How to wear peplums: Styling tips for Body type C

Body type C

Shoulders and torso are wider than her hips. Specifically, she has average to broad shoulders, slim hips and legs, little definition at the waist and, very often a flat bottom. The general idea is to soften the shoulder line, balancing it with their lower body, and to create definition at their waist.

How can peplums work with type Cs?

Any peplum for Body type Cs must help create a waist and the illusion of a curvier body.

1. Peplum jacket with a nipped waist and a flared hemline add volume at your hips and the illusion of a curvier lower body, worn at hig hip to hipbone length with a pencil skirt to accentuate the curvy silhouette.
2. Peplum pencil skirt creates the illusion of perfect symmetry on the body. The fabric overlaying the hips makes them seem proportionate to the shoulders.
3. Peplum tops with shorts if you have great legs (which you probably have).

What to look for in peplums:

1. Peplums situated exactly higher than natural waist line. No detailing above the waist:  we are detracting attention from the upper body and focusing on the lower.
2. Pencil skirts hemmed just below the knee, or a bit below, where your leg shape narrows, to keep the line of the body long and curvy.
3. Paired with high-heeled court shoes or open sandals to keep the line of the leg long. Nude or metallic options are great too.

What to avoid in peplums:

1. Colour blocking: either horizontal (together with the peplum itself, you would look cut in two), or vertical (as that would make the outfit too busy).
2. If you have a belly, a peplum hitting in the middle of it would just accentuate it, but while you could style a peplum top with various bottoms, wearing it with a pencil skirt would work cleverly to camouflage the appearance of a slight stomach bulge (if it exists, that is).

Best peplums for Body type C: Peplum skirt by Caroline Grant.

It's All About Romance Leather Jacket / American Vintage Tank Top / Burberry Prorsum Bouclé Skirt / Dolce & Gabbana Handbag / Manolo Blahnik Bipunta Pumps / Paul Smith Scarf / Blu Bijoux Coral Necklace / Alexis Bittar Lucite Ring / Yves Saint Laurent Lipstick in Corail Legende / Yves Saint Laurent Nail Lacquer in Corail Divin.

Best peplums for Body type C: Top with trousers by Caroline Grant. [Background: Red Pelargonium Limited Edition print by Anna Knights.]

Hugo Striped Trousers / Eickhoff Seaside Blazer / Closet Sleeveless Top / Deconize Red Bag (vintage) / Topshop Katrina Ballet Pumps / Dior Carre Runway Silk Scarf / Kenneth Jay Lane Tasseled Necklace / Lea Stein Maltese Brooch (vintage) / Estée Lauder Lipstick in Orange Poppy / Yves Saint Laurent Nail Lacquer in Corail Divin.

Best peplums for Body type Cs: Top with shorts by Caroline Grant.

Michael Kors Antelope Shorts / Alexander McQueen Ocelot Blazer / Topshop Sleeveless Peplum Top / BCBG Handbag / L.K. Bennett Petal Pumps / Issa Silk Scarf / Erickson Beamon In the Mood for Love Earrings / MARC by Marc Jacbos Pary Girl Bracelet / Versace Chain Belt / Yves Saint Laurent Lipstick in Corail Légende / Yves Saint Laurent Nail Lacquer in Corail Divin.

MORE?

• DOs and DONTs for peplums.
• How to wear peplums: Styling tips for Body type A.
• How to wear peplums: Styling tips for Body type B. 

Other names for Body type Cs are "apple" or "inverted triangle".