Dress vs. Skirt: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on October 8, 2023
A "Dress" is a one-piece garment for women, encompassing both top and bottom, while a "Skirt" is a separate lower garment worn around the waist.
Key Differences
"Dress" and "Skirt" are both feminine articles of clothing, but they serve different functions. A "Dress" is an all-in-one outfit, typically covering the body from the shoulders to the legs, while a "Skirt" only covers from the waist down.
When someone dons a "Dress", they're wearing a single piece that combines both a top and a bottom. However, when they wear a "Skirt", they'll also need a separate top, such as a blouse or shirt.
A "Dress" can be worn on many occasions, from formal events to casual outings, based on its style and fabric. "Skirts" offer similar versatility but require coordination with other garments to complete the outfit.
"Dresses" and "Skirts" come in various styles and lengths. While dresses encompass an entire outfit in one piece, skirts focus on the lower half and can be paired with a myriad of tops.
Fashion trends have seen countless iterations of both "Dresses" and "Skirts". Regardless of their differences, both have remained staples in women's wardrobes for generations.
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Comparison Chart
Garment Type
One-piece
Separate piece
Coverage
Shoulders to legs
Waist downwards
Combination with Tops
Integral, no separate top required
Requires a separate top
Occasions
Both formal and casual based on style and fabric
Varies based on style, but always requires a top
Fashion Variability
Styles change as whole outfits
Styles change, but pairing possibilities multiply
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Dress and Skirt Definitions
Dress
An outfit suitable for specific occasions or weather.
She put on a summer Dress for the beach outing.
Skirt
A garment fastened around the waist and hanging down around the legs.
She paired her blouse with a pencil Skirt.
Dress
A garment that can be sleeveless, short-sleeved, or long-sleeved.
She chose a sleeveless Dress for the hot day.
Skirt
An attire that can be of varying lengths, from mini to maxi.
She wore a long Skirt to the evening event.
Dress
To put clothes on; clothe.
Skirt
An article of clothing that doesn't include a top.
She bought a Skirt and needed a matching blouse.
Dress
To furnish with clothing.
Skirt
The part of a garment, such as a dress or coat, that hangs freely from the waist down.
Dress
To decorate or adorn
Dress a Christmas tree.
Skirt
A garment hanging from the waist and worn especially by women and girls.
Dress
To garnish
Dressed the side dish with parsley.
Skirt
One of the leather flaps hanging from the side of a saddle.
Dress
To arrange a display in
Dress a store window.
Skirt
The lower outer section of a rocket vehicle.
Dress
To arrange (troops) in ranks; align.
Skirt
A flexible strip hanging from the base of an air-cushion vehicle.
Dress
To apply medication, bandages, or other therapeutic materials to (a wound).
Skirt
A piece of fabric that extends over or beyond something to afford protection.
Dress
To arrange and groom (the hair), as by styling, combing, or washing.
Skirt
A spray skirt.
Dress
To groom (an animal); curry.
Skirt
An outer edge; a border or margin
A base camp on the skirt of the mountain.
Dress
To fertilize (land or plants).
Skirt
Offensive Slang A woman.
Dress
(Archaic) To cultivate (land or plants).
Skirt
To lie along or form the edge of; border
The creek that skirts our property.
Dress
To clean (fish or fowl) for cooking or sale.
Skirt
To pass around rather than across or through
Changed their course to skirt the storm.
Dress
To put a finish on (stone or wood, for example).
Skirt
To pass close to; miss narrowly
The bullet skirted an artery.
Dress
To tan or prepare (a hide) in leather-making.
Skirt
To evade, as by circumlocution
Skirted the controversial issue.
Dress
To put on clothes.
Skirt
To lie along, move along, or be an edge or a border.
Dress
To wear clothes of a certain kind or style
Dresses casually.
Skirt
An article of clothing, usually worn by women and girls, that hangs from the waist and covers the lower part of the body.
Dress
To wear formal clothes
Dress for dinner.
Skirt
The part of a dress or robe, etc., that hangs below the waist.
Dress
To get into proper alignment with others
The troops dressed on the squad leader.
Skirt
A loose edging to any part of a dress.
Dress
Clothing; apparel.
Skirt
A petticoat.
Dress
A style of clothing
Folk dancers in peasant dress.
Skirt
A woman.
Dress
A one-piece outer garment consisting of a skirt and bodice.
Skirt
Women collectively, in a sexual context.
Dress
Outer covering or appearance; guise
An ancient ritual in modern dress.
Skirt
Sexual intercourse with a woman.
Dress
Suitable for formal occasions
Dress shoes.
Skirt
Border; edge; margin; extreme part of anything.
Dress
Requiring formal clothes
A dress dinner.
Skirt
The diaphragm, or midriff, in animals
Dress
(transitive)
Skirt
To be on or form the border of.
The plain was skirted by rows of trees.
Dress
To put clothes (or, formerly, armour) on (oneself or someone, a doll, a mannequin, etc.); to clothe.
He was dressed in the latest fashions.
Skirt
To move around or along the border of; to avoid the center of.
Skirt a mountain
Dress
To design, make, provide, or select clothes (for someone).
The fashion designer was proud to have dressed the queen for the charity event.
Skirt
To cover with a skirt; to surround.
Dress
To arrange or style (someone's hair).
Skirt
To avoid or ignore (something); to manage to avoid (something or a problem); to skate by (something).
He skirted the issue of which parties to attend by staying at home instead.
Dress
To adorn or ornament (something).
It was time to dress the windows for Christmas again.
Skirt
The lower and loose part of a coat, dress, or other like garment; the part below the waist; as, the skirt of a coat, a dress, or a mantle.
Dress
To apply a dressing to or otherwise treat (a wound); (obsolete) to give (a wounded person) medical aid.
Skirt
A loose edging to any part of a dress.
A narrow lace, or a small skirt of ruffled linen, which runs along the upper part of the stays before, and crosses the breast, being a part of the tucker, is called the modesty piece.
Dress
To fit or prepare (something) for use; to render (something) suitable for an intended purpose; to get ready.
In mining and metallurgy, to dress ores by sorting and separating them
Skirt
Border; edge; margin; extreme part of anything
Dress
To cultivate or tend to (a garden, land, plants, etc.); especially, to add fertilizer or manure to (soil); to fertilize, to manure.
Skirt
A petticoat.
Dress
To cut up (an animal or its flesh) for food; specifically (hunting), to remove the internal organs (of a game animal) shortly after it has been killed so that the carcass cools more quickly; to field dress.
Skirt
The diaphragm, or midriff, in animals.
Dress
(cooking) To prepare (food) for cooking or eating, especially by seasoning it; specifically, to add a dressing or sauce (to food, especially a salad).
Skirt
To cover with a skirt; to surround.
Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold.
Dress
(military) To arrange (soldiers or troops) into proper formation; especially, to adjust (soldiers or troops) into straight lines and at a proper distance from each other; to align.
To dress the ranks
Skirt
To border; to form the border or edge of; to run along the edge of; as, the plain was skirted by rows of trees.
Dress
To treat (someone) in a particular manner; specifically, in an appropriate or fitting manner; to give (someone) a deserved beating; also, to give (someone) a good scolding; to dress down.
Skirt
To be on the border; to live near the border, or extremity.
Savages . . . who skirt along our western frontiers.
Dress
(obsolete) To break in and train (a horse or other animal) for use.
Skirt
Cloth covering that forms the part of a garment below the waist
Dress
To prepare (oneself); to make ready.
Skirt
A garment hanging from the waist; worn mainly by girls and women
Dress
(intransitive)
Skirt
Informal terms for a (young) woman
Dress
To put on clothes.
Get dressed
I rose and dressed before daybreak.
It’s very cold out. Dress warm.
Skirt
Avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues);
He dodged the issue
She skirted the problem
They tend to evade their responsibilities
He evaded the questions skillfully
Dress
Of a thing: to attain a certain condition after undergoing some process or treatment to fit or prepare it for use.
Skirt
Pass around or about; move along the border;
The boat skirted the coast
Dress
To allow one's penis to fall to one side or the other within one's trousers.
While measuring him for his trousers, the tailor asked him if he dressed to the left or the right.
Skirt
Form the edge of
Dress
(slang) cross-dress
Skirt
Extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle;
The forest surrounds my property
Dress
Of an animal carcass: to have a certain quantity or weight after removal of the internal organs and skin; also, to have a certain appearance after being cut up and prepared for cooking.
Skirt
A separate piece of clothing for the lower body.
Her pleated Skirt spun as she twirled.
Dress
Of soldiers or troops: to arrange into proper formation; especially, to form into straight lines and at a proper distance from each other.
Skirt
A garment often made of fabric that can flow or be structured.
The Skirt had a structured silhouette, perfect for the office.
Dress
(sports) Of a sportsperson: to put on the uniform and have the equipment needed to play a sport.
Due to a left ankle sprain, the basketball player did not dress for the game against Indiana.
Dress
(countable)
Dress
An item of clothing (usually worn by a woman or young girl) which both covers the upper part of the body and includes a skirt below the waist.
Amy and Mary looked very pretty in their dresses.
Dress
(archaic) An item of outer clothing or set of such clothes (worn by people of all sexes) which is generally decorative and appropriate for a particular occasion, profession, etc.
Dress
Ellipsis of dress rehearsal
Dress
(uncountable)
Dress
Apparel or clothing, especially when appropriate for a particular occasion, profession, etc.
Military dress
He came to the party in formal dress.
Dress
(archaic) The act of putting on clothes, especially fashionable ones, or for a particular (especially formal) occasion.
Dress
(by extension)
Dress
(obsolete) The act of applying a dressing to or otherwise treating a wound; also, the dressing so applied.
Dress
To direct; to put right or straight; to regulate; to order.
At all times thou shalt bless God and pray Him to dress thy ways.
To Grisild again will I me dresse.
Dress
To arrange in exact continuity of line, as soldiers; commonly to adjust to a straight line and at proper distance; to align; as, to dress the ranks.
Dress
To treat methodically with remedies, bandages, or curative appliances, as a sore, an ulcer, a wound, or a wounded or diseased part.
Dress
To adjust; to put in good order; to arrange; specifically: (a) To prepare for use; to fit for any use; to render suitable for an intended purpose; to get ready; as, to dress a slain animal; to dress meat; to dress leather or cloth; to dress or trim a lamp; to dress a garden; to dress a horse, by currying and rubbing; to dress grain, by cleansing it; in mining and metallurgy, to dress ores, by sorting and separating them.
And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it.
When he dresseth the lamps he shall burn incense.
Three hundred horses . . . smoothly dressed.
Dressing their hair with the white sea flower.
If he felt obliged to expostulate, he might have dressed his censures in a kinder form.
Dress
To cut to proper dimensions, or give proper shape to, as to a tool by hammering; also, to smooth or finish.
Dress
To put in proper condition by appareling, as the body; to put clothes upon; to apparel; to invest with garments or rich decorations; to clothe; to deck.
Dressed myself in such humility.
Prove that ever Idress myself handsome till thy return.
Dress
To break and train for use, as a horse or other animal.
Dress
To arrange one's self in due position in a line of soldiers; - the word of command to form alignment in ranks; as, Dress right, dress!
Dress
To clothe or apparel one's self; to put on one's garments; to pay particular regard to dress; as, to dress quickly.
To flaunt, to dress, to dance, to thrum.
Dress
That which is used as the covering or ornament of the body; clothes; garments; habit; apparel.
Dress
A lady's gown; as, silk or a velvet dress.
Dress
Attention to apparel, or skill in adjusting it.
Men of pleasure, dress, and gallantry.
Dress
The system of furrows on the face of a millstone.
Dress
A one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice
Dress
Clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion;
Formal attire
Battle dress
Dress
Clothing in general;
She was refined in her choice of apparel
He always bought his clothes at the same store
Fastidious about his dress
Dress
Put on clothes;
We had to dress quickly
Dress the patient
Can the child dress by herself?
Dress
Provide with clothes or put clothes on;
Parents must feed and dress their child
Dress
Put a finish on;
Dress the surface smooth
Dress
Dress in a certain manner;
She dresses in the latest Paris fashion
He dressed up in a suit and tie
Dress
Dress or groom with elaborate care;
She likes to dress when going to the opera
Dress
Kill and prepare for market or consumption;
Dress a turkey
Dress
Arrange in ranks;
Dress troops
Dress
Decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods
Dress
Provide with decoration;
Dress the windows
Dress
Put a dressing on;
Dress the salads
Dress
Cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of;
Dress the plants in the garden
Dress
Cut down rough-hewn (lumber) to standard thickness and width
Dress
Convert into leather;
Dress the tanned skins
Dress
Apply a bandage or medication to;
Dress the victim's wounds
Dress
Give a neat appearance to;
Groom the dogs
Dress the horses
Dress
Arrange attractively;
Dress my hair for the wedding
Dress
Suitable for formal occasions;
Formal wear
A full-dress uniform
Dress shoes
Dress
(of an occasion) requiring formal clothes;
A dress dinner
A full-dress ceremony
Dress
A one-piece garment worn by women or girls.
She wore a red Dress to the party.
Dress
An attire that covers both upper and lower body.
The floral Dress suited her perfectly.
Dress
A piece of clothing typically cinched at the waist.
Her Dress flowed elegantly as she danced.
FAQs
Is a "Dress" always formal wear?
No, a "Dress" can be either formal or casual depending on its style and material.
Is a "Dress" always long-sleeved?
No, "Dresses" come in sleeveless, short-sleeved, long-sleeved styles, and more.
Can "Skirts" be sporty?
Yes, certain "Skirts" like skorts (combined skirt and shorts) are designed for athletic activities.
Is a "Dress" restrictive?
Not necessarily. While some "Dresses" are form-fitting, many are designed for comfort and movement.
Can "Skirts" be worn in winter?
Yes, "Skirts" can be made of warmer materials and paired with tights or leggings for colder weather.
Are "Skirts" only for women?
Traditionally, "Skirts" are seen as feminine, but they can be worn by anyone regardless of gender.
Are "Dresses" and "Skirts" seasonal?
They can be worn year-round, but fabric and style might vary with seasons.
Can men wear "Skirts"?
While traditionally feminine, "Skirts" can be and are worn by men in various cultures and fashion contexts.
Are "Dresses" always expensive?
No, "Dresses" vary in price based on brand, material, and design.
Can a "Dress" have pockets?
Yes, some "Dresses" are designed with pockets.
Are "Skirts" uncomfortable?
Comfort varies based on fit, material, and personal preference.
Is a "Dress" only for special occasions?
No, "Dresses" can be worn on both everyday and special occasions.
How is a "Skirt" different from shorts?
A "Skirt" is a single piece of fabric around the waist, while shorts have separate leg openings.
Can men wear a "Dress"?
While traditionally feminine, anyone can wear a "Dress" if they choose to.
How should one style a "Skirt"?
"Skirts" can be styled with various tops, shoes, and accessories depending on the desired look.
Can a "Skirt" be formal?
Yes, certain "Skirts" like pencil or A-line skirts can be worn as formal attire.
Is there a male equivalent to a "Skirt"?
While "Skirts" can be unisex, kilts are a similar garment traditionally worn by men in certain cultures.
Can a "Dress" be casual?
Yes, many "Dresses" are designed for everyday wear.
How do you differentiate between a "Skirt" and a "Dress"?
A "Dress" is a one-piece garment covering the upper and lower body, while a "Skirt" is a separate lower garment.
Are "Dresses" only for adults?
No, "Dresses" are made for all age groups, from infants to adults.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
