Trend: Peplum.

Peplum. To the fashion novice it's probably pretty scary and a bit unusual. It adds extra fabric in an area that a lot of women are self conscious about. I'm here to tell you that peplum can be awesomely fun! This picture is from when I went out with one of my besties (how gorgeous is she?!) recently for a much needed girls night. Before going out, we hit up Forever 21 looking for a going out ensemble for her but me being the shopoholic that I am was the one who ended up making a purchase.
The key to making peplum work for you is to first, know your body type and second, to be willing to try things on and take a chance. I am by no means model-esque skinny. I'm roughly 5'7''and on any given day weigh in around the 140 lb mark. I carry most of my weight on my legs and hips...making me by all definitions "pear shaped". So how did I make this trend work for me?

Since I am pear shaped, I would want to down play my thighs and hips. This dress has a black skirt which definitely helps visually minimize my fuller lower half. The empire waist effect on the top half of the dress with the belting helps streamline this look by accentuating my natural waist which, on me, is one of my smallest areas. The peplum in this dress falls in the perfect place for me. It's above my hips and bottom but is not so high as my natural waist. For pear shaped ladies, I think this is the perfect way to wear the trend.
This was my first time wearing the peplum trend and I think that letting the peplum stand out against classic black and white is a really great way to show off the trend without getting lost in it. With something like this I think it's important to remember that you want to make sure you're wearing something that you are confident in. No trend is worth the time, effort, or money if it won't leave you feeling fabulous. Good luck and happy styling!

/AEB

P.S.

Dress & belt: Forever 21 (I loved that it's a dress but looks like a skirt and top)
Lipstick: Ruby Woo by M.A.C. (I'll say it a thousand times: it is the PERFECT red!)
Cocktail Ring: Kate Spade New York
Nail Polish: High Maintenance by Sephora for O.P.I.