Peplums: Shall We Flounce?

As one old saying goes, “There is nothing new under the sun.” And that applies to peplums – flared pieces of cloth that are sewn into the waistline of a garment to accentuate an hourglass figure or add a bit of flounce and frill.

The style is thousands of years old and originated with a short, belted Greek tunic called a “peplos.” From there, it evolved into the Renaissance-era doublet jacket for men and short overskirt for women, both of which emphasized the hips. Overskirts became popular again in the 1800s and, more recently, with the mid-century New Look and 1980s power suits and wiggle dresses. Since then, peplums have tended to go in and out of style, but lately they’ve been seen again on designer runways and star-studded red carpets.

Which just proves another old saying, “Everything old is new again.” So, if you’d like to add this old-new fashion trend to your wardrobe – or if you’d just like to see some lovely eye candy – check out the offerings below from our Vintage Fashion Guild members.

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