So - before I start this post, I have two confessions to make. The first, is that despite my writing a post about how to wear something that follows the peplum trend, I own no peplum. I have looked at peplum, and am now writing this on the subject, but currently have none in my wardrobe. The second confession is that I doubled-up on trends in this post - peplum and colour-blocking. Both are good for spring. I like colour, so colour-blocking is almost second-nature to me at this point. I apologize in advance if it is too much for your tender eyeballs.
So - peplum. This was a huge trend on the runways this past spring.
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| Photo Cred |
Now, because peplum is a trend, I want to go ahead with a disclaimer that highlights the fact that just because this is a trend, does not necessarily mean that it is going to work on your body type. As much as I think that peplum in particular can translate well between body types, you have to wear what makes you comfortable, and what you think looks good on you.
Peplum is a really, really girly concept. It's frilly, and it highlights how tiny your natural waist is. Because of this, it can work well on curvier girls (like myself), because it will highlight your enviable hourglass shape, however, on those of you with thinner, or more boyish body types, it can also create the illusion of curves that may or may not be present.
Peplum also comes in 3 major forms: the top, the dress, and the skirt. The peplum dress is probably the most commonly seen variety. It has been seen on numerous celebrities recently, and may be the easiest to translate into your wardrobe. We're going to look at all three.
The first way I played with was through a top:
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I actually think I like the peplum top best of all of the peplums. Pencil skirts make me batty, so I like that you can do peplum and pants here! To avoid looking too stuffy, and to throw in a little colour-blocking, I pulled in a contrasting bright blue cardigan to go with my yellow top. Because Jeans are a pseudo-neutral, and I already went with two super-bright things on top, I kept the rest of the accessories fairly simple, and neutral. Flat shoes and an army-inspired bag keep the outfit from being too over-the-top girly, while the ring pulls a little feminine touch back in.
The second way I played with this is in a dress:
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This is one look that I feel like could work from office to a night out. I like that the knee-length of the dress and the blazer keep the whole thing classy and work appropriate - to go from office to party, you would just have to change to black pumps, ditch the blazer, change to dangly earrings, and swap the tote for a clutch. That's not entirely unreasonable, I don't think. you could also dress it down by changing to flats and a cardigan instead. It's actually a very versatile piece, considering that it is so trendy. The solid colour helps in that regard, for sure.
The third (and final!) way that I experimented with the peplum trend is in skirt-form.
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I tried to keep this outfit way more casual than the first two - I envision this for a day out with friends, or even a casual daytime date. The pattern on the top is really playful (I love the palm trees with the Peter Pan collar!) but is still in a neutral colour palette, which really pops the green of the skirt - I also contrasted the green with an orange bag, just because I think using one colour in an outfit is super boring! From these two colours, I kept the rest of the outfit consistent - the bracelets have shades of orange and green in them, and the earrings match almost perfectly. I know a lot of you are probably screaming in your heads at me for pairing a skirt with these tennis shoes, but I quite like it. They're comfortable, and very different - it would be really typical to wear ballet flats, but because we already have an atypical colour palette and print on the top, I figured "why not?" Fashion is supposed to be fun, after all!
So, will you try the peplum trend? I feel like, after posting this, I should hit my local mall and try and find some for myself!
xoxo,
-A.
