Fall 2011: How to Wear a Long Skirt

The Outfit

H&M turtleneck

BCBG leather jacket

Rachel Pally long skirt

The Accessories

Foley Corinna purse

Burgundy scarf

Chanel earrings

STEVEN boots
Wolford tights

The Grade

B-

The Commentary

Felt straight out of the 90s today in my long floral skirt, leather jacket and boots. You know you're old when you wore a trend the first time...in your teens. Sigh.  

I've been loving the languid ease of long skirts on hot fashion chicks for months. Been acclimating to the look of longer proportions, the best ways to style them for different body types.

And yet I'm still not so sure that I am WERQ-ing them properly. F. Never quite sure what I wear on top works or if the shoes I pick work best. Ugh. Hate being fashion illiterate on any level.

And if the degree of diffuculty is high for me, I can only imagine how most women are struggling with long hemlines. No wonder my top visited post lately is How to Wear a Maxi Skirt. (Btw, I currently rank number one on the Google for those key words. That makes this nerd v. happy. Me-ow!)

My best advice is the same thing I say about fashion in general. Experiment. Play. Take risks. Make mistakes. After all, long skirts aren't going anywhere anytime soon. They were all over my favorite Fall 2011 runways at NYFW. And it was THE length to rock by fashion week goers.

Oh and a solid color is probably easiest to figure out. That's exactly why I got a print. I am nothing if not up for a challenge ;)



Maybe sequins next.

The Inspiration

Peter Som Fall 2011

Jason Wu Fall 2011

Jason Wu Fall 2011

Jason Wu Fall 2011

Prabal Gurung Fall 2011

Milly Fall 2011

Rachel Roy Fall 2011

Diane Von Furstenberg Fall 2011

Fall 2010: How to Wear the Maxi Skirt Trend

 Have you noticed how SHORT the skirts have gotten in stores lately? And how all the young kids nowadays love to nearly flash their coochies morning, noon and night???  Ugh I have.  And yes, I am older and rounder than I've ever been but neither of those things has ANYTHING to do with my hoochie skirt length observations ;)

So you would think my old ass (literally and figuratively) would appreciate the return of the maxi skirt trend. After all I practically lived in long skirts in the early 90s. When I was a PYT myself.

 But to be honest I've struggled with how to incorporate long skirts into my adult wardrobe.  I haven't wanted to look like a tragic cross between a prairie frump, an Elvira goth and devoutly religious believer. SHUdder!

So I've turned to the Interwebs for styling inspiration.  Studied how fashionable ladies are rocking the trend.  Across the globe and across seasons.

After months of looking for the perfect starter maxi, I hit pay dirt at Forever 21: a $20 black jersey skirt with some darting that gives it a bit of a flute at the bottom.  Just the right investment for a trend I wasn't convinced was for me. The last day of summer seemed like the perfect day to take the skirt out for its first test drive. I decided the best way to go was to keep the look languid and easy. 

So I paired it with two F21 tops - one long tank in gray and one cropped dolman sleeved knit in a neutral. Added Steve Madden platform boots and my new-ish Louis Vuitton Never-Full Tote (a bday present to myself.)  Decided to keep the jewelry to a minimum and wear my hair down to match the lines of the outfit.

Throughout the work day I felt incredibly comfortable...physically. A little frumpy, man repeller fashionable AND comfortable.  Though I'm not going to front: I was self-conscious. As I have mentioned I looooves my new job but the culture does not lend it self to high fashion trends. Or really any kind of fashion. Sigh. Nonetheless, my boss (a self proclaimed honorary fgay) mentioned he loved the look. And when I got home, Mr. Diabolina said he was utterly confuzzled by my outfit. Check and check ;)

My top tip for rocking a maxi skirt is simple: don't overthink it.  Think of a maxi skirt as, say, a wide leg pair of pants. You know how to style a pair of wide leg pants, right?  You just have to keep a close eye on  proportions.

Don't make the look fussy. Think basic separates. Tees and tanks and sweaters. Think uncomplicated, drapey shapes. Steer away from ruffles and frou-frou. This is the time to keep things sleek. To create a long vertical silohouette.

As for shoes, you can do either heels or flats. But I think for most of us the look is most flattering with a bit of height---again to elongate.  For fall, I'm really feeling the long skirt look with a platform boot or a great wooden wedge. Just play with what feels right to you. And experiment.

Consider adding a belt or a blazer or a leather jacket.  Maybe a vest or a cardigan.  Perhaps a long necklace or a sassy scarf or a fab hat or a cross-body bag.

If all else fails, channel your inner Olsen twin, damn it.  You know she's in there somewhere.  A billionaire barely out of her teens who loves to play with fashion.  Because in the end, WHO CARES, IT'S JUST A SKIRT! 

p.s. As luck would have it, Jean Bean was blogged on Stylesightsings today in a long languid look.  She's wearing Margiela, a pants/sarong combo.  She calls them her "Bea Arthur" pants.  LOOOOOVE!

One more day until we're together!!