HOW TO WEAR: THE MUTTON SLEEVE
Flashes of old-school Disney princesses come to mind whenever a pic of this romantically dramatic trend pops up on my feed. (That and my sister’s prom dress in the 80s.) As they say, fashion just goes around and here we are in the year 2021 and the dramatic puff sleeve, formally known as the Leg-of-Mutton sleeve, has exploded (literally!) onto the arms and shoulders of influencers on FB and IG feeds.
*Quick background, it’s called the Leg-of-Mutton sleeve because its shape is literally that of a sheep’s leg (a mutton is technically what you call the meat of an adult sheep). The puff sleeve starts at the shoulder, narrows down at the elbow and continues onto the wrist to provide that perfect “mutton” silhouette.
Now that we know what it is, how do we wear it this time around without looking like we just stepped out of a flashback episode of Dynasty (the 80s version)?
GO LIGHT
Some shapes are easy to pull off, some aren’t. This one is tough to pull off because of its boxy silhouette. Fortunately, the recent variations (Shein, Zara, H&M) play with sheer fabric, pastel shades and a shorter puff—freshening up an otherwise dated style. Consider this the ultimate Zoom top.
Shein‘s minty green shade freshens up the romantic sleeve while a pair of faded jeans make this dressy top ready for a quick lunch with the girlfriends.
With such a voluminous and dramatic sleeve, the trick to looking more like fashion plate rather than fashion victim, is balance. Let the top be the focal point and opt for a more tapered bottom. Go casual with cute shorts, faded denim or flirty matching coordinates—the perfect combo for such an over-the-top blouse.
Go matchy matchy in Zara‘s head-to-toe coords for a fun, feminine vibe.
The good thing about this top, drama is already a given so it’s easy to dress up for one of those intimate weddings with slim cigarette pants, high heels, a sleek hairstyle and a dressy face mask.
