As current trends move back to silhouettes of the ‘70s, ‘80s and early ‘90s, high and extra high rises on skirts, pants, jeans and shorts rule retail. Mid rises are harder and harder to find, and low rises are non-existent unless you thrift them.
Tucking and semi-tucking goes hand in hand with the high-rise trend. This is especially true when bottoms have waistband detailing that is supposed to be seen. Retail has a habit of flooding the market with a look and killing it. At the moment, this look is tucking tops into bottoms. Unless they are cropped, it is hard to find visuals of untucked tops styled with bottoms.
Tops that are not body-con tend to be fluid, very fluid or oversized. Tucking or semi-tucking them provides effective outfit structure and lengthens the leg line from the hips upward, which is why the relentless tucking trend persists. It’s a very handy styling tool that I frequently use too.
From what I’ve noticed with my clients and friends, many don’t like tucking their tops, don’t want to wear body-con tops, or tops that are too cropped. Semi-tucking is a little more popular. A tailored or gently fluid top at a regular length that can be worn untucked is the perfect solution. This makes the wearer feel streamlined but not self-conscious, and very comfortable. Unfortunately this silhouette of top is hard to find, especially in woven fabrics, petites and plus sizes. Retailers need to bring back tops with a bit of built-in shape and structure so that they can be worn untucked over high rises. There’s too much falling back on tucking as the easy-fix structural solution. Designers need to put in the effort and give us a tailored top with darts, cut lines, ruching and seams. PLEASE.
I’m a tucker and semi-tucker because it’s the way I add structure to an outfit and lengthen my leg line in flats. But I like to wear untucked tops too. I do wear body-con tops, peplum tops, swing tops, short welted pullovers and blouses, and boxy crop tops, which has made sporting untucked tops with structure easier. And some tops I simply leave boxy over slim-fit jeans and enjoy their muumuu effect. So I’m not as affected by the relentless tucking trend as others.
Here are the exact items from my wardrobe that I wear UNtucked:
Over to you. Are you enjoying the focus on tucking, or would you like the trend to swing back a little in the other direction?
