Cast your mind back to the ‘80s when bubble skirts and dresses were an “it” look. Their volume would vary depending on the fabric of the garment, and the gathering created on the hem. The stiffer the fabric and higher the concentration of gathers at the hem of the skirt or dress, the more “balloon-y” the silhouette of the bubble would be. Softer fabric and fewer gathers at the hem would flatten the puff of the bubble.
We’re seeing similar bubble detailing come through on jackets, which vary in length. The gathering at the hem is elasticated, thereby pulling the fabric inward at the bottom. This creates a rounded, balloon-like silhouette instead of a straight hang. Since the ‘80s are one of the decades heavily influencing fashion at the moment, the silhouette makes a lot of sense. The evolution of the bubble detailing from bottoms to toppers is interesting too. A refreshed and modern interpretation.
We’re seeing lightweight bomber, aviator and flight jackets with bubble hems. Puffer jackets with quilting exaggerate the rounded shape of the bubble feature. There are utility jackets, anorak styles, blazers, and cropped jackets with subtle bubble hem finishes too. Fabrics run the gamet. Most are in neutrals and earth tones. Fits are fluid, very fluid and oversized, which is the next nod to ‘80s fashion. Some silhouettes balloon out more than others. Some bubbles are extremely subtle, and hang straighter. All versions are waist surrendering and have a somewhat avant-garde integrity.
Sleeve silhouettes vary. There are dropped shoulders, dolman sleeves, raglan sleeves, set-in sleeves, puffed sleeves, and shoulder pads. Some sleeves echo the balloon-y silhouette of the bodice. Double-Bubbled.
I saw many new collection bubble hem jackets in brick and mortar stores recently. I tried on a few oversized styles, and instantly liked the silhouette. Predictably, as a sucker for ‘80s fashion, I’m all in. Personally I preferred the shorter jackets on my own body. The shorter length offsets some volume and showcases my hips. To my eye, that looks more flattering on my narrow shoulders and with the wide bottoms I tend to wear. I also liked the versions with funnel and shirt collars as opposed to no collars of bomber jacket type collars. My long neck prefers coverage.
I’ve had a few of the longer and very roomy bubble hem jackets on broad shouldered tall and petite clients, and despite the huge difference in height, they rocked them equally well. The fact that the sleeves weren’t overly long on the petite made quite the difference.
The trend is on my radar so I’ll be looking for a short bubble hem jacket in a light neutral with a high collar. Over to you. What do you think of the bubble hem jacket trend?
