Body-defining, figure enhancing peplums have been working their way on quite a few runways over the past few seasons(including next spring) so we couldn’t think of a better time to take note on how to incorporate them into your repertoire for an unexpected dose of lady-like chic.
We’ve pulled together some of our favorite uses of peplums for Fall 2011 and jotted a few quick notes down on how to pull them off and make them work for you.
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Stella McCartney (and above)
For Fall, Stella McCartney managed to incorporate 80’s era touchstones such as bold polka-dots, sculpted shapes and peplums for looks that were achingly feminine with a controlled sense of cool(via ingenious tromp l’oeil patterns) that removed her outing from the arena of copy-cat Mugler-ettes.
Marc Jacobs
Marc Jacobs focused on the fetishistic nature of fashion while smartly juxtaposing the severity of dominatrix minded garb with pieces that utilized peplums to conjure up the silhouettes of Dior’s infamous bar jacket -giving the notion of wearing peplum shapes a no-frills, no-fuss confidence.
Giambattista Valli
While the idea of peplums easily fits into Valli’s world of ladies-who-lunch, it was refreshing to see him use them to add a thoroughly modern, sculptural sci-fi bent to his elegant line-up.
What to look for-
- Stay away from classic shapes: avoid familiar shapes and look for peplum pieces that have an unexpected freshness to them to avoid looking too precious
- Choose neutrals: blocks of bold color are a questionable addition to almost any figure
- Look for well made pieces: creating a visual sculpted effect calls for the best construction and highest quality fabrications
- Keep it simple: let your peplum make a singular statement and avoid pairing it with too many bold accessories and trends
- Remember: that while this is a great way to highlight different parts of your body and add a regal elegance to your look, it’s all about precision and finding the best pieces for you… this is one trend you’ll really have to carefully consider to get it right –-Naveed Hussain
More Peplum styles for you to consider: