BlogHer - Taking summer skirts into fall - Comments

As related as possible! :)

mfabric — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 01:54:36 -0600

I have a question about the skirt/dress transition into fall!

I'm loving the skirt/dress with tights look this fall. I've never attempted this look before though, so I'm a bit at a loss... I've got the cute dress (empire waist jersey knit, large purple floral print), I have the cute flats (black ballet-ish, with some pretty detail to them), and I've got the tights (opaque dark grey). The outfit looks pretty slick (I think! I haven't ever done this before, but I think it looks pretty good)... but....
What on earth are we supposed to wear to keep ourselves warm on top?
I've been scouring fashion photos looking for hints toward a nice style of jacket that works with this look, and have found nothing. I really need something warm on top, since I walk to school every day in rainy Seattle.

What could work? I am dreaming of an empire-waisted sweater that hits below the butt and has large buttons up the front.... but this is merely a dream, and it may be a silly one too. Maybe a longish peacoat? Something wool with a hood? Maybe some sort of cardigan? (I'm not too fond of cardigans, which always seem to fit my hourglass funny.)

Here's a general idea of the look I'm talking about:
http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp;jsessioni...

I've always been impressed by your advice! I'm glad I finally have a question that's important enough to actually motivate me to get an account and ask! :)

oh yes, I remember the days

Kian Yamaguchi — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 13:26:17 -0500

oh yes, I remember the days of fishnets. They are dangerous attire in my house if you catch my meaning.

My white tights will have to

Keilexandra — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 10:46:34 -0500

My white tights will have to languish some more in the bottom of my drawer. Thanks!

But the white skirt I was thinking of is structured and made of heavier cotton with pleats. Fall-appropriate, I think, but what should I do when it's too cold to go bare-legged? Colored tights? And should I skip the matching white flats?

-Lisa

No white tights

Susan Wagner — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 19:44:27 -0500

because unless you have VERY slim legs the white will make them look bigger than they really are. With a white skirt and white flats, go with bare legs, particularly if the skirt is very light and airy.

Okay! Who else has a question? This is fun!

Friday Style | The Working Closet | Friday Playdate

What about white tights with

Keilexandra — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 16:55:59 -0500

What about white tights with white flats and an airy skirt?

-Lisa

not stupide at all!

Susan Wagner — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:50:40 -0500

I think tights are the best choice for everyday, especially for warmth (tights tend to be heavier, particularly if you opt for a wool or wool-blend tight). Patterned tights are fun with a skirt and boots, because you just get a glimpse of the pattern between boot and hem.

Stockings are also fine with tights, for dressier events or with lighter weight skirts (like a silk skirt, for example). A warning, though: stockings can get pulled or torn by the tops of your boots, so be wary of this.

And of course there's always a good fishnet. If you are so inclined.

Friday Style | The Working Closet | Friday Playdate

ok here is a tres stupide

Kian Yamaguchi — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:23:03 -0500

ok here is a tres stupide question, but... what hosiery should be worn when wearing boots with skirts?

Taking summer skirts into fall

Susan Wagner — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:51:35 -0500

It's still hot at my house, but the promise of fall is just around the corner; it's time to think about what to put away and what to keep working as the weather cools. Shannon wants to know specifically about skirts.

OK, so you've discussed what to do about ballet flats when the weather turns cold. But what about all the cute knee-length A-line skirts I've been wearing all spring and summer (the denim, the chino, the flower-print cotton)? It's still warm here in Minnesota but it won't be for long, and then bare legs will not be an option. Can I wear tights with any of these skirts? And if so, what color? I mean, I get that that I'd want black tights with a black skirt, but I'm talking about my denim and khaki-colored chino skirts especially. Black tights still?

Last winter I had a newborn and I slobbed around in jeans, yoga pants, and running shoes or Dansko clogs, so this is a new dilemma for me: looking cute, and nice, when the weather's too cold for the bare-legged skirts that have lifted me out of total frumpiness this past summer. I don't want to give it all up now!

Summer clothes tend to be lightweight, both in their fabrics and their styles. For fall, look for more structured pieces with more weight to them. Put away any skirts that are very thin and floaty; they don't have the substance to hold up to fall sweaters and tights. Keep out pieces with structure and a little bit of heft. And now that Labor Day is just a memory, say goodbye to your linen skirts. Please.

Shannon asks specifically about her denim and khaki skirts. Both are good neutral pieces that can carry her through the fall, although not necessarily with tights. A light colored khaki skirt will be overwhelmed by dark tights; the light skirt over dark tights will draw the eyes down to Shannon's hips. Instead of pairing the khaki skirt with tights, she should wear it with bare legs for as long as possible, and then tuck it away for summer.

Shannon should also think carefully about pairing light weight, light colored cotton skirts with tights. Unlined cotton will often stick to tights, which isn't a great look. While Shannon can wear her cotton skirts with a slip, to keep them from clinging, I would suggest that she wear them until it's cold enough to NEED tights, and then put them away.

Shannon's denim skirt, however, can carry her through the winter. Winter clothes tend to be more structured and less floaty, and the denim skirt -- even in a very feminine cut -- fits the bill. Treat dark denim like a black skirt; wear with black tights and either black shoes or colored shoes. Or pair with other neutral tights and shoes (more on that in a minute). Wear it now with a tee and later with a turtleneck.

Washed velvet jacket, denim skirt, and boots available at Boden.

Let's talk turkey about the tights themselves.

Keep tights neutral. Bright pink shoes are fine, but bright pink tights are not. With bright shoes, match your tights to your skirt, or stick with a coordinating neutral (pink shoes with brown tights, for example).

Broaden your definition of "neutral." Black is the uber neutral, but gray is hot for fall; think about gray tights with gray or silver shoes. Navy, charcoal, and brown are also good neutrals. DO NOT wear white tights. Ever. Please.

Spiff up your neutrals with texture. Ribbed tights are great for those cooler fall days; look for a distinct but not overwhelming pattern, to give your outfit some depth and visual interest.

Who else is thinking about skirts this week? Let's see . . .

Amethyst at The Fashionable Housewife tells you how to take trends from the runway to your real life, without breaking the bank or looking like a goof.

Style and Substance at The Well Heeled Society shows off fall's fabulous flats (practical! AND stylish! perfect).

And finally, lest you think that fashion is all frivolity, there's the hemline theory of stocks: when hemlines drop, so does the stock market. Hmm, maybe the mini skirt IS a good thing. No, I take that back. Keep it close to the knee -- you AND your stock portfolio look best at that length.

Susan Wagner writes about fashion at Friday Style and The Working Closet, and about everything else at Friday Playdate. She can't wait for it to cool off so she can wear boots and a turtleneck.