The unexpected return of shrugs
Instagram and TikTok have proclaimed as transitional items of the moment
G-Club
September 12th, 2022
September 12th, 2022
In the past few days, Bella Hadid caught the attention of photographers by showing up at the 25th-anniversary party for Fendi's Baguette wearing a pair of boots by Ancuța Sarca, a mini tennis skirt, a top, and a leather bolero, all by I.AM.GIA. A few weeks earlier the model had made the rounds on Instagram with a streetstyle outfit whose centerpiece was a tiny Heaven by Marc Jacobs patchwork-effect cardigan declined in a range from bright red to lavender. These are just two examples of the passion for shrugs that the youngest of the Hadid sisters shares with other celebrities such as Oliva Rodriguez, Emrata e Katie Holmes.
You know, everything Bella touches or, rather, wears turns to gold and turns almost instantly into a must-have, invading social media and infecting first it-girls and influencers and, finally, all of us mere mortals who, after abandoning the use of shrugs about two decades ago, find ourselves longing to own one, for the more creative, try knitting it ourselves. Then again, one only has to watch one of the many tutorials on TikTok, where the hashtags #shrug and #crochetsleeves collect thousands of views, to learn the secrets of DIY and crochet or to come up with some style ideas on how to match shoulder covers.
@yunakth i took a 2 week break in between sleeves hence the change in lighting and nails lol
@justskyscraping I call it workshopping a fit #ootd #outfitinspo #styleinspo#grwm #outfit #thrifted #TeamUSATryout origineel geluid - Ewald Mers
@evielilycrochet the prettiest yarn ive ever used #crochet #crochettiktok #crochettok #crochetersofttiktok #crochetsleeves #fyp #handmade #fashion House of the Rising Sun - Lil srwg
Its tiny proportions are at the same time its limitation and its merit. This garment, which basically consists of two sleeves joined by one (or sometimes two, front and back) strips of fabric so that only arms and shoulders are covered, is the perfect passepartout for dealing with the transition from the summer heatwave to the early fall chill. Less bulky than a jacket or cardigan, but warmer than a tank top, it is that useful middle ground to keep on hand in case of need. Yet what is seemingly a strength has in the past become the reason many of us have chosen to abandon it in the back of the closet. If in the 1990s and early 2000s young Disney stars like Ashley Tisdale even used it on the red carpet, we saw neither its utility nor its style potential. Too skimpy and frilly to be warm or comfortable, we preferred to opt for a blazer or, alternatively, suffer through the first gusts of wind in our sleeveless dress. What has changed now? Influenced by balletcore and subversive basics, influencers like Bella Hadid have realized that the cover-up should not be treated as a normal piece of clothing, but as an accessory, like a piece of jewelry or a statement bag capable of giving a twist to our looks. Monochromatic or multicolored, mesh or crochet, fitted or oversized, boho-chic or Y2K, they go well with tank tops, tube tops, corsets, cargo pants and pleated miniskirts. The most desired are the ones (almost always sold out) from Scarlet & Sam and Isa Boulder, but G-club suggests 10 more to add to your fall shopping list.
ACNE STUDIOS Ribbed-knit wool-blend shrug
280€
ALAÏA Knit shrug
550€
YUHAN WANG Flower Lace Bolero
596€
LUAR Purple Bolero Long Sleeve T-Shirt
190€
ISA BOULDER SSENSE Exclusive Orange Argyle Sleeves
215€
ANDREĀDAMO cut-out stretch cropped top
103€
DION LEE zipped-sleeve cropped jumper
273€
FLEUR DU MAL mock-neck knitted shrug
207€
OTTOLINGER Lucie printed mesh hooded shrug
217€
POLO RALPH LAUREN argyle-check shrug cardigan
349€