The definition of a peplum is a short overskirt or ruffle attached at the waistline of a jacket, blouse or dress. But the real question is not what it is – but why it’s gotten so popular in the past season! Everyone who’s anyone in the celeb world has explored the peplum–including the Duchess of Cambridge herself! It’s timeless, feminine and adds just the right kind of oomph to the outfit and even covers up a stomach that’s not necessarily flat.
Everyone from Emma Watson to Charlize Theron has worn the peplum and can be worn in a variety of shapes and styles. Here are four of the most interesting:
Little Peplum
As mentioned above, peplums come in all shapes and styles, but they also come in all sizes. Just because you want to wear peplum doesn’t mean you have to go all out and exaggerate your waistline. Do what Christina Applegate did with her red MaxMara dress and exaggerate your outfit just a smidgen. It’s flirty and fun and you can’t say you didn’t try the trend!
Print Peplum
Sometimes when you mix peplum and prints, you may be going too far because you have to much of everything at once. For some reason though, Leelee Sobieski‘s painted peplum number didn’t do that in the slightest and instead, she looked both current and Victorian at the same time (if that’s even possible). Not many designers can make this work, but Mary Katrantzou, with her geometric shapes and kaleidoscope prints has proven time and time again that she can. Patterns are tricky, so be careful when pairing peplum and prints. I would do what Leelee did and wear a smooth peplum instead of focusing on the ruffles, which would be over-the-top when blended with busy patterns.
“Jazz It Up” Peplum
We all know Jennifer Aniston doesn’t like to go into detail when it comes to her clothes. She keeps it pretty simple most of the time, opting for casual boyfriend jeans, or a black leather dress if she does want to look just a little more glamorous. So it was a bit of a surprise to see her in this black and white striped Tom Ford dress from Spring/Summer 2012. Here’s a perfect example of a star using a peplum as a way to spruce up her outfit, without going overboard. Jennifer, who’s known for wearing an LBD on the red carpet, opted for something different with this getup, which is only enhanced by the leather trim and cool peplum detail. Just as well, it seems to fit her body perfectly around the hips. When all else fails, jazz it up.
The First Peplum
I call this Giambattista Valli wool crepe puff skirt look on Emma Stone ‘the first peplum’ because it’s really the first peplum I remember seeing on the red carpet. This was worn at a movie premiere in July 2011 before all the designers put peplum on their Spring 2012 runways that September. Not sure if it really WAS the first peplum, but it’s the first one I personally remember seeing. While I don’t always love what Stone wears, I can’t say that she’s not ahead of her time. While the peplum is no longer “ahead of its time,” I can say with certainty that it’s the perfect way to add some finesse to your fashion the way Emma did just a year ago.
– Simona Kogan
Photos:
Christina Applegate: People.com
Leelee Sobieski: Whowhatwear.com
Jennifer Anniston: Stylebistro.com
Emma Stone: People.com
Image Layout: Second City Style
