Look, the early 2010s were a strange time. We were sorry for party rocking thanks to LMFAO! and were obsessed with putting a rainbow filter on every photo because #YOLO.
And the fashion wasn't much better, with flower crowns having a chokehold on us and a moustache tote bag being the ultimate accessory.
Thankfully, most of the style staples are firmly tucked away in the past - but one has been rearing its ugly head once again:
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the peplum.
In case you don't know what a peplum technically is, the dictionary details it as "a short gathered or pleated strip of fabric attached at the waist of a woman's jacket, dress, or blouse to create a hanging frill or flounce."
Now we want you to answer us honestly, when have you ever genuinely thought: "Wow, what my outfit is really lacking here is a hanging flounce"?
Now, we're not punishing anyone for our past sins here. It was 2012, we had 'Call Me Maybe' on shuffle, blasting out from our iPod touches and getting relentless pings on BBM. It was a different time.
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But in the year 2021? We don't need to be adding a funky frill onto our waists.
After all, what are we hiding under there? Apparently, that's why her peplum is so big, it's full of secrets.
But there are people out there who want to disturb our inner peace. Celebrities have started bringing peplums back to their red carpet dresses and designers are pushing them out to the runways.
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That's how it starts. One day it's on a catwalk and the next moment there's a bunch of girls outside the club looking business casual in the smoking area.
But we don't have to go back there, ladies. We still have the power to turn the tide on the pleated chaos heading straight towards us.
Even though it's making it to the fashion shows of Givenchy with the fashion elite nodding from the front rows, we can be on the frontline and stop this style trickling into the shops and brands we love. We just need to refuse to let our waists be flounced upon.
There is also an alternative. If the dawn of the peplum is inevitable, then we must at least elevate it.
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Key inspiration can be taken from Zendaya Coleman and Anya Taylor-Joy at the CFDA Fashion Awards earlier this year where they didn't settle for basic. Zendaya went for a big statement that sat on the hip, creating the illusion she was blooming from an avant-garde rose.
Whereas Anya used the peplum to reinvent her silhouette in a purple skirt suit that would have a 2021 version of Scooby Doo's Daphne absolutely swooning.
Just keep your wits about you girls, and remember: if we must adorn the peplum, we don't have to make it basic. Solidarity to all in these troubling times.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Style, Fashion, TikTok