For many years, blouses took a back seat to pull over tops.  No longer!  I began seeing a resurgence of blouses in the market last year, and they have only gained in popularity since then.  Not to be too simplistic, but I don’t want to assume all of my readers understand the difference between a blouse and a pull over top.  A blouse, by definition, is a button up, collared shirt.  This is differentiated from a “pull over” top by the fact that you can open a blouse to put it on rather than have to pull it over your head.

You may laugh at me that  I felt the need to explain that difference.  Let me just say it is an occupational hazard.  I can’t tell you how many times I have had a customer ask for one thing, when she really wanted something else.  It’s a bit like a car technician having to interpret what a “thud-thunk” in an engine might be. Smile.

To complicate things, an important trend this season is the “Big Shirt.”  Don’t you just wish manufactures would pick one name and stick to it?  A big shirt is essentially a blouse tunic.  Some may be over-sized and swing away from the body, while others may just be long enough to wear as a tunic.  When you are considering how to wear a big shirt, just think of it as a tunic and wear it as such.  Big shirts look great paired with leggings or slim legged pants.  You will want to avoid straight legged pants especially with the a-line style big shirts to avoid looking boxy.

This is a fun new twist on tunics, adding some freshness to the trend and definitely a must try for tunic and legging lovers.