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The Jewish Chronicle

Big girls' blouses are having a moment

The ladylike blouse happens to make the perfect transitional piece at this time of year.

September 17, 2010 10:54
Toughen up a soft leopard print  blouse (£34.99) with this shaggy coatigan (£79.99) and ripped, straight-leg jeans (£44.99), all from River Island

ByJan Shure, Jan Shure

3 min read

Serendipitously, the garment set to have a real fashion moment this season - a ladylike blouse - happens to make the perfect transitional piece at this time of year. The blouse is the ideal apparel for early-autumn, when it can be too mild to plunge into winter's fashion-fabulous pieces such as aviator jackets, fur collar tailored jackets and perfectly groomed, minimal-chic coats, yet is also too late for tribal-print maxis no matter how balmy the weather.

While the word "blouse" may conjure images of Victorian governesses and Miss Marple, these soft, ladylike garments embellished with droopy bows or languid frills were a key trend across the autumn collections from a slew of designers. Think Chloe; Matthew Williamson; Christopher Kane, who embellished his with hand painting; Lanvin who offered sublime, oyster silk satin or softly drooping creamy silk pieces; Marc Jacobs with a sleeveless taupe silk blouse with bow and rows of fine frills; and even Vivienne Westwood, whose fitted, foxy grey blouse with asymmetric bow is anything but demure.

As well as being the perfect transitional piece, the blouse is the natural successor to last winter's statement top, since a blouse can look properly finished when worn alone (not, obviously alone alone, but with an appropriate bottom half), yet will sit happily under a tailored tweed jacket later in the year.

As well as looking achingly on-trend when worn with jeans, a pencil skirt or a pair of to-the-ankle tapered trousers, this is a garment that also naturally channels the 1950s Mad Men vibe - just make the pencil skirt a little longer and more fitted, and add sheer hold-ups/tights and a pair of platform stilettoes.