Violet Velvet Mittens: What a Waist!

Friday 16 January 2009

What a Waist!

High-waisted skirts are back. Fact.

No ladies. We do not refer to those of the Regency Era, as worn very nicely by Jane Austen & her ilk. (Cue excuse for smouldering Colin Firth photograph)

You don’t want to go as high as the Empire Line. Empire Line dresses look great if you’re pregnant. Or Nicole Kidman at the Oscars in the Nineties. Or both (see below left).

What you’re aiming to show off is the waist. The real one, not the one that those low-rise, low-slung, lo-go jeans have never met. The favourite, & actually easiest to pull off, is a skirt that cuts a few inches above the knee. Whilst this may have been tacky on those cheerleader-style, flowy A-line skirts a few years back, the addition of the high-waist lends the mode a little elegance & class.

The girls from The Hills have had a lot of practice at this. Lauren Conrad demonstrates:

And Whit in a cute little red number:

If you really want to be different, go the way of Miranda Kerr, International Supermodel, Orlando-snagged Goddess. Not everyone can work the Heidi-braids-on-top-of-head look, but with a simple black vest, matching ballet pumps, and a neat belt for emphasis, this outfit works surprisingly well. Almost as if we’re ashamed that we hadn’t thought of it ourselves.