Pleats, please

CEBU, Philippines -  Talk to me about pleats and the first thing that comes to mind are cheerleader skirts, a tennis skirt, and yes, my school uniform skirt with pleats that are too stiff to handle. The good news, ladies, is that the pleats trend should be anything but horrible this year. An even better news is that this year's pleats are anything but the above three that I mentioned at the start of this article and that is, for the most part, a huge reason to celebrate one of the biggest upcoming trends to hit our wardrobes this second half of 2011.

This year's pleats can either have a classic or modern twist - whichever suits your fancy. They can grasp on the glamour of the 70s, amp up the flapper energy of the 20s, or they can even be that sleek yet romantic detail in urban tough getups. 

More than anything, 2011's pleats will be fine and not wide ones, so think of those ultra thin vector rays you're bound to find in your favorite graphic renditions at Deviantart. The prevalence of pleats is quite evident on the runways of Chloe's and Lanvin's spring and fall collections. I'm talking about the knife and sunray pleats, in particular, which are making a huge wave for this year's pleats trend.

Just to get your minds jacked up for pleats, knife pleats are single pleats that all go in the same direction. Knife pleats are basically perpendicular against each other from end to end. Meaning, they do not start at one point and then spread out. Think about a baker cutting up a cake into equal long, rectangular pieces and you've basically got a good picture of what knife pleats are. Sunray pleats on the other hand, start smaller at a single point and get wider towards the bottom creating a nifty flared effect. 

Creating an impact with the pleated trend means making this detail the main attraction. I'm highly recommending donning a pleated dress-preferably a maxi or a sheer maxi to make it look more updated. If you lean a little towards the short side, it would be best to opt for midi or mini dresses with the same pleated effect. However, we're really looking towards a more glamorous 20th century take rather than an oft-beaten school girl take on pleats.

Pleats aren't just brilliant for night time escapades. These can also work out during the day, given the right choice of light weight fabrics-never the boxy school-girl ones-but rather the fairy-like ethereal ones that can easily be swept away by the breeze.

For the sunny weather, fabrics like crepe, silk-tulle or anything that leans towards the sheer side are exceptionally updated. Opting for a sheer maxidress can take you a long way as it can be the perfect canvas to dress up or down. Pair it with embellished T-strap flats and throw on some aviators and a cool headband and you're ready for a 70s spin off. For short stops, work it with a shorter version for a 20s flapper take.

There aren't too many changes as we take the pleated trend from the heat to cuddle weather. If it's a trip to Baguio you're eyeing as October rolls in, you can simply take your sunray pleated maxi from Bora to Baguio by putting on opaque tights, a pair of killer heels, and cosy layers on top, making the sunray pleats flow unimpeded from the jacket to the floor. For tough chicks, playing it down with a pair of booties rather than heels can also be another way to update the look and work it through the cold. Work with contrasts. Mix and match polar opposites like a soft, flowing maxi with a jacket that scream boheme and you've hit two birds with one stiletto: cold-proofing yourself while making heads turn.

If you think pleats are a thing for high school and bagpipe players, you've seriously gotten it wrong. Pleats are the new glam and, baby, pleats are here to stay so do anything but don't pack up those pleats…just yet. (Photos from the wires) (FREEMAN)