Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly worn long and flowing with chiffon tops cinched at the waist. Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw was a clear fan of the dirndl wearing dramatically billowing style with pretty pumps and tiny vests. More recently, Brit-pop princess Lily Allen the queen of prom night chic and fond follower of fifties-inspired fashion is often seen sporting a voluminous dirndl skirt or swishy cocktail dress on the red carpet.

The figure-friendly dirndl skirt sits high on the waist, fitted across the hips and billows out, classically to the mid-calf but more modern styles such as those in the spring/summer 2008 Miu Miu collection skim the thighs, splaying out in theatrical angles boosted by layers of tulle. The dirndl can be a real statement skirt. It oozes volume and demands attention; choose tropical prints or block colour styles with special features like oversized bows, thick waist belts and chunky buttons. The perfect summer cover up, this style is great for hiding tummies and bottoms and creates curves in all the right places. Longer styles (to the mid-calf) are elegant and great for long legs, while shorter styles are equally fun with a super-girly edge.

Dirndl skirts are also incredibly versatile. Wear with frothy chiffon blouses tucked in and tamed at the waist or with a fitting vest and cropped jacket, particularly if you’re of a more petite frame to avoid being drowned in swathes of billowing fabric.

As for footwear, the only shoes to accompany the dirndl are the prettiest of ballerina flats. Strappy heels and t-bar sandals look great with a dirndl for a glamorous evening look, but for a more casual daytime style opt for pumps and keep accessories to a minimum letting the volume and swishy swish movement of your new favourite skirt do all the talking.