Spring 2006 Trend: Double Breasted Styles

Double Breasted Styles at Bill Blass, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs.
Photo Credit: NY Metro

Trend Importance Factor: Medium.

Wearability Factor: Medium.

How to Wear It: For the petite, the full figured, the curvy, the broad shouldered, and those with a full bust, steer clear of double breasted styles. Their strong horizontal detailing emphasizes the shoulderline and can make you look wider (and shorter) than you actually are.

Double breasted styles, however, can work for boyish figures, as they echo the straight up-and-down frame. Those with narrow shoulders will also find double breasted styles flattering, as they visually widen the shoulderline.

Where in Trend Lifecycle: Double breasted styles are experiencing a resurgence in popularity, likely due to the influence of the Peacoat, a key look from Fall 2005. It's definitely not new, but we should be seeing this style in various incarnations on the runways for seasons to come.