When I think of the Evergreen Silhouette, I think of several people whose style I admire because they take bold leaps and stick the landing. With the Evergreen, the drama is intentional, and its execution comes off as brave and bold. The volume is always on the bottom half of the outfit. There is a reason that stars wear gowns on the red carpet and bridal dresses often have full skirts. The Evergreen is a moment!
In the 1960s, a row of brownstones on East 68th Street in New York City was about to be demolished, so artist Ormond Gigli took the opportunity of its impending ruin to mark a moment in time. âGirls in the Windowsâ was a way for Gigli to express the beauty of the neighborhood he adored. The 43 outfits the models are wearing are dynamic, and every single one is in a theatrical Evergreen shape. No other Silhouette would have worked to achieve this effect.
Such intention makes all the difference in the way we digest art. Often, a fashion show has a model in an Evergreen look walk down the runway to amp up the show's energy. Those are always some of my favorite looks during runway season. They are the most fun, so it's no surprise I loved the theatrical shows this season, like Marc Jacobs Spring 2024, Maison Margiela Spring 2024 Couture, and Molly Goddard and Marni Fall 2024.
I love to see the movement of the garments as a model walksâa being and a garment working together in a performance. Itâs the beauty of putting together an outfit, even if youâre not going anywhere. Evergreen styling depends on the level of drama you want, from Gigliâs art to the runway to your everyday supermarket run.
Like the Palm, the Evergreen Silhouette uses a formula.
+ Volume below the waist. A flared skirt or pants. That doesn't mean just "wide-leg". It means something that protrudes so your outfit's base is wider than your waist.
+ Waist accentuation (e.g., a belt, a tied sweater, a chain necklace as a belt, etc.) will help make clear where the volume begins. It is optional but helps enhance the Silhouette.
+ Shoes will determine how wild the look is. You can do something like a ballet flat, loafer, or sneaker to make your outfit casual. A strappy sandal or slingback will contrast the flared skirt/pants, adding an unexpected lightness to the Silhouette (this is one of my favorite styling techniques). Or, go with a statement shoe: a crystal-encrusted brogue, a pump, or a platform to lean into the drama.
+ Top is fair game. That isn't a rule, but more of a free space! Do whatever you want up Top, but just be sure not to overpower the volume below your waist.
If you're familiar with any of the above people, some of my favorites to follow on social media for their style, you know that looking at their outfits is like a shot of serotonin. When I talk about "confidence silhouettes"âthe silhouette you revert to for day-to-day dressingâvery rarely do people gravitate, day in and day out, to the Evergreen. However, those who seem to be to me (I think of Chloe King, Jalil Johnson, Crystal Anderson, and Jenny Walton) are fashion risk-takers with very distinct styles. It involves a level of confidence. All of this aligns with the performance of social media, specifically visual apps like TikTok and Instagram. The drama of the Evergreen Silhouette catches your eye as you scroll down your feed. And to be clear, performing isn't a pejorativeâthere's nothing better than a performance that comes from a genuine place.
Jonah Weiner touches upon the Social Media aspect and the allure of "big pants" in "Why Are Pants So Big (Again)?" for The New York Times.
âWhat does seem inarguable is that these days more people care about self-presentation than ever, owing to the fact that â between dating-app selfies, social-media fit pics, TikTok style-tutorial accounts, âGet Ready With Meâ videos, Discord servers and other gaping digital maws to feed with visual evidence of ourselves â there is simply more self-presenting happening than ever. âWeâre all image-makers on our personal platforms now,â as GQâs [fashion writer Samuel] Hine put it to me.â
Weiner is talking about the Silhouette of bottoms, and these large pants certainly fall into the Evergreen category.
While these two big pants outfits are quite different from the 1960s full skirts in Gigli's photo or the runway looks, the eye-catching aspect of the dramatic shape is the same. This is why the Evergreen Silhouette is all about intention.
You can also implement the Evergreen when you want to wear something deliberately without too much fuss. To visualize this, I put together the looks below. The accessories are all extras, determined by your preference.
The full skirt + minimal top: Aligne skirt (with belt loops!), Rag & Bone cardigan tied around shoulders (just as a little bonus đ), Emme Parsons âYoyoâ belt, St. Agni contrast-stitch tank top, Hue scrunch socks, Adidas Handball Spezial shoes (menâs sizing, so size down 1.5 sizes), Whitney Museum of American Art hat
The full skirt + contrasting âcasual styleâ top: Sue Hill Craft skirt via Etsy, Desert Moss Vintage âCampbellâs Soupâ sweatshirt (tucked inâfront or full-tuckâor left out with thin belt), KULE striped tee (peaking out at neckline and sleeve cuffs), Emme Parsons sandals, Vintage Gucci cosmetic bag via eBay as purse
The big jeans: Free People Barrel jean in âUltra Light Beam,â Vintage Lacoste cardigan via Etsy, Posse tank top, Gap belt (get a larger size so you can have a long âtailâ on the beltâmore drama!âand no hole punching required), Khaite x Oliver Peoples sunglasses, Gucci platform shoes
The âLean into the Ladyâ look: Boden skirt, Gap âCashsoftâ polo sweater, Cos trench coat (the key part is finding a long one that is close to the length of the skirt), Vintage Fendi shoes via Poshmark (another great pair here and these are cool, but not for this look)
Consider trying the Evergreen Silhouette if it's not currently in your rotation. Wearing this Silhouette takes confidence, but also gives you confidence. That's the beauty of getting dressed.
I hope to see a forest of Evergreens this week! đ˛đ˛đ˛đ˛đ˛đ˛đ˛đ˛
See you next Sunday morning.
xo,
Eliz
just wanted to say this is my FAVORITE silhouette and i had been hankering for a Good Big skirt for spring - thrilled to say the Boden one nailed it and it comes in a delightful bright pink!!!
This is so smart