Rowena (aka fashion_lover) is a girl after my own heart. I fall head over heels for a good skirt, but oftentimes find myself stressing over what looks good on my own body. Thankfully the skirt-pert (pun fail D:) is here with some helpful suggestions to help you (and your gams) look fly for spring.
xoConnie
Anyone that has seen my Chictopia blog knows that I have a slight—no make that extreme obsession with skirts! It might have been because I had to wear the the same red tartan skirt nearly every day at school for five years that’s got me gravitating towards a skirt + top combo. Finding the right skirt to suit you can be a bit daunting but here’s the lowdown on skirt shapes and a few tips to have you rockin’ the skirt:
High waisted
The high waist is an essential for every girl’s wardrobe. This is my personal favorite! Scraping in at only 5’1â€, I love the high waisted skirt for its ability to make my legs look longer than they actually are. Team it with a plain fitted tee and cut-out flats for the day or a cute top and sky high heels for a night out
Pencil
The pencil is great for work because it’s narrowly fitted to the body from the waist to slightly below or above the knee. But make sure you can walk, sit and bend in it. Look for a subtle split at the back that will allow you to stride down the street as you don’t want to spend the day hobbling around like a penguin in a too-tight can’t move my legs or walk up stairs pencil skirt.
Tulip
Imagine an inverted tulip flower. Tulip skirts feature a fitted waist, a slight balloon at the hips and taper at the bottom. Look for a tulip skirt that ends just above the knee to compliment your silhouette. Pair this with a fitted top to balance out the extra volume at the hips.
Bandage/Body-Con
The bandage skirt is simple yet so versatile. Tightly fitted to the body, it’s great for showing off your best ass-ets (editor’s note: butt what if you don’t got any?). Bandage skirts look great in black and bold colors. To tone down the sexiness of this skirt for the day, wear it that flayered under an oversized tee or blazer à la Mary Kate
A-Line/Full Skirt
These skirts are known for their fitted waist flare out to create an A-shape. Voluminous, swingy pieces strike the right balance between romantic and fashion-forward. A fuller skirt conceals where you bottom ends and waist begins, making legs appear longer.
Here are a few quick tips:
- Balance is the key. Avoid anything too voluminous on top and add heels to lengthen your silhouette. This will make your legs look miles long!
- Always try on skirts. No matter how cute it might look on the mannequin or in an editorial, it’s your body that has to wear it and look good in it. The last thing you want is an ill fitting skirt that makes you look frumpy.
- Tuck it in! After years of rebelling at school and always getting told off for not having my blouse tucked into my skirt, it has almost second nature now to tuck my top into my skirt.
- Go for skirts that are versatile but touch on current trends like prints, floral, color, metallic, tie-dye, bows, lace & zippers.
- Belt it. Skirts look great with a statement belt and draw attention to the smallest part of your body!
- On a budget? Be creative and try a DIY skirt. Search fabric shops for unique and eye catching fabric and sew away! The blue skirt only cost me about $3 to make and I simply followed the instructions “hereâ€: http://www.ehow.com/how_2227475_skirt-pattern.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art.
- Op shops are great for finding skirts in unique patterns and designs. Don’t rule out longer skirts as you can always take up the hem.
- Check out stores such as Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, Topshop, American Apparel, Miss Selfridge and ASOS that have a great range of skirts in a wide range of colors and shapes
Skirts can be sexy, sweet, rough or edgy – it’s entirely up to you. Don’t be afraid to experiment with all different shapes, patterns and colors. Make the skirt your statement piece this season!
xoxo Rowena
