Get Peppy With Peplum

This spring, put a little bit of pep in the step you take from your closet to the sidewalk, as the mid- to late-fifties style trend known as peplum is back for another round. 

When visualizing peplum, think of old school glamour, nipped-in waistlines, and a little bit of volume added out from the waist. Do not fret: Peplum glam is supposed to add curves in all the right places. It can be as easy as adding a bit of “peppy” flare at the tail end of a blazer or giving a simple flounce to the waistline of a skirt. Either way, the trend preaches spring with each effortless bounce. 

True, peplums may seem couture (thank you, Christian Dior), but Marc Jacobs was able to give the old peplum style some street cred. By adding some flare to ready-to-wear skirts, like his Ellsworth Taffeta Dress, he has transported this look from Paris haute couture to coffee shop chic.

Text Katelyn Chef 
Sources Style.com and Marc Jacobs
Image Style.com

Stella McCartney’s Pre-Fall 2012 Collection

Step into Stella McCartney’s clothes and you’ll immediately feel runway ready (or set for any fancy affair, as her British Fashion Council Red Carpet Award would indicate). But this Brit’s delicate designs are truly wearable for any occasion, which the fashion heavyweight certainly showed off in her pre-fall 2012 presentation. Instead of sending her looks down a catwalk pre-season, McCartney prefers to throw fashion-infused soirees in where her models mingle among guests, exemplifying how her designs really stand out in the crowd. And her latest event was yet another success, with models casually displaying her versatile collection as they played pool, board games, and chatted over a live jazz band at a cozy New York City restaurant.

Even without the scenic atmosphere, there’s certainly a lot to take in with this collection, from monogrammed suits to chic, slouchy riding paints and structured jackets to a to-die-for plaid blanket coat. But our favorite theme — and this year’s standout trend — is McCartney’s sleek peplum detailing on shirts and dresses, like the beautiful brocade piece pictured above. Now, if only Stella would throw another party (and send us an invite) so we had an excuse to wear it ASAP!

Text Kara Solarz
Image Style.com