Nelly Furtado’s somewhat overlooked 2012 song Big Hoops repeatedly states that “the bigger the better”. Whilst this song is about hoop earrings (potentially being the start of the “the bigger the hoop, the bigger the hoe” movement), the song takes me to another world, one that is far away from the place that gets Nelly’s “rump rump shaking”. This world, my favourite place to get lost, satiates me in two ways. It allows me to feel like an Edwardian Queen whilst consuming potentially the finest baked goods to have ever been created. It is, of course, a world where the law is thus: bigger is better - wear only puff sleeves, eat only puff pastry.
The puffed sleeve is perhaps one of the only trends that has survived centuries; after all, this sartorial choice was as beloved by Henry 8thas it is by Instagram It girls now. There is something about the accentuation of the shoulder and the simultaneous shaping and lengthening of the arm that means that this sleeve style is one that I think anybody could wear, and pull off, pretty effortlessly. The Venetian ambassador once described Henry 8th as being “the handsomest potentate I ever set eyes on”, something I believe is solely a result of the puffed sleeve he infamously wore. It is interesting that Henry’s reasoning for this style sleeve was because he wanted to exaggerate his manly figure, yet his son wore the same style to hide his puny, skinny body. Dare I say this trend is one that caters to all? Big or small, wide or thin? Puff sleeves are for everyone! In the 1930’s, the trend was revived in all its glory as a celebration of the end of the war; gone were the rectangular, boyish shapes worn during the war and in came shapes and styles of excess – big skirts and bigger sleeves symbolised prosperity, excitement, and freedom.
It is no wonder, then, that no style makes me feel as free or glamorous as a puff sleeve. It immediately adds a level of elegance that other garments, try as they might, cannot achieve in such an effortless manner. I feel many things when adorned by a puff sleeve; I feel romantic, akin to the princess in Portrait of a German Princess by François Joseph Kinsoen – elegant, dainty, and light. I feel strong, too. The 80’s saw shoulder enlarging garments as a way to communicate power and dominance – attributes that had thus far only being attributed to men were suddenly being used to describe women. The power that this sleeve has is myriad!
Wearing something that makes me feel powerful and elegant means that on a puff sleeve day I like to spoil myself, to enhance the day as much as possible by thinking only good thoughts and eating only good food. One particular puff sleeve day led me to a bakery not so far away from my house. The smell of coffee was strong and there, on the counter, sat the most perfect almond croissant. Its puffed pastry was golden brown, covered with tiny specs of almond. The most beautiful pastry I have ever seen. As I sat down, I took a deep breath before realising that, in that moment, I was truly happy. Truly happy, ecstatic even. Isn’t it great what something as simple as an oversized sleeve and a large pastry can do to someone’s mood?
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