What is it:
The puffed sleeve trend has conquered fashion in recent years and, thanks to the fashion houses that regularly experiment with the special sleeve look, is once again a fixture in the fashion firmament. The sleeve features voluminous shoulders and narrower cuffs, creating a puffed silhouette.
The comeback of puff sleeves is often associated with the ongoing ‘Regencycore’ trend made popular by the Netflix series ‘Bridgerton’. In it, the female characters wear historically inspired outfits with corsets and crinolines and, yes, puff sleeves. The success of the series has enabled brands and designers to revisit and play with Renaissance and Biedermeier silhouettes, but adapting them for today’s women and their lives.
Why you should order it:
A puff sleeve is a great way to add a special element to any outfit with minimal effort. His association with the aforementioned Regencycore trend has catapulted him back onto the catwalks. The voluminous sleeve keeps popping up, especially on social media. It gives customers – men with puff sleeves are still the exception – the opportunity to play with a look that works both formally and casually. Numerous brands are experimenting with the design so that a greater variety of variations are available for different audiences. Voluminous sleeves can appear on tops, blouses or dresses, offering different outfit options and opportunities.
Where we saw it:
For her FW22 collection, Simone Rocha stayed true to her typically vintage-inspired aesthetic, presenting puff sleeve dresses in either velvet or organza. Zimmermann was also inspired by bygone eras, with looks reminiscent of the flower power movement of the 1960s. The floral dresses and blouses, many with dramatic cleavages, were made even more exalted with dropped shoulders. In contrast, Christian Siriano modernized the puffed sleeve through the use of different materials for a collection of dresses that brought court garb into the present day. The look was most notably achieved on a dress made of stiff, plastic-like material that emphasizes its structure even more. David Koma also offered an alternative take on the puff sleeve with an off the shoulder mini dress where the sleeves emerged lower on the arm in an oversized silhouette.
How to style it:
Get on the Regencycore trend and snag a few tips from the Bridgerton costumes. Pair a puff sleeve blouse with a floaty maxi skirt and heels for a dreamy evening look, or embrace the trend with a puff sleeve dress paired with over-the-knee boots and simple accessories. Pair a blouse with jeans or leather-look trousers for an effortless daytime look. Despite the volume, you can wear the design under a coat or any jacket, but the real impact is in the garment itself, so be careful not to cover it up too much and ruin the appeal of the puffed sleeves.
Linked to the latest social media trends and making waves on international catwalks, the puff sleeve is a popular design that is both sophisticated and understated. Puff sleeves are perfect for fall days or simple evening looks.
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This article was previously published on FashionUnited.uk. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ