They are not practical. They do not make you look thin. You cannot put a jacket over them. Wear them to a dinner party and you risk scooping soup straight from the bowl and into your blouse.
Sydney label Ellery is known for its wide (in both breadth and variety) sleeves. Conical, bell-shaped or open like a kimono, these sleeves flutter around the wearer’s body. They dominate every outfit they’re worn with. And right now, they are everywhere.
Megan Washington wore the Lottie top in black at her concert two weeks ago with James Morrison in Sydney. It’s swoshy sleeves and hem added to the jittery, witchy vibe she does so well. Kim and Kanye are also fans of the look.
At the David Jones W Studio premier on Thursday, style blogger Margaret Zhang wore a Pretege cropped blouse in pristine white, with a pair of oversized trousers. Earlier this year at Australian Fashion Week, I spotted a significant handful of fashion bloggers in the plunging V-necked Humilis and Lolita tops (a plunging V neck with frill insert gussets at the sides).
Ellery’s extreme take on bell and cone sleeves have even suffered through the ultimate fashion rite of passage – a high street store creating their own version.Sportsgirl debuted a remarkably similar style on their SG Limited runway in early August and when it arrives in stores a few weeks from now, it will likely retail for around a quarter (or less) of the price of Ellery’s $500 and up creations.
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These tops aren’t easy to wear (imagine trying to text or drink a wine with 20cms of extra fabric around your wrist). They make you look larger than you are – although they do a great job of disguising rounded upper arms.
There are, however, certain occasions and proclivities that flared sleeves aren’t suited to. Those with larger bust sizes should opt for a style like the Lolita V-neck that won’t bunch across the chest and pull focus in the wrong kind of way. If you have a little waist and big hips, you should probably tuck a big-sleeved top into a high-waisted skirt, to avoid turning your best assets against you. You probably shouldn’t wear them around campfires (especially not when toasting marshmallows).
Smokers and wild gesticulators would probably be better off avoiding them entirely.
But those brave enough to try will be rewarded with instant attention. Maximum sleevage may be appearing more and more, but it’s still unusual enough to make the wearer stand out. And if you get cold, you can always pull a cape on over them.
In the case of Ellery’s new romantic style, I suspect the reason it’s so popular is because it is so wonderfully extreme. Throw enough drama into a single item of clothing and it suddenly, in one way, becomes practical again.
As Irina Lakicevic so helpfully demonstrates, when you’re wearing sleeves wide enough to shove up not just a Picnic bar, but the entire impulse aisle of Woolies, you don’t need much else to look Very Fashionable. A pair of jeans and some high heels will do.
The dress version is even more efficient in its drama. Worn alone, it provides more impact than five other outfits worn at once could.
Certainly, wearing such an extreme silhouette can be stressful at first plunge, but when worn with enough confidence, huge sleeves look ravishing. Unlike other high-impact fashion, they’re also comfortable. You do not need to balance precariously on a bell sleeve or be laced into it.
They might even make the day-to-day chore of hailing a taxi easier. For this reason, I suspect we’ll be seeing more of Ellery’s sleeves as New York Fashion Week kicks off in three weeks.Read more at:www.mariepromdress.co.uk/grey-silver-prom-dresses
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