Trends: Paris Fashion Week heralds the return of the peplum

From the Duchess of Cambridge to Blake Lively and Rhianna are wearing the peplum skirt in its various guises.

Calling all dedicated followers of fashion: if you are looking to add curves and accentuate your waist this summer - the peplum is the trend for you.

If worn correctly, this elegant overskirt is the height of femininity, creating an instant hourglass figure. Better still, there's a style to suit almost everyone, be it asymmetric, flat pleated, petite or poufy. Paris Fashion Week was awash with extra layers attached to tailored jackets and dresses this month, implying the style is here to stay.

Following in the footsteps of Givenchy and Stella McCartney earlier this year, Chanel's autumn/winter 2011/2012 haute couture collection showcased tweed suits embellished with bell-curve peplums. In true Karl Lagerfeld style, the trend was taken to a higher level with the layering, bejewelling and fringing of faux skirts as the show progressed.

While you might think the design harks back to the 1980s or even the 1940s, its fashionable origins actually trace all the way back to ancient Greece.

But helping to bring the trend bang up to date are celebrities such as Blake Lively and Rhianna, who have both pulled off the peplum with aplomb. The Duchess of Cambridge is also a fan, having donned a striking House of McQueen double-breasted, frill-appended long jacket for the Trooping of the Colour ceremony in London last month.

Just one word of caution: when it comes to ruffles, keep them romantic and minimalist and as far removed as possible from the multi-layered rah-rah skirt - some trends should never be recycled.