For the slightly nerdier of our readers the word peplum originates from the ancient Greek word ‘peplos’ essentially meaning tunic and that’s exactly what we mean when we describe a garment as having a peplum design. Peplum dresses, for example, have a small sewn in over skirt, which looks a bit like an elongated hem that covers the hip area. Some examples below:
The peplum design has been around for a very long time and was a big fashion statement in the 1940s, but why has it suddenly come back into vogue and more importantly why on earth would you want to draw attention to a part of your body that most women are pretty sensitive about?
As with any item of clothing the key is getting a good fit, when worn right the peplum design should give you that perfect hourglass silhouette. It’s not about drawing attention to your hips, it’s about getting the shape right. Peplum dresses offer the easiest way to get the entire outfit looking the way it should, as a rule they tend to be trim fitting around the waist area, provide you a bit of extra lift in the bust and then, of course the peplum itself to accentuate your hips. The result is a garment that is perfectly designed to highlight your features, no matter your body shape. It’s essentially a fashion optical illusion; it is all geared towards making your waist look slimmer.
So now hopefully you know a bit more about exactly what your friends are on about when they start talking about peplum. If you haven’t quite got the conviction to go out and buy one for yourself, then our advice would be simply, just give it a go, get something in a plain colour and you will likely be pleasantly surprised at how good it makes you loo
