Dress: Dorothy Perkins
Shoes: Wittner
One trend this season that has more or less passed me by is the peplum.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the style. It’s retro and ladylike, and a good peplum helps create an hourglass shape, which I kind of covet.
It just seems to be a hard thing to get right.
The peplums I’d tried in the past had been too long, too short, too full or not full enough. The tops looked wrong over every skirt that I had, and the dresses had peplums in the wrong place, creating extra volume exactly where I didn’t want it instead of where I did.
I decided to let the trend pass me by. At least, until I saw this dress on Dorothy Perkins.
It had the frill of a peplum, but without the sticky-out factor. The volume was all at the hips with none on the belly. The peplum curved like the petals of a flower. And then there was that bow.
I decided to give the peplum trend a final try, and I was rewarded by this fun hot pink confection of a dress.
I like the V of panelling on the bodice, and the way the seams break up what would have otherwise been a blank expanse of fuchsia. The panelling draws the eye away from my bust and towards the narrowest part of my body, then the V is almost mirrored by the way the the peplum falls away from the curve of my belly.
The peplum follows the silhouette of the dress, emphasising the swell of my hips without accentuating them too dramatically. I definitely think it’s the most successful incarnation of the peplum trend for my body shape, and it’s given me the confidence to give the style a second chance.
Here’s a few more examples that I think would work well for me (spoiler, I’ve already bought one of these items!)
Sweetheart Neck Panelled Peplum Dress
Peplum Coat with Belt
Gypsy Dress
Gorgeous cut on you and wonderful colour! You look marvelous 🙂 Not sure it would work on my pear-ish physique though….
Hi,
It’s definitely a challenging trend. I think will most things it’s just about finding the style that works for you, but it’s always important to be comfortable first 🙂
The dress looks tops on you AND that Dorothy Perkins jacket you picked out is a real winner, let me just say from experience 🙂
I have gone all out on peplums (I must just get round to doing a post on them before they fall out of fashion completely!). They are so flattering, I think because they skim over the muffin tops and saddle bags and create a really nice hourglass. PEPLUMS FTW!
Muffin tops and saddle bags are really horrible words that I wish were not in my vocabulary 🙁
Muffins tops are the crispy part that gets extra bakes when you’re making cupcakes or muffins. Saddle bags are probably very helpful when you’re riding horses 😉
But otherwise yes: not words to use in relation to yourself <3
It’s a good one? I haven’t seen it on your blog, but I’m seriously tempted!
I managed to buy a peplum jacket sort of by accident, and it’s taken me about a month to figure out what makes peplum work (on me), but I eventually disovered that what is needed is that I pair it with something that doesn’t add any extra bulk to any part of my lower body. It looks great with pencil skirts and skinny jeans.
It’s a tricky trend, isn’t it Veronica? I had a peplum jacket from City Chic but I discovered that I never wore it because the only thing it went with was full skirts, and then it looked all Victorian and Mary Poppins-ish!
And isn’t that color gorgeous on you too! Reminds me I bought that Leona one on sale big time and its sitting in my wardrobe- should get it out 🙂
Definitely should, Shell! Was it that nice a-line skirt one with the wrapped peplum at the front? I loved that one 🙂
It is and it cost $30!! But I think I’m too short waisted for it really 🙁
Love that colour and style on you. Love peplum but doesn’t work on me. The leona dress is gorgeous but alas sold out! Drats, hubby will be pleased though.
LOL, I know. I’ve seen it in one or two of the Leona Edmiston shop fronts though, so tell your husband not to relax yet 😉
That colour is gorgeous on you, Lilli! And what a cute peplum dress. I love the trend but it really doesn’t work on my pear-shaped bod.
Which did you buy? The Leona Edmiston dress? After seeing you in all your gorgeous LE dresses I bought my first one this summer. It wears like a dream 🙂
Hi Jo,
glad you’re loving your Leona dress. Which one did you get?
The Circle Line dress from the Myer collection & the Kristen dress from the Ruby collection 🙂
I love your dress! It looks gorgeous on you.
I am in love with the Gypsy Dress. So pretty and a v neck. My best friend.
I have that ASOS coat in Ox Blood. Another trend!
Ah hah! I bought that jacket too, but in Oatmeal (I already had a red jacket in that length)
Love it!
So beautiful on you, Lilli! The proportions / seaming / construction / bow are exactly right, plus that lovely colour. The navy jacket you feature gets the thumbs-up from me!
Thanks Amber. I’m pretty seriously tempted by that jacket!
Oh em gee, I wish I could find that on the website. You look STUNNING.
I know! They had it in pale pink, too. I wanted to go back and buy it in the other colour, but it had already disappeared.
The colour looks great on you, as does shape and style 🙂
Thanks Catherine – I’m pretty happy with it 🙂
You look gorgeous. It fits You so much. I can’t stop staring at You.
Thank you 🙂
Love the dress and colour on you. And I know you’ve probably worn nude pumps to elongate your legs and make the dress the focus, but I’d just love to see it with bright shoes too – like the patent yellow pumps or even the two tones in your masthead, and cute primary-colour jewellery. Fun.
I like that idea, HellB! Thanks I’ll give it a try next time I wear the dress 🙂