MyShingle Fashion: Full, Flowing, Flattering Skirts

The last time we saw full, fat, fluffy skirts was in the spring/summer of 2006 (or possibly 2005 – I get those seasons mixed up), and they’re back this year and dominating the runway – kind of. This time, however, we’re seeing their ankle-skimming incarnations: the maxi skirts!

The maxi skirt is long and flowing and entirely feminine, and is dominating the runways this season. It’s flattering and forgiving, and hides a multitude of sins, as Victoria Beckham would say. Not that Posh Spice would ever be caught dead in a maxi skirt – how else would she show off her twig legs?

I like long skirts well enough, but what they really have going for them is how easy they are to style. Maxi skirts are a staple of the bohemian style, but can be incorporated into so many others.

Pair a maxi skirt with a solid turtleneck and a marled cardigan in a similar hue (like grey cardigan on black turtleneck) and you’ve got a lovely English countryside, Fair-Isles-style look. Prep it up with a collared top and cute, possibly cropped pullover. Wear it with a solid top in a complementary but not necessarily matching hue and a bold belt, and you’ve got a totally office-appropriate look. Pick out a matching solid top for your solid skirt and throw on a long, patterned cardigan and you’ve got a totally relaxed look going for you. Or, wear a long blouse or oversized tunic-style sweater over it with a belt and you’ve nailed the chic minimalist style.

There are tons of options, and here are some skirts to get you started. As always, click the image to purchase.

This patterned skirt is from TopShop. I might wear it with a black top and a maroon cardigan, possibly with this grey leather belt I have. Shoes…I’d probably go for my heeled boots. I like heeled boots.

I normally don’t like tiered anything. It’s just so fussy and prissy. But I think I must have been swayed in this instance by how adorable that model looks in this Free People maxi skirt. Precious.

A stylish fluted skirt for the cash-strapped. It’s a little daring, a little hip-hugging, but I wanted to illustrate the fluted/mermaid shape you’ll see if you start shopping around for maxi skirts.

Also, an important side note: if you’re trying out a skirt like this one that emphasizes your curves a little more than others might, try it on and take a good look at the way the material pulls across your thighs. Does it create horizontal lines where the fabric tugs?

If so, take it off and try on a larger size. If the larger size is too big, don’t go down to the smaller one. Just ditch it altogether, because it wasn’t meant to be. The fabric absolutely should not pull that way over your hips – if those lines start to happen, the effect will make your hips look even larger/wider.

That reminds me of my own fashion sob-story about fabric pulling. I was at Banana Republic with a friend, trying on the cutest olive green/brown structured dress that fit me perfectly…except for the way it pulled on my thighs. I dragged my friend into the fitting room to get a second opinion, hoping she wouldn’t even notice it and I would be totally justified in dropping $100 or so on the dress, but it was the first thing she noticed. She got me the dress in a larger size, but it was too large. It didn’t fit on my shoulders, it was too saggy at the waist and was long enough that it cut my legs off at a weird point that made me look stumpy…

In short, it was disastrous and I was sad. For like two minutes. Then I saw something shiny and was sufficiently distracted.

This is a nice, simple wool blend maxi skirt from Rick Owens. There’s not much to say about it. Yes, it’s pricey. But it’s Rick Owens.

Any black paneled maxi skirt like this one is a really safe bet, because it’s so versatile and a great way to pull one of the season’s trends into your existing wardrobe without a lot of fuss.

I’m only including this Missoni jacquard skirt because I saw a darling little Missoni dress in this exact palette/material and loved it. It’s marked down from $1905, but is only available in a US 2.

Yes, it’s an animal print. The trick with animal print is to keep everything else solid and very simple. No other prints, and no weird embellishments or ruffles. Everything else has to be very minimal, understated, simple, polished. Then you won’t look like you’ve lost your mind if you step into the office decked out in this daring print.

And there we have a couple maxi skirts in varying price ranges, to help you navigate one of the season’s other big trends and incorporate it into your working wardrobe.