Shrug off your cardie! Those strappy tops from the Nineties are back
SHINY shell suits, knee-high socks and puffball skirts... there are some fashions we are only too happy to shove to the back of the wardrobe.
But one retro trend is firmly back in style – the strappy top.
That’s according to Vogue magazine, which says the mid-1990s staple is back thanks to a new generation of flat-tummied It Girls.
Social media star Kim Kardashian is often spotted in a tiny top with precariously thin spaghetti straps.
And American supermodel sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid are also fans.
Actresses Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Roberts were big advocates of the trend back in the 90s, often wearing them to Hollywood events. Vogue lauded the tops as ‘simply chic’ and ‘an easy, breezy throw-on’.
‘It’s the answer to feeling sexy for flat-chested girls,’ Vogue’s market editor, Anny Choi, said. ‘If you don’t have cleavage, this is the best way to show a bit of yourself.’
Among the magazine’s money-is-no-object suggestions for the perfect strappy top are a £560 cotton-blend camisole by Dolce & Gabbana and a £360 striped vest by Missoni.
But for those on a more realistic budget, Vogue also suggests a £5 jersey design from H&M.
Despite Vogue’s stamp of approval strappy tops are not for everybody.
The straps can dig into even a hint of fat, creating unsightly bulges around the armpit and shoulders. Wearing a bra underneath leaves straps on show which is a style no-no – along with ‘invisible’ clear straps that everyone can see a mile off.
The only option is a strapless bra or going without – really only an option for the very young.
But, with caution, according to style experts, they can work.
Strappy tops look best when worn tucked into wide-leg trousers.
The straps are too fine to support a heavy maxi dress so it is best to stick to shorter styles in floaty fabrics.
If that’s still too daring, those aiming to cover up more wear strappy tops or dresses with a T-shirt underneath for a casual look.