My everyday cords, but in skirt form.
September 8, 2010 6:26 AM Subscribe
Help me brainstorm casual, neutral skirts that I can wear with a wide variety of colored T-style tops. Difficulty: slim-hipped, so skirt must be a full or flared cut.
I'm a fairly casual dresser and love being able to mix-and-match fitted, colored long- or short-sleeved knit tops with relatively neutral bottoms (like jeans and khaki pants/shorts). I like the feel of skirts and would like to be able to do this using skirt bottoms as well.
The difficulty is that I'm a rectangle body shape, so pencil and even A-line skirts look awful on me. I really love 50's-style, ~knee-length box-pleated or swing skirts that sit below the waist and give me a bit of an hourglass; but the classic "neutral bottom" fabrics, like denim, corduroy, camo and khaki twill, seem too stiff and bulky to get made into full-cut skirts, and filmier fabrics in blue/tan tend to clash, texture-wise, with the plainness and... chunkiness(?) of my various jersey baby-Ts. (White and black are neutrals available in different fabrics, but both seem too dressy and too color-blocky when paired with bright, plain tops.) The few pleated denim skirts I've seen are very short and seem designed to broadcast "saucy schoolgirl" more than "grown-up married lady."
Can anyone recommend a skirt type that would work in the kinds of outfits I'm describing? Bonus points if I can buy it outright for<$35, but I'd also be grateful just to see some inspiration for future shopping and/or a possible sewing project.
I'm a fairly casual dresser and love being able to mix-and-match fitted, colored long- or short-sleeved knit tops with relatively neutral bottoms (like jeans and khaki pants/shorts). I like the feel of skirts and would like to be able to do this using skirt bottoms as well.
The difficulty is that I'm a rectangle body shape, so pencil and even A-line skirts look awful on me. I really love 50's-style, ~knee-length box-pleated or swing skirts that sit below the waist and give me a bit of an hourglass; but the classic "neutral bottom" fabrics, like denim, corduroy, camo and khaki twill, seem too stiff and bulky to get made into full-cut skirts, and filmier fabrics in blue/tan tend to clash, texture-wise, with the plainness and... chunkiness(?) of my various jersey baby-Ts. (White and black are neutrals available in different fabrics, but both seem too dressy and too color-blocky when paired with bright, plain tops.) The few pleated denim skirts I've seen are very short and seem designed to broadcast "saucy schoolgirl" more than "grown-up married lady."
Can anyone recommend a skirt type that would work in the kinds of outfits I'm describing? Bonus points if I can buy it outright for<$35, but I'd also be grateful just to see some inspiration for future shopping and/or a possible sewing project.
I just bought this skirt, which I think meets most of your requirements, and I really love it.
posted by hydropsyche at 6:43 AM on September 8, 2010
posted by hydropsyche at 6:43 AM on September 8, 2010
Is that three problems there? Fit, colours and appropriateness? I have a 'hip problem' too and I find that low slung belts balance things nicely. Which may also help with your next problem. A belt (or other accessories) can really pull things together and make block colours totally work. And shoes!! You would be completely amazed at the difference they make. Something drab and boring can actually be quite fun with the right shoes. Or less fun as the case may be.
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har at 7:10 AM on September 8, 2010
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har at 7:10 AM on September 8, 2010
If you sew, circle skirts are easy and I think fit the kind of look you're going for. They can be made with a zipper or as wrap skirts. Goggle for "circle skirt tutorial" and you'll get a ton. You can do full circles for a more full look or half circles for something a little less ruffled.
Ana Maria Horner's Study Hall Skirt pattern also looks like what you're after. If you made it in more neutral fabrics it would be very wearable with a variety of things.
posted by radioaction at 7:14 AM on September 8, 2010
Ana Maria Horner's Study Hall Skirt pattern also looks like what you're after. If you made it in more neutral fabrics it would be very wearable with a variety of things.
posted by radioaction at 7:14 AM on September 8, 2010
Have you tried linen? I have a few swingy linen skirts that I feel are the right texture to wear with plain tanks and t-shirts. Sorry no links, I got them years ago at H&M (I think).
posted by misskaz at 8:42 AM on September 8, 2010
posted by misskaz at 8:42 AM on September 8, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
AGB Skirt, box pleat
I have it in dark brown, which it looks like they don't carry anymore, but the gray might work for you.
This Land's End one might also be cute.
posted by MsMolly at 6:41 AM on September 8, 2010