The moment I saw an outfit I liked—and realized it had a peplum detail—I genuinely thought I was hallucinating. Like, this has to be some sort of fever dream. You’re telling me that silhouette—the once-cringey, aggressively flared cut from the 2010s that was dubbed as the ultimate office-to-night look (derogatory)—is back? And not just back, but…chic?
Last summer, I started spotting it again and simply brushed it off as a fleeting throwback moment. I thought it was the usual Y2K/early-aughts nostalgia cycle doing its thing. You know how people love to dig up a trend from 15+ years ago and call it “vintage”—but the comeback never lasts? Yeah, so I didn’t even give it a second thought. But now? We’re well into 2026, and it’s everywhere I go. On fashion girls in New York, all over my feeds, even on the red carpet. And not in the same predictable, corporate-coded way either—it’s showing up on everyday staples like trenches, leather jackets, tanks, and sweaters.
And I have to admit, as a picky style editor, I’m into it! This time around, the peplum feels less business-casual and more sculptural—more whimsical, even. There’s movement, there’s shape, and it actually flows with the body. Talk about a comeback!
It’s like a wearable art form now, not a try-hard add-on. And I love how many lives the silhouette is taking on: soft ruffles, sharp architectural cuts, subtle flares that totally revamp the peplum name. It gives a cool twist to even the most basic pieces.
On the red carpet, peplum is having a full glamour moment. Dua Lipa and Kate Hudson both wore peplum gowns during Oscars weekend, and neither read as anything close to the office-friendly silhouette of the 2010s. The shape still nods to the classic peplum flare, but the proportions feel softer and more dramatic—less structured, more sculptural.
I never thought I’d say this, but peplum has serious cool-girl energy right now. Whether it’s a subtle flare on a weekend jacket or a full dramatic moment on the red carpet, it’s worth a spot in your closet—and I say that as a former skeptic.
Megan Uy is an associate shopping editor at Cosmopolitan, where she searches for the best products in all things fashion, home, beauty, sex, gifts, and more, so you don’t have to. When she’s not writing for the site, she’s whipping up some cool and trendy content for the fashion section of the print magazine. She’s been with the brand since 2019 (when she was an itty-bitty editorial fellow), and she’s also written for Delish, House Beautiful, and People. Follow her on Instagram to get some BTS of the editor life and chaotic NYC content. Also, feel free to hit her up if you ever wanna discuss the madness that is TikTok.