fourth in a series
“A good sermon should be like a woman’s skirt:
short enough to arouse interest
but long enough to cover the essentials.”
~Ronald Knox~
After purchasing a white button down shirt, a black dress pair of trousers and a cashmere sweater set, the next item on the list for building a classic wardrobe is a black skirt. It can be worn with either the white shirt or the twinset.
Skirts basically come in two styles — straight or A-lined. In choosing the correct style remember that the fuller the A-line skirt, the shorter you will appear. If you need to compensate for the resulting “shortness”, add high heels to create a longer visual line.
Pencil skirts are popular members of the straight skirt family. A pencil skirt that fits well will have no puckering of the fabric when you are seated and will allow for complete ease of movement. Resist the temptation to get a skirt that requires teeny, tiny steps. The waist of a pencil skirt should begin in the area of the belly button or a little higher if you are high-waisted. Straight skirts, in general, often have slits in them to help with easy movement, however, the slit should be small and never go too far above the height of the knee.
Tips for Buying a Skirt
- Lined skirts look better and last longer than unlined skirts.
- When sitting down, skirts should not ride up.
- If you have to keep readjusting how the skirt fits, it is the wrong size.
- There should be room for two fingers to be inserted between your waist and the waistband of the skirt.
- Think about the type of jacket you will want to wear with the skirt. Long jackets look better with shorter skirts, short jackets go well with longer skirts. You want to avoid the jacket and the skirt being the same lengths.
- Alterations are a girl’s best friend.
- Panty lines should not be visible through the skirt.
- Hems should sit straight when wearing the skirt, with no dipping front or back. If not, try on another skirt.
- Pleats should not pull open.
- There should be no creasing or pulling across the break of your leg (where your leg meets your body).
- Length — find what looks good on you, do not be dictated by the latest fashion trends. Also, while wearing the skirt, sit down in front of a mirror. If you see too much thigh, the skirt is too short. As a general rule, skirts that end at the knee when you are standing look classic and professional.
Tech Cady Drape Skirt at Saks Fifth Avenue
Debra Stretch-Wool Pencil Skirt at Saks Fifth Avenue
Pencil Skirt at Dillards
Pencil Skirt in Super 120s at J.Crew
Weekend Max Mara ‘Medusa’ Skirt at Nordstrom
BOSS Black ‘Veronice’ Tropical Wool Skirt at Nordstrom
Louben Flared Skirt at Nordstrom
(other posts in the series “Building A Classic Wardrobe One Piece at a Time — The White Button Down Shirt, The Dress Slacks, A Cashmere Twinset, The Black Tweed Blazer, The Sleeveless Black Dress, The Nude Pump, and The Nude Purse)
