Kim Kardashian 2012

The peplum was originally called a "peplos", and referred to a Grecian woman's garment that is layered back onto itself. It is usually a form of tunic that includes a short overskirt. We first saw the modern version of this look way back in 1947, when it was included in designer Christian Dior's "New Look". The look was designed to imitate the petals of a flower around the waist and is recognised as a short gathered strip of fabric around the waist that flares into a ruffle.

The peplum sits around the smallest part of the woman's waist and the ruffles emerge from over the hips to accentuate the waist-hip ratio. The designer is able to increase the boldness of the ruffle depending on the drama he or she wishes to achieve. The look is often accompanied by a matching jacket skirt or pants. For the best effect, wear matching solid colours together. The key element of this design is in the structure so avoid "busy" fabrics for a sleeker look. The matching top and skirt or pants works towards drawing more attention to the focal point of this trend - the piece of material that sticks out from the woman's body.

The peplum is a style that does not discriminate! It works equally as well for both curvy and slim builds. For curvier ladies, the peplum highlights your best features by cinching in your waist and highlighting your curves, creating a balanced hour-glass silhouette. The garment has the same effect on a slimmer build, again cinching in the waist to and emphasising the grooves of your body to create a womanly and desirable shape.

Who hasn't been wearing the peplum? We love the stylish, black version on the stunning Blake Lively. Kim Kardashian keeps it professional and alluring while Beyonce went wild with the Peplum trend in a brightly coloured dress. Emma Stone made it cute with a quirky colour combo of pink and red.