Empire waist for everyone!

Filed in archive Trends on December 14, 2007

"Empire waist"

Definition: A type of dress or top where the waist line is raised above the natural waistline, sometimes as high as right below the bust. Best on slender-on-top or petite figures, the empire dress creates the illusion of length and camouflages a bottom-heavy figure or thick waist.

One cut that is very flattering on nearly everybody is an empire waist. The way it emphasizes the top half of your body and flows out from there really allows it to hide almost everything. Eat too much at dinner? Empire waist dress. Top of the jeans has an ugly button? Empire waist top. Want a great silhouette? Empire waist. You can't go wrong with the empire waist, but you can pronounce it wrong. Here in the US most people butcher it by calling it "empire", but it is really pronounced like "om-peer".

	Pretty, pretty. Norma Kamali Black Jersey Pleated Empire Gown, $156 at Bluefly
	The button detailing and the sleeves are perfect additions to this shirt. Sweet Life Empire Waist Top, $74 at Nordstrom
	Whether you get this in the blue or the camel this is a stunning sweater. Cashmere empire-waist cardigan, $178 at Banana Republic