Peplum
Also known as: Peplum flare, Basque frill
Flared frill attached at the waist of blouses, blazers or dresses — accentuates the waist and softens the hips.
Description
A peplum is a short, usually flared or gathered piece of fabric attached at the waist of a top, falling over the hips. The name traces back to Greco-Roman antiquity, where a peplos covered the upper body. Modern fashion adopted the peplum in the 1940s and revived it strongly in the 1980s and again from around 2010.
Peplums appear on blazers, blouses, dresses, bustiers and, increasingly, on smart service waistcoats. They create a clearly defined waist (X-silhouette) and draw the eye away from stomach and hips. Constructions include the circle peplum (bell-shaped, high volume), the pleated peplum (box pleats, strict), the ruffle peplum (all round) and the front peplum (front only). A clean waist seam and a fabric with enough body (twill, ponte, crêpe) are crucial so the peplum keeps its shape.
- Emphasises the waist (classic X-silhouette)
- Softens the hip area without adding bulk
- Variants: circle, pleated, ruffle, front-only
- Popular in corporate wear for women's blazers and service vests
Properties
| Position | Attached at the waist |
|---|---|
| Variants | Circle, pleated, ruffle, front-only |
| Silhouette effect | Emphasised waist, softened hips (X-silhouette) |
| Preferred fabrics | Twill, ponte roma, crêpe, neoprene jersey |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Peplum (Deutsch) Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peplum
- Wikipedia: Peplum (clothing, English) Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peplum_(clothing)
