Volume on volume doesn’t work
June 19th, 2007The roomy look is sticking around for at least another season. I adore this marvelously feminine trend. Voluminous sleeves, baby-dolls, sack-dresses, wide-leg pants and trapeze jackets have revived a look in fashion that we haven’t seen for years.
But the voluminous look hasn’t been easy to put together. A voluminous top worn with a voluminous bottom is shapeless and unflattering. The trick is to sport one voluminous piece at a time. Here are guidelines that will help you pull off volume with style:
- Wear wide pants with fitted and tailored tops. It’s essential to show your waistline with an A-line silhouette.
- Keep the silhouette long and lean underneath a trapeze jacket. Slim fitting tops and boot cut pants, straight legs or skinnies will have you looking your slimmest in this type of jacket.
- Sack dresses and boxy tunics are best worn with straight cut pants, tapered walk shorts (mid calf length and no longer) skinnies or leggings.
If you wear volume on top, keep it slim at the bottom; if you wear volume at the bottom, keep it tailored on top. Easy!
Left: voluminous gauchos worn with a tailored top.
Right: voluminous tops worn with slim bottoms.
June 19th, 2007 at 9:09 am
It’s surprising how many women don’t follow this simple guideline! Unless they are TRYING to look like a balloon…
June 19th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
When wearing leggings with the voluminous look - just what is the right length for the leggings - I ‘ve seen them worn just below the knee, on the calf and even lower just above the ankle….which is the right way to wear them?
Also what is the best pairing for leggings? They seem to be worn with almost everything - long and short dresses, mini skirts, voluminous tops, sack dresses etc …. are these all ok ?
June 21st, 2007 at 12:06 am
I totally agree. Doing volume on volume not only makes one’s body look huge, it can also make one’s head look too small for their body, which looks ridiculous. Normally, I like fitted on top and volume on the bottom for me. In a nice A-line dress I can show off my waist and hide my larger than I like thighs. However, when I do jeans it is nice to have a top with a little bit of volume to hide whatever love handles might appear. You wouldn’t find me in that green top, though. That’s too much volume for me since I do like showing off my hour-glass.
June 23rd, 2007 at 1:09 am
[…] It’s almost eerie how often Angie and I are thinking about the same topic. Of course, she’s miles down the road ahead of me, but even this week I’ve been thinking about the guideline “If you wear volume on top, keep it slim at the bottom; if you wear volume at the bottom, keep it tailored on top.” […]
June 26th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
I L-O-V-E the gaucho pants and am happy that they are okay again this season. Though, if truth be told, I’m either getting older OR developing the confidence necessary to wear whatever the hell I look great in!
July 6th, 2007 at 7:29 am
[…] Voluminous, blousy swing or trapeze tops are everywhere this season. Styles in heavier draping fabrics without overt empire seams are particularly forgiving for those of us with a little extra around the mid-section (say goodbye to that muffin top). Ensuring that these tops fit snugly across the shoulders is essential as a strong shoulder line is always flattering. Swing tops are best paired with slimmer bottoms like skinnies, straight legs, boot cuts, pencil skirts and walk shorts (because volume on volume doesn’t work). They’re a youthful, flirty and airy element to add to your Summer wardrobe for hot, hot days. […]
August 20th, 2007 at 8:26 am
[…] become your best friend because they’re airy and versatile. Leave them voluminous if you prefer that look and keep it streamlined with straight leg pants on the bottom. Add a waist […]
October 19th, 2007 at 7:56 am
[…] extremely tailored pieces are part of the voluminous trend. An essential part, in fact, because volume on volume doesn’t work and it makes perfect sense to pair these streamlined bottoms with billowing blouses, sack dresses […]
January 17th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Wow, thanks Angie for this, and for the resposes by mail ! And good luck with the SLS-free life
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:36 am
[…] This is especially true of A-line skirts where it’s imperative to accentuate the waistline (volume on top of volume doesn’t work). Keep the hem of the top on or just above hipbone depending on where the waist of the skirt sits […]
April 28th, 2008 at 6:19 am
[…] This is especially true of A-line skirts where it’s imperative to accentuate the waistline (volume on top of volume doesn’t work). Keep the hem of the top on or just […]