How to Wear Trapeze Tops

Before I throw off this post by beginning with a picture of a vintage trapeze artist, I want to talk about the cut and design of the trapeze top, a very celebrity worn look. The cut of the top is "fitted at the bust and extends out to an A-line shape, which extends toward the hemline". The flow of the fabric gives the impact of movement, much like the trapeze artist. Here are the modern images of the trapeze top that will help you to connect the dots to this style trend that you may be seeing at your local boutique or mall. And I will take a quick moment to thank, Mary Ann, a reader, who sparked the writing of this post! She wants to find the trapeze top that Jenni was wearing on the second episode of Interior Therapy with Jeff Lewis-any one think or know the top, please post an answer in the comments! Now to that trapeze top:

The trapeze top as seen on the streets by some of LA's finest women... 

The mini history of the cut began in the 1930's, but it wasn't until 1958 that the cut of the shirt gained mainstream recognition after Yves Saint Laurent featured it in his collection. I want to finish this off by further quoting Wisegeek:

Ten years later, Mia Farrow would further popularize the style by wearing floral patterned trapeze dresses, sometimes referred to as “tent dresses” in the film, Rosemary’s Baby.

{Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby wearing a Trapeze Dress}

The trapeze style of tops, dresses and jumpers continued into the 1970s and 1980s but disappeared from mainstream fashion in the 1990s before making a big comeback in the 2000s. The modern trapeze top is often paired with fitted pants or shorts such as leggings or skinny jeans to contrast with the garment’s loose fit.

How to Wear Trapeze Tops

Wear trapeze tops with tights, leggings, or shorts. If you want to slenderize your arms, wear the top cut with a sleeve. If you are full-chested, consider the top in a scoop neck made from a beautiful jersey knit.  If you are thin, the shirt works well in stiff fabric or with spaghetti straps. The cut is best avoided by petite-framed women because it can make them appear shorter. Since I'm a hopeless Mad Men fan and the show is back for Season 5, I want to show some vintage patterns of the trapeze top:

{YSL Trapeze Collection and Sketch}

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{images: trapeze top in the garden, red trapeze top, mia farrow #1 & #2, color block trapeze top by BCBG, YSL Trapeze Collection and Sketch, vintage simplicity pattern,