This Controversial Silhouette Is Preparing for a Surprisingly Chic Return

During arguably my most questionable style years (aka when I was in high school in the early 2010s), I had a burgundy peplum top that I swear I wore once a week at least. At the time, it was, to me, the perfect shirt, elegant and stylish with just the right level of drama. Even so, when the controversial silhouette was deemed “out” not long after, I shunned it. For years after, whenever I stumbled upon one of the hundreds of digital camera photos I took in it, I shuttered, traumatized by my own style choices.

It wasn’t until a few months ago that the idea of wearing anything peplum-related even entered my mind. Inspired by two things—the U.K.-based brand Liberowe’s velvet, peplum lady jackets and Proenza Schouler’s hourglass-style peplum offerings from fall/winter 2022—I began to question all the undeserved hate I’d thrown at the peplum trend over the last decade. Modernized and stylized, the new-age versions that the aforementioned brands and more are introducing in recent years are more than worth a second thought, and in turn, a second chance.