I have a long lasting love story with ruffles. And this is one short story I’ve put together, trying to ‘sell’ ruffles to you. Because you’re worth it! -_^ Remember the liberating movement of the 20s and 30s? It was not by accident that the first really short dresses ever worn by women had ruffled hems and were perfect for dancing all night long (The Great Gatsby, anyone?)!
How familiar are you with the overwhelming magic of ruffles? and by that I mean how many ruffled items do you actually own and wear? (should I start, maybe? – you don’t have to ask twice! I own over 30 ruffled, gorgeous items in my wardrobe.) Can you distinctively name the occasions you’re choosing to wear ruffles above all else and why?
I can! 90% of my ‘special occasion’ dresses are ruffled. Cascading ruffles are my favorite. Full or just the skirt. Some of the t-shirts I wear on heavy rotations have ruffled sleeves. Sure, there goes a common sense question – how many items does my wardrobe count? right? Enough to make the ruffled my signature look.
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How deep does my ruffled obsession go? As deep as buying a dress two sizes larger just because it had the frills I was dreaming about. I could literally go on and on about ruffles and their positive effect on your look, so I’ll try hard to keep it short and focus on why ruffles are good for you:
1. Ruffles are highly flattering
how gorgeous is that blue dress with structured top (available here) and how lovely is the ruffled white blouse (available here)
The placement is capital – around the neck, around the waist, above the arms, around the hips, around your legs or your feet, the frills add an extra movement, a little ‘something’ intriguing and catchy that comes with the circular movement of fabric, almost hypnotically adding a magic aura to the wearer. Where you’d like to draw the attention and build on structure, bring on the ruffles!
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2. Ruffles are extremely feminine
I simply love a highly feminine blouse like the white one on the left (available here) with jeans! the magic of ruffles transforms a military green dress into a dreamy feminine gown (available here)
I could just ask you if you’ve seen any man wearing ruffles and just close my case. I could, couldn’t I? Not even Marc Jacobs went that far in his skirt issues! Ruffles are, above all and any other wardrobe manifestation, specific to women. Beyond colors, cuts and fabrics, ruffles reign supreme! Be proud of your privilege and wear those ruffles!
3. Ruffles are playful and versatile
lace and ruffles make a fabulous evening dress (available here) while the polka dot tiered dress is so adorable and cute (available here)
Am I the only one who thinks ruffling fabric must’ve been a child’s invention? Gathering fabric and sewing it together feels like something a child would enjoy doing (and wearing) any day. You can wear just one or cascade them for a more dramatic effect. Wide or narrow, mixed fabric and various placements, ruffles go anywhere and never fade the appeal (just think about children dolled up in ruffles – aren’t they irresistible? Why not taking a page from their style book?)
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4. Ruffles are always ‘in’
how amazing are the similarities between an authentic vintage dress from the twenties (left) and the blue tiered dress (right, available here)? ruffles stand the test of time, always!!
I know you’ve been hearing a lot about ruffles being this year’s staple, this summer’s must-have , but honestly? When were ruffles out of style? Ever? Yes, there are definitely signs of frills overload this year (something we’ve witnessed almost 10 years ago as well) but that’s not to scare you that next season you’ll have to toss the ruffles! You just have to be mindful about your ruffles and you’ll manage to go above the trends! There’s no way ruffled hems will ever go out of style!
5. Ruffles are perfect for dancing
It’s why I love ‘special occasion’ dresses with cascading ruffled skirts. I love dancing and I think nothing compliments the moving body better than cascading frills. When you turn and twist, your ruffles will follow and keep close to your body all in flourishing around you like a magic spotlight. And ruffles do hold the secret to stealing the spotlight – just ask SIA – as illustrated above, she takes the stage in a sea of cascading ruffles -_^.
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