In the bag – This season’s must-have style takes its cue from the grocery store with the cinched-in paper-bag waist

Wearing a ruche of fabric at the waist might seem like a fashion faux-pas but Sarah Young proves why the paper-bag waist is much for flattering than you’d expect

Phillip Lim Spring Summer 2016

While paper bags are undoubtedly practical the fashion world is the last place you would expect to see an item usually reserved for groceries but alas, this season the runway is making a solid case for cinched in paper-bag waists. A style defined by surplus fabric girded at the middle there’s much more to this menswear inspired look than a humble high rise - so much so that a throng of designers thought it was worth traversing for their spring/summer collections.

Paper-bag tailored waists are somewhat of a hallmark for Margaret Howell whose knack for fuss-free fashion affords her collections with a steadfast of wardrobe staples. This season though, the designer played with colour and fabric by injecting a shot of scarlet into crumpled linen trousers and dark, turned-up denim. She wasn’t the only one looking to bring more dimension to her womenswear collections either with Public School, 3.1 Phillip Lim and Tibi all following suit.

Public School Spring Summer 2016

The presence of the paper-bag waist, for all three of these designers, imbued a sense of athleticism taking sporty menswear styles and infusing them with a sense of romance. For 3.1 Phillip Lim, silk shorts and billowing wid-leg pants were contrasted with ruffles or collaged with floral prints in a way that felt new. Meanwhile, Tibi and Public School proposed long and loose silhouettes bringing a sense of fluifity to their looks; from high-waisted culottes to pinstripe palazzo trousers the paper-bag waist resulted in a seamless streetwear meets high-fashion aesthetic.

Tibi Spring Summer 2016

Wearing a garment that draws attention to your midsection with a bulk of excessive material sounds like something we would normally tell you to avoid but the paper-bag waist is far more flattering than you might expect. This style offers volume around the middle, but in a way that accentuates the waist and if fashioned correctly affords cinched in style without feeling too tight or exposed. The aim is to keep things as sleek as possible so pair your paper-bag bottom with a tighter piece on top and always tuck it in. If you opt for trousers make sure the hemline is neatly rolled up to reveal a little ankle, this way the exaggerated proportions of the waist will be met with a sense of balance –you’ve got this in the bag.