Peplum Pride

I feel a little short off the mark here, but my goodness, aren't peplums everywhere? No, but like really. I'm a serious advocate of the charity/vintage shop, so sometimes my vision gets blurred when an 80's shape comes back to the mainstream, because its been in my field of vision constantly, but this one really is back.

About 6 months ago it adorned catwalks, and editorials alike, taking on many manifestations, but the celebrity wearer started off as somewhat vanilla. Kate Middleton (not hating on Kate fyi) donned a grey one, Victoria Beckham pouted in a pencil skirted one, and aside from causing Kate's sizeable fanbase to embark on yet another mass shopping pilgrimage to Reiss, it didn't, on the whole make for a lasting trend.

This is probably because Kate kind of needs a peplum. She's a skinny lady, and a pencil skirt is not always the skinny lady's friend. The key to a pencil skirt, is not actually resembling a 2B. So not everyone could relate. A trend like the peplum needs the sex factor to get it across the midriffs of England on a larger scale. We need a sexy-fied connoisseur, we need to see how it fairs on a girl with some meat. aka we need to see how big it's gonna make our bums look. 

Then somewhere along the line, Liv Tyler wore the Peplum. Beyonce wore the peplum, Queen of the derriere Kim Kardashian wore the peplum; the nation was hooked. The peplum style is not going to make you look skinner. No no no. The gathered fabric around your middle, kicking out at the waist makes your bum look big. No two ways about it. And the width of your hips in comparison to your waist can look batshit cray. But who says this is a bad thing? 

Turn on every TV Channel, and we see round bums and cinched in waists, the hourglass is back people. The peplum trend is the final look embracing that, and the nation loves it. And having exaggerated curves  in a controlled way feels good. It exudes sexiness, and we're even starting to see this in editorial. The peplum goes hand in hand with the crop top in terms of styling for magazine editorial, and we're seeing skinny minis like Miranda Kerr and Raquel Zimmerman radiating with accentuated curves in magazines that wouldn't have dained to shoot such cleavage or ass before. 

It works because women feel attractive, and men find it attractive. With so many variations to the style, everyone can find a way of incorporating it so it compliments you. As long as you don't end up looking like a lost ballerina, the peplum, in my eyes, can do no wrong. 

Cat-Eye Crazy

My take on Kim Kardashian in Tom Ford's Nikita

OK, so I'm a freelancer. I work from home quite a lot, I have a little studio area, a nice big desktop, a slightly battered laptop and area where I draw and run NKOYO. I'm very lucky I can do this, but as any fellow freelancers know, this sort of set-up can cause lapses in judgement when it comes to a little light entertainment when a tea-break rolls around. Hense my obsession with the Kardashians. This isn't even a piece specifically about the Kardashians, but I feel like its my day in court when it comes to justifying my overall credibility. 


The Kardashians are (in the words of a male friend) everything that's wrong with the world. A shameless display of wealth and celebration of vacuous stupidity, a false representation of life and what should be important...but, I admit it, I'm obsessed. Its cringe-worthy decision making at it's peak, its 72 day marriages, its tantrums, its Birkins, Loubitouns and fake lashes. Its my guilty pleasure. Shoot me.


So it pains me to say that I gleaned what I reckon will be one of this summer's best accessory staples from none other than a Kardashian. It was Kourtney (she's the cold-hearted one.) And the trend was Cat-eye sunglasses. Sure, the Kardashians weren't the ones that pioneered this trend, durr, try Norma Jean, but I love how these 50's throw backs are making a come-back and having a re-work. This generation of cat-eye, are worn to complement the contrasts of the season. Not so much all, out retro, Sandra-Dee, more Rizo with a dose of attitude. The brights mixed with fluoros, the leathers mixed with drapery, the class mixed with trash (hense the Kardashian.)


From a weekend away in Paris I've seen the Kardashian sister's favourites Tom Ford's Nikita in countless windows, and on countless a lady slurping a coffee outside a boulangerie. This didn't surprise me, as they kind of surmise Paris in a spectacle; classic chic with a modern twist. They really are my choice investment for the season. 


If Tom's are a bit pricey, try River Island's for £13 squids.