What Are the Best Ruffles for Your Style and Body Shape

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Are Ruffles a Trend or Evergreen?

This clothing decoration is a key element of Romantic Style. In this sense, it’s an evergreen. Perennially, this trim pops up as a trend like at the moment. When your this is your primary or secondary personal, now it’s the time to stock up on high quality pieces in colors that work for you.

This trends gives you a greater choice than ever!

However, there are also other styles that use this clothing detail even though in quite different ways. Many of the garments of Bohemian Style have this embellishment.

Interestingly, you can style this clothing decoration for many occasions from work to play to special occasion at any age. Furthermore, the trend is great to balance your body.

What to Wear with Ruffles over 40?

Ruffles are tricky on anyone over 12. They look cute on little girls. Nevertheless, frill can look great on 40+ women when you wear it in a sophisticated way. Paired with a velvet jacket, tweed skirt and court pumps or boots a ruffle blouse becomes office appropriate in a business casual style work environment.

A white shirt with ruffles down the front (aka jabot) looks great with jeans and pumps. It’s especially flattering for women with small breasts and/or with banana shape (aka straight-up-and-down or ruler shape). This tuxedo-inspired shirt is also a key element of punk and Rock’n Roll.

When Your Different Life Identities Ask for Different Styles

In all my identities – scientist, dancer, speaker, author, stylist, blogger, I love sleek clothing. For any female scientist, anything too feminine is a NoNo. Thus, American Classic Style is a safe territory to wear at work and how to dress for success at a science conference. In other words, for everyday clothing I avoid ruffles 99% of the time.

This means this dress is just a tryout of the current trend. See my review of this inexpensive trendy ruffle dress. When ordering it, the plan was to cut the ruffle off if I wouldn’t like it. I am still undecided whether to cut or not to cut it off. The dress looks posh and sleek. What do you think?

As a stylist and blogger, curated street style chic in an eclectic way is my thing. Thus, frill occasionally makes the cut when it is designed in an unexpected way like the pleated layers at the black skirt later in this post. Full disclosure, originally, I bought it for dancing.

In my identity as a dancer, flounce is a Must-Have. However, my 1960s based preference for sleek (think Miss Twiggy) asks to have them in small doses or at least keeping a lean line. The two skirts made from old shirts show how you can achieve this with ruches. The pink tulle skirt in another example that the decoration doesn’t necessarily have to give the illusion of being heavy or even unflattering.

Cute Gamine

Amy from Amy’s Creative Pursuits likes clothes with extra details. She has made looking cute her signature and it works for her because of her body type and face shape. To look grownup she wears her frill in unexpected fabric like chambray. This skirt is flirty and works on her much better than a plain A-line skirt would.

Bias-cut Slip Dresses/Skirts for the Preppy Style Personality

Nancy Baten from Nancy’s Fashion Style has a preppy style. While ruffles are not a key element of this style, she owns one beloved blouse with this trim.  Her skirt features the “frill” of  Ivy League Style as preppy is called in the US. A bias cut partial of a circle sewn to a waistband with a zipper closure either in the back or at the side. Together with her preppy style, the blouse creates a hint of punk to the look.

Best Ruffles for the Pear-shaped Body Type

Andy from Pearls and Pantsuits has a pear shaped body type. When dressing for your body type with ruche, the triangle body type calls for ruche decoration on the top to create balance. Another option is to go for the details at the sleeves. The floral print finishes the romance trend.

Which Ruche-style Works with Punk?

Emma from The Style Splash has a 70s inspired style with a hint of drama style personality. She wears a lot of ruffles and frills especially on blouses for a bit of drama.

Suzanne from Ask Suzanne Bell personal style includes romantic.  Here she features how to wear a tuxedo shirt in a punk inspired outfit.

Best Ruches for the Bohemian Gal

“Shelbee” from Shelbee on the Edge‘s Dramatic Style asks for big flared bell sleeves and dramatic flounce when it comes to ruches. Sure that this means also a denim mermaid skirt paired with a mixed pattern wide flounce kimono. Why doe these garments work for her Dramatic Style? Two reasons: The drama aspect is the unexpected decoration on these traditional straight pieces. Second the contrast of West (denim) meets East (kimono). More on the traditional kimono style.

Vintage-inspired Flounce Works for American Classic and Euro Chic Style

Ada from Elegance and Mommyhood wears the flounce trend going for a vintage inspired 1920s style dress. To keep the look modern she avoids accessories from that era. The straw hat and sandals make the look 21st Century. In addition, Ada takes the Pantone color of the year.

Eclectic Style – It All Depends on the Collection

Lucy Bertoldi from A Montreal Fashion Diva uses frills as a way of telling the world not to take styling too seriously and to loosen up. On the other hand, nothing in her outfit is accidental. She combines her clothes from different epochs, and styles in a very eclectic way so they work with each other. Rocking this style needs the right attitude. Read more on Eclectic Style.

All Types of Ruche Work with Romantic Style

Brigitte from Brigitte Marie Foret Blog has Romantic Style. Thus, ruffles are a key element of her everyday looks. She uses the frill to achieve a subtle feminine look. Sure that this embellishment is also great to wear for special occasions. When your personal style is romantic, wear your trims where they are best to balance your body.

Can You Wear Frill in Casual Style?

Yes, Julie from Fashion Trends and Friends  has a colorful posh casual style. Since she keeps her casual looks on the elegant side, she can add this detail for interest. Ruffles on the shoulders are great for all who have a body shape with narrow shoulders. It wouldn’t work with a sportive or outdoor casual style.

Stylish Monday May Romance and Ruffles Linkup

How do you wear your ruffles?

Entrance to the Stylish Monday ruffle and frill party

Conclusions

There are two important things to look great with ruffles over 40.

1. Find pieces that have a grownup tailored cut and color.
2. Stay away from anything that looks girly, kitschy, costumy or like a requisite from a Western movie.

Don’t let your outfit be a random thing. Wear the right look in every situation by looking up what to wear when in How to Dress for Success in Midlife. Buy now.

Photos of me: G. Kramm
Other photos: Courtesy to the respective blogger

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