Lace & Pearls

A Seattle Style blog. Helping women who struggle with their personal style or those who just need a fashion fix!

Tips For Styling a Peplum Top

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📷’s by Luba Kochubey Portraits

Top: Who What Wear (similar)| Pants: J.Crew On Sale! | Shoes: Josef Seibel | Ring: Stella & Dot | Earrings: Lucia K. Jewelry (use Laceandpearls20 to get 20% off your order)| Necklace: Kendra Scott (via Rocksbox) use code laceandpearlsblogxoxo at checkout to receive your first month free |Purse: Michael Michael Kors (similar) |  Lipstick: Wet n Wild (Pretty Persimmon)

I am a big fan of the peplum top! Even though they have the stigma of being costumey and unappealing to men, they can be styled into a modern wardrobe.

It can be challenging to find the perfect fit; many are boxy or voluminous. I recommend choosing one that is slim through the body and going down a size when possible.

This peplum is a bit oversized, but it was the last one and I couldn’t find a smaller size online.  I am still happy I got it. If you know me, I am not a fan of black. I only ever wear it in a pant or coat. I made an exception with this piece given the girly style. The eyelets also gave it a more delicate touch.

Traditionally peplums tops are worn with a pencil skirt. With that said, you want to focus on keeping your bottom half looking slim.

Tips for Wearing a Peplum

  1. Keep it simple. Avoid extra fabric around the hip area if you’re curvy.
  2. Think streamlined. Wear your peplum top or jacket with skinny jeans or a pant. This look is fail-proof and gives a slim silhouette. A wide leg pant would also look great.
  3. Wear a heel. To elongate the frame, wear a heel or platform shoe.
  4. Keep accessories to a minimum. The peplum is your statement piece, so it’s not necessary to pile on the accessories. I did opt for a simple pendant, earrings, and some layering rings.

Choosing the Right Peplum for You

Peplums can have both slimming and voluminous effects. Use these tips to determine the best one for your frame.

  1. If your middle is on the thicker side, choose a flowy peplum with a little extra fabric. This is my tried and true fashion tip for every top I own (not just the peplum).
  2. To accentuate your waist, wear a peplum top or jacket that falls above the hips.
  3. If you’re petite, wear your peplum top with an a-line or full skirt. This look is super cute and will balance out a smaller frame.
  4. For a slimming effect wear all black and opt for a pencil skirt.
  5. To avoid looking short, steer clear of long skirts and dresses. Go for a length that falls above the knee.

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  1. 8 Tips for Defining Your Personal Style
  2. 5 Tips for Achieving Effortless Style
  3. How To Wear Lace in The Fall
  4. How to Wear a Chambray Shirt

Elevate Your Casual Outfit in 4 Easy Steps

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📷 by Luba Kochubey Portraits 

Cardigan: J.Crew Factory (similar) | Blouse: Loft (similar) | Pants: J. Crew (same style different color) | Necklace: vintage (similar)| Bracelet: Pretty Particular c/o | Ring: Stella & Dot | Tote: Lauren by Ralph Lauren (similar)| Boots: Jambu (similar) | Liptstick: Bite Beauty (color moka)

I work in a causal office where anything goes except jeans. People still manage to look under dressed. I value comfort as much as fashion, but that doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice style. I thought it would be helpful to share some tips for elevating your casual style.

  1. Pick something girly: If you’re wearing your favorite pair of jeans or casual pant, choose a girly top for some pizzazz. This can be a flowy blouse or a peplum jacket. Anything with a feminine print will do wonders. My go to is (surprise) lace.
  2. Choose a statement piece: A pretty scarf, amazing shoes, or your favorite handbag. My statement piece is my necklace. It’s a beautiful gold vintage locket with a floral etched design from a local antique show.
  3. Layer on the jewelry: If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you know that I love jewelry. It’s an easy way to add glam to your outfit. If you’re not big on accessories, try to find some simple earrings, a ring, or a pendant (or all of the above). I went for lots of gold jewelry, simple earrings (not shown), a gold bracelet, and one of my favorite rings.
  4. Color up those lips: Adding color to your lips will give you a more polished look, even in causal situations. If you’re not big on lipstick, use a tinted lip balm or gloss. Also, mascara is your friend. Do yourself a favor and swipe on 2 coats. 😉

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  1. Styling Texture
  2. 5 Tips for Achieving Effortless Style
  3. Outfit Remix: Lace Bomber + 3 Reasons Why You Need a Pair of Grey Denim
  4. How To Wear Lace in The Fall

Pretty Particular + A Giveaway

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Photos by Michelle Dorman Photography

Coat: J.Crew | Sweater: J.Crew (same cut different colors) | Pant: J.Crew (similar)| Bracelets: Pretty Particular Tyler bracelet & Aniisa bracelet c/o| Ring: Gorjana (similar) | Necklace: Ann Taylor (similar) |Shoes: Dr. Scholl’s | Purse: Marc by Marc Jacobs (similar) | Lipstick: Bobbi Brown (Warm Beige)

I am excited to be partnering with the accessory brand Pretty Particular.  Pretty Particular women are confident, take fashion risks, and can adapt trends to suit their personal style. Dwaynia Wilkerson, the owner, believes that there is a clear distinction between fashion and style. Fashion is a curation of designer ideas and trends, while style is what the individual brings to that trend. People who have style wear what makes them happy and look good doing it. That doesn’t necessarily mean it will be universally accepted. This is why I identity with the brand. I have always worn what I want. Some trends I’ll try, but for the most part I like to stick with classic pieces.

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Pretty Particular has a wide variety of jewelry. All of the the pieces are easily wearable. I fell in love with the Tyler bracelet. I love the white distressing with gold flecks. The stretch band also makes it easy for layering. The Aniisa bracelet is the perfect compliment to the Tyler. I couldn’t resist the pearl detail and the gold hardware.

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To avoid overpowering these lovely baubles I kept my outfit simple. I chose to wear this beige sweater with the lace shoulder inset. To add some color I went with a burgundy pant, dark brown booties, and my preppy cross body bag.

Dwaynia has graciously offered one Lace & Pearls reader a chance to win an item of their choice from Pretty Particular. At the end of the contest, the winner will be notified via email. This giveaway is only available to US readers and will run for one week.

Here are a couple other items that I am craving; the Life Golden Link Collar, the ever-popular Pearl 360 studs, and the stunning vintage-inspired Evah Earrings. I also like the Bailey Bracelet and the Rhyann Ring (pearls on pearls on pearls).

For more fashion inspiration check out Dwaynia’s Instagram. She has a lovely gallery where she shares current reads, her love of journals, and the story behind her capsule wardrobe.

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  1. Styling Texture
  2. Elevate Your Casual Outfit in 4 Easy Steps
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  4. Twinkle Toes

Styling Texture

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Photos by Michelle Dorman Photography

Sweater: J.Crew Collection (similar) | Blouse: J.Crew | Pant: J.Crew Factory (sold out) | Shoes: Jambu (similar) | Purse: Old Navy (similar) | Earrings: Anthropologie (sold out) | Bracelet: J.Crew (similar) | Necklace: J.Crew (similar) | Lip Stick: Bobbi Brown (color Blue Raspberry)

Today I am sharing a couple tips on incorporating texture into your look. If you stick to picking colors in the same family you should have no problem applying these tips.

Color

First you need to choose your color palette. I went with pretty pastels and light blue hues.

Clothing

Since the weather has been on the cooler side lately, I added a striped blouse. Choosing a printed blouse instead of a solid added a subtle contrast to the lace front sweater. The blue pant ties this look together.

To incorporate texture try these:

  • Choose your textured item (dress, skirt, sweater)
  • Add a second layer in a print or solid
  • Bonus tip – when wearing a skirt or dress, add a textured tight

Accessories

You can also add texture with a handbag, a belt, shoes, or a scarf. Since this outfit is super girly, I chose a light brown bootie with floral cutouts. I added a pale pink bag with a snakeskin print. The final touch was a pearl bobby pin and statement necklace.

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Related posts:

  1. Elevate Your Casual Outfit in 4 Easy Steps
  2. 5 Tips for Achieving Effortless Style
  3. Outfit Remix: Lace Bomber + 3 Reasons Why You Need a Pair of Grey Denim
  4. Pretty Particular + A Giveaway

Twinkle Toes

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Photos by Michelle Dorman Photography

Blouse: Rebecca Taylor (similar) | Pants: J.Crew Factory | Shoes: J.Crew (similar) | Bracelet: J.Crew (old) | Necklace: Madewell (old) | Watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs  | Purse: Michael Michael Kors (similar) | Lip gloss: Giorgio Armani (color 519)| Lipliner: NARS (color Rosebud)

This weekend my condo had a “garage sale,” (sidewalk/outdoor sale) that I participated in. So of course my mom was invited to lend her expertise in staging stuff and manning the tables.  A lot of the items that I sold were from my childhood (American Girls, Madame Alexander dolls, and Muffy Vanderbears). I also sold a lot of clothes, home decor, and accessories.

What I enjoyed most about the weekend was the community element. The people in our building are so personable and fun. It feels like one large family. My mom even hit if off with a bunch of the ladies. There will definitely be more get-togethers soon.

This look was shot by the lovely Michelle Dorman. I feel so fortunate to have connected with her. She captures the best candids and is really great at directing me for shots.

These are the Winnie pants in pink #barbiedoll. That’s what I think whenever I wear them. I’ve had this top for a while. I love the abstract conversation hearts. So girly. These sparkly ballet flats  are the cutest and add a little glam to this look.

Hope you all had an awesome weekend! Thanks so much for reading.

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Let’s connect: Instagram | Twitter| Bloglovin

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