The volume watershed
October 19th, 2007For more than 15 years after the horrific 80’s decade of anti-fashion, the dominant trend in the industry was body conscious. Designers celebrated our figures with sleek, tailored pieces that are fitted to our bust, waistline and hips. We, the buying public, learned the rules of dressing to this fundamental style direction.
Then, about 18 months ago, things started to change. A new artsy and roomy voluminous look started to emerge as designers introduced bold pieces with excess fabric that hide the contours of the body. Last seen in the 80’s, leggings and tapered pants also re-appeared. It seems contradictory, but these 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 and trapeze jackets.
Along with watershed change comes confusion. Having moved away from the boxy styles of the 80’s and finally getting up to speed with modern tailoring, the re-invention of volume seems to have baffled much of the consumer market. These voluminous looks are taking a lot of getting used to, especially as style gurus continue to advocate body-skimming styles. Personally, I have embraced some of the new items, but still feel that streamlined styles are universally flattering.
The struggle to assimilate the new voluminous trend is something I see often as a fashion stylist. How do you feel about the shift? Has it been easy to adopt, or are you still making sense of the new volume?
October 19th, 2007 at 8:19 am
I am not especially keen on the voluminous trend. I feel this look is not univerally attractive at all - but is only appropriate on a tall, very slim body shape. For me personally, many of the styles remind me a little too closely of maternity clothes during my 4 pregnancies! I am going to experiment with some of the less extreme versions of voluminous tops, and try to keep more of the excess fabric in the sleeve rather than the body of the garment.
Maris
October 19th, 2007 at 8:29 am
I agree that this look is hard to accept. I think most people want to look as thin as possible and unless you’re already super slender it’s hard to imagine looking good in this style. Not to mention that with a classic modern preference, and an hour glass shape with a bit of a baby belly I’m very hesitant to jump on the bandwagon.
October 19th, 2007 at 8:41 am
For me, for my body type and age, the volume thing just doesn’t work at all. I can’t tell you how hard it is to find a classic, well made, not dowdy blazer these days - something that’s not a trapeze, a balloon or cropped so tiny it belongs on a doll. Also - just when I’ve almost healed from my terrible 80’s fashion scars - leggings and slouch boots come back to haunt me. Noooo! Thank God for sites like this, that offer a sane yet fashionable alternative to the trends that don’t work for many of us. We appreciate you, Angie!
October 19th, 2007 at 8:42 am
I have mixed feelings about the voluminous trend. I really like it on tall, skinny woman, but I have a difficult time finding the right balance for my curvy, short, and busty body.
October 19th, 2007 at 8:48 am
I think the look is great for tall women, but my petite-busty frame can’t handle it at all. I’m just grateful that the latest trends offer such a variety of style that every body type can find something that works for them.
October 19th, 2007 at 9:00 am
Funny, I completely agree with all the comments here. Seems that fashion trends, no matter if skinny or voluminous, always look good on the slim tall body-types and average to terrible in the rest.
We, the real women, have to use tons of common sense to pick what fits and keep the rest at bay. It must be said that self-esteem, self-image and clothing shop assistants don’t help at all!
–
Being 28 years old, I feel really awkward about this 80’s revival. My taste was coined during my teens in the 90’s, a completely oposition to the previous decade. Now, trying to find beauty in what I was taught to see ugliness, not only makes me feel out of place, it also makes me feel old! Crazy, isn’t it?
October 19th, 2007 at 9:01 am
I dislike some of the extreme voluminous pieces. I don’t like the look of huge, bubbly tops and skinny jeans underneath. But I do like many of the pieces and certain aspects of others that lend a bit of quirkiness to otherwise bland styles. For example, I like voluminous sleeves on otherwise plain tops or cardigans. I love a very streamlined look, generally, but I have found that my new trapeze cardigan works great with a fitted knit shirt and jeans.
I read an interesting article a few months back in the New York Times about how the fashionable ladies in New York were having a tough time with the new trends since they work so hard to keep their bodies in shape. Consequently, the collarbone has become a new sign of “thinness” because, in many of these styles, that’s the only thin part that shows. And, the article said, a bony clavicle is tough to get. Just goes to show you how crazy we are about our bodies and fashion, I guess.
October 19th, 2007 at 9:25 am
I was rather “anti-80’s revival” in the beginning….there are still some things I will never be okay with-skinny jeans being the main one! I guess with all the fashion trends you eventually get used to them and you see what works well for your body and comfort zone.
I agree with Julia-I’m 27 and this current fashion comeback makes me feel a little old!!
October 19th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Such interesting comments ladies. I echo most of your sentiments. The voluminous trend is not universally flattering, while clothing that follows the natural contours of the female hourglass form generally is. However, voluminous style details can be funky, retro, appealing, artsy, dramatic, feminine and interesting if the volume is in the right place and in the right amount. Also, certain fabrics lend themselves to volume better than others.
I have to disagree about the stringent body type requirement ( needing to be tall and thin) to look good in voluminous pieces . It was just last night that I dressed an ultra petite (size 4P) client in a trapeze jacket and voluminous cardigan. She looked and felt incredible. I’ve also dressed plenty of fuller figured busty ladies in pieces with voluminous details. And remember pretty pear shaped gals that wide-legged pants are part of the voluminous trend too and we love those. By the same token, I’ve unsuccessfully dressed skinny athletic and tall clients in voluminous pieces that just don’t look right. Small framed women in particular need to watch out that they don’t drown in the excess fabric of a voluminous garment.
So basically, the trick is finding the right voluminous piece for your body type and integrating it with enough tailoring. Christie and Maris hit the nail on the head. This is a difficult task seeing as there are loads of mega unflattering swingy styles out there. This trend also hit us over night. There was no easing into it at all. As a rule of thumb, extremely voluminous pieces are dangerous. They hardly look fab on catwalk models – theatrical and dramatic perhaps, but seldom flattering. Subtly voluminous pieces are great if they are paired with a tailored piece. I hope to illustrate this point more clearly throughout the season….or longer if this trend continues (which is my prediction).
October 19th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
As a 5′5″ size 16 I’ve discovered that I get FAR better results shopping for those kinds of pieces at plus-sized shops. Something about that proportions in the standard sizes doesn’t work, whereas the small end of the plus-sized clothing is better proportioned for a non-amazon. Many of the plus lines go down to a 14 or even a 12….
October 19th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
i think the key is that volume still has to fit SOMEWHERE. wideleg pants need to fit in the hips/thighs, swing jackets need to fit in the shoulders, etc. they can’t just be big and bloomy all over the place or else they look dumpy.
streamlined styles may be universally flattering, but i find them safe and boring if that’s all you’re doing. i’d rather take some risks. it took me a lot longer to find a flattering swing jacket than it did to find a flattering fitted jacket, but once i did, i was thrilled. perhaps people give up too easily on styles that are not immediately gratifying? finding voluminous styles that work takes a lot more effort and time than it does to find fitted styles that work. it takes a while to find a piece that even has potential, and then chances are it will need some tailoring. i’m willing to put in the effort, though, because the end result is totally worth it.
October 19th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
I’ve been out shopping and tried on some of the newer style tops…they look adorable on the hangers! But with my narrow shoulders and short neck I did find that they had a certain maternity-wear look to them! I also noticed that a lot of longer style tops have those big ties on the back…are they trying to make us look like little kids?
I sit in carpool lane at school and while waiting I can check out what the other women are wearing and quite honestly, these new style tops are universally unflattering and girlish.
(And don’t get me started on how many women should NOT be wearing capris!)
October 19th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
You are hilarious Marlene. I don’t prefer back ties either. They tend to look juvenile. But sometimes you can get away with tying them in front and that can look quite hip.
October 19th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
I am perfectly in tune with the new silhouette because I am a proponent of anything remotely akin to the “Fabulous 50’s”. You summed up the look precisely when you said anything voluminous must be paired with sleeker pieces. Enough said as far as I’m concerned. Of course, being in the fashion arena has honed my eye, but most of my customers are ready for a change.
Viva la volume!
October 19th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
From my college marketing class I learned that I fall in the category known as a laggard-the last to adopt trends. What that translates to in the fashion sense is that I have never been super fashion-forward. I grew up in the 80s and liked the skinny jeans of the time and have never really appreciated boot-cut and wider legged pants except on Katherine Hepburn in the 40s. (I feel your gasps of horror!) I love the return of the skinny jean and slim trousers (I always disliked leggings though). I did not like the “camp” shirts that were popular in the 80s and really do love the more body skimming tops of recent years, so I’m not a total fashion misfit. I like the look of slimmer tops with slimmer bottoms even though it probably breaks some fashion rule. I refuse to wear anything that makes people wonder if I’m pregnant. Let’s just hope the big hair and earrings the size of dinner plates don’t come back in vogue. I do love your blog, Angie. It inspires even laggards like me to try to be a bit more fashionable.
October 19th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
It’s all about the cut. Figure-fitting clothes can be unflattering too, depending on what you’re wearing and how.
Angie is completely right that women with big hips and/or ass look great in bootcut pants or palazzo pants, more so than in form-fitting trousers. I can’t really wear voluminous tops but I’m thrilled at the availability of wide-legged pants.
October 19th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
For me, it’s all about the waist. I have one, I like to show it off, and I don’t like to buy anything that doesn’t help me with this. I recognize that not everyone has the same shape and some of the new trends look cute on some people (though “cute” doesn’t necessarily mean “figure flattering”).
Personally, I’d be happy to bring back the fashion of the 30’s and 40’s. Those women made do on so little and yet looked looked so classy and elegant.
October 19th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
I am a rectangle with slimmer legs, so volume on top works for me because they disguise my lack of waist definition. I really struggled the last decade to hide the fact that my torso is boxy - not easy to do when flared bottoms were in and they needed to be balanced with simple, slim tops.
However, I never hate trends. If I can see a trend is here to stay I just do my best and adapt, because I enjoy looking current. I think it’s great that brave women with self-discipline can say no to trends and wear the same classics, but that’s not me if I can help it!
What I hate about major trend shifts are the closet overhauls. Suddenly all my tops and jackets that end at high hip don’t work so well anymore. I can’t afford to shop like crazy and over the last two years, the only trendy items I could buy were two pairs of skinny jeans and several long camisoles to layer under my now too-short tops. I still like my bootcuts and A-line skirts, so I’ll be wearing them for a long time to come!
October 19th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
I hope more people start to embrace this look because I’m falling in love with it. I’ve always been a fan of those 60s mini dresses and now that I can pop a pair of jeans under them – all the better. I’ve found my voluminous clothes to be so freeing. I like that I don’t always have to be so conscious about any tummy bulges or muffin top or buttons undone or whatever. I think this trend really gives women some freedom to feel comfortable while looking fashionable and chic. (Granted you choose chic items – there are many items out there in this genre that aren’t!)
October 19th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
Well I have to make one comment that none of you have addressed. My husband hates the look and feels that everyone that wears it look s like they’re expecting (believe me he’s not the fashion trendsetter!!!!) but, I think our men like to see a few curves wherever they are…top or bottom it really doesn’t matter.So I find it challenging to stay with this trend and make him interested as well. Any suggestions?
October 20th, 2007 at 12:40 am
Michelle, if you like your lower half you can wear pencil skirts, which are very “in” right now. The waist can be a little high if you like your waist and if you’re not crazy about your waist, you can wear a top that covers your torso down to the critical point where you’d like to highlight. If you have the right body for it, pencil skirts are very sexy.
October 20th, 2007 at 8:56 am
That’s a super point Michelle. Empire styles that gather aren’t always flattering and this would be an example of a voluminous piece that one needs to be careful with. Your tweed trapeze jacket (which is an excellent subtly voluminous piece) looks wonderful on you though - hope hubby likes that. As lulu correctly pointed out, you could pair that with a knee length pencil skirt (perhaps denim) or your skinny jeans tucked into knee-high boots. Remember that volume on top of volume does not work.
But one can always bypass trends and look great. Jennifer Aniston does this all the time and judging by the comments on this blog, she is a favourite when it comes to celebrity style. I wrote about how to successfully and stylishly bypass trends below:
What to wear when the current trends don’t work for you
But as Maya pointed out, remaining staunchly modern-classic can get boring if you prefer to be a little funkier. Personally, I like to be a little adventurous and have fun with fashion. This is what makes me feel fab. But at the end of the day it’s a style choice. Horses for courses!
October 20th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
aw shucks, i like tie back tops. they help make my ample bosom look smaller and give me an actual waist. i guess it all depends what your needs are.
October 21st, 2007 at 7:18 am
I am really grateful that there’s variety and not just all volume. I feel quite intimidated by even the thought of trying on some of these voluminous outfits. On the other hand, I have loved leggings and had a lot of fun creating unusual combinations with them (for e.g. leggings with walk shorts). I did buy a dress that’s somewhat voluminous and it looks great - I wear it with leggings and it has a fitted neck and shoulder so I don’t feel like a complete bag when wearing it.
October 21st, 2007 at 1:57 pm
The voluminous styles did not make sense to me at all until I bought a couple of skinny belts. I am very short and slightly built and so have decided to only do a few volume based pieces– a couple of tops and trapeze dresses– while keeping the rest of my silouhette fitted and slim. Everything in my wardrobe is tailored but adding the volume made me feel I was more “with it”. The return of 80s has been hard but I’ve accepted that these styles, or variations of them, are here to stay, possibly indefinitely. Which was initially traumatizing but now not so much so– not sure why, maybe I’ve just accepted that this is how the U.S. likes to dictate what to wear. (sorry for that bitter note but it seems I’ve watched these styles come and go for 30 years now, and this is my perspective)
October 22nd, 2007 at 11:26 am
I like a lot of the new styles, but have much more success helping my friends learn to use them than actually being able to use them myself. I’m a short hourglass figure with gigantic bones and very short arms and legs. As I’m 5′3″ and my target weight is 145 lbs, it’s very hard for me to find things that don’t make me look extremely fat. I can sometimes pull off a voluminous top if it is made just right and I can find the right pants, shoes and accessories, but usually, I’m better off going with extremely tailored items, though I wish I could do the voluminous look. I remember how hideous it all was in the 80’s, and have actually been rather inspired to see new ways to make the horrid 80’s ideas look very good- I just have to use that inspirations to help my friends find new styles rather than myself, but I’m having a lot of fun with it, nonetheless.
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