Peplum Guide: A Brief History of the Peplum

A peplum is a short strip of fabric that flounces out from the waistline of a shirt, jacket, skirt, or dress. This ruffle style aims to create an hourglass body type, emphasizing the smallest part of the waist and blooming out at the hips. Many peplum jackets and dresses also have wide, structured shoulders to accentuate this look.

The etymology of the word “peplum” comes from the Greek “peplos,” referring to an ancient Greek tunic tied at the waist. This ancient-inspired fashion detail has gone through waves of popularity throughout history, from the nineteenth-century overskirts to the mid-century “New Look,” to 1980s power suits.

Today, peplum garments are available in a variety of styles, materials, and patterns. Shoppers can find a peplum top in long sleeve, short sleeve, or sleeveless styles. Pleated fabric, chiffon, and rayon are all common fabric choices that add some extra flair and movement to this fashion feature.

Like many articles of clothing, this short overskirt has floated in and out of style for many years. Whether you’re a fashion historian or simply a fan, here’s a brief history of peplums:

• Roots in Ancient Greece: The word “peplum” comes from the Greek word “peplos,” which was a tunic worn by the Ancient Greeks. A peplos consisted of a folded sheet wrapped around the body and cinched at the mid-waist for shape—typically with extra fabric or a cord tie. This created a bunching effect at the waist causing the fabric to bloom out at the hips, similar to the look of a modern peplum.
• Renaissance era: Many Renaissance-era fashions—for both men and women—featured early versions of the modern peplum. Many doublets—which were fitted hip-length jackets that men wore between the Middle Ages and the seventeenth century—featured small peplums extending from the waist and accentuating the hips. The detailed bodices of gowns that aristocracy wore often featured peplums falling over full skirts.
• Nineteenth-century popularity: The peplum became an identifiable fashion detail that the masses wore in the mid-nineteenth century. Women during this era wore streamlined, comparatively narrow skirts underneath peplum-style overskirts; they found this new style easier to move in than previous garments. Some fashion historians associate the rise of the peplum with the rise of the bustle—another fashion convention of this era—which consisted of fabric gathered around the posterior area of a narrow skirt for extra volume.
• Mid-century fashion: Peplums again rose to prominence in the late 1940s with the post–World War II rise in fashions accentuating an hourglass body shape. Fashion designers prominently featured peplums in collections, the most notable example being Christian Dior with his “New Look” designs. This high-fashion exposure trickled down into everyday wear, with ready-to-wear fashions frequently featuring peplums on jackets and dresses.
• 1980s power suits: Fashions of the 1980s drew from 1940s looks, with “‘80s does ‘40s” becoming a shorthand for this decades-driven sartorial trend. The “power suit”—featuring a fitted, nip-waist jacket with shoulder pads and a peplum, sold with a pencil skirt in a matching fabric—became ubiquitous. Fashion designer Thierry Mugler became famous for featuring nipped-in peplum jackets, many of which featured geometric styles.
• Today: Since the 1980s and 1990s, the peplum has floated in and out of fashion. It experienced a brief resurgence in the early 2010s, with many major fast-fashion retailers featuring peplums on work-appropriate blouses. The use of peplums on garments has become even more creative in recent years, rather than limiting them to one garment—like a jacket or a skirt. A sleeve peplum is now a common shirt detail, and you may even find peplums on floral print boho skirts, T-shirts, mock neck turtlenecks, V-neck, and scoop neck tops. Additionally, children’s clothing often includes a lace ruffle peplum for some playful flounce.

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