A Brief Endorsement for the Skirt
The weather wants it!
I was standing in a costume fitting this week, trying to subtly shift my weight from right foot to left foot (lest my lower back lock in a stress-state forever) without disrupting the *process*, when the show’s designer walked in. I thought to myself—for the third day in a row—that I liked her outfit. This was impressive to me both because I knew she was living out of a suitcase this week, and also because I could spot the formula behind her getting-dressed-method, even as the looks themselves felt different from one another.
The formula was this: slightly oversized button-up or denim shirt—always soft, with a vintage feel, maybe layered over a sleeveless turtleneck, maybe not—with a straight-cut pair of jeans, brogues, the same delicate but distinctive jewelry each day, and good frames (as in glasses). Casual, flexible, cool, chic.
There’s a part of me that wants to be the kind of woman who lives by a similar formula. There is something very elegant to me about owning great classics (←classics as determined by you, the wearer), and wearing them all the time, as a sort of signature of who you are. And I am not immune to formulas for getting dressed! The problem is I GET BORED. I mean, thank goodness for the four seasons, just for the variety, you know? We are finally starting to get some really excellent spring days in New York City, at the very moment where I cannot stand to look at my stack of sweaters for another second. It is amazing what just one new variable can do for personal style malaise! Which brings me to the title of this week’s newsletter, or, SKIRTS.
I know that skirts maybe have a reputation for being fussy or or frilly or in some other way “not for everyone.” (And yet! They used to be, from a historical perspective, if you want to go barking up that tree.) But actually, now that it is getting warm enough to wear them, I am finding the skirt to be such a flexible piece, with a great big swing on The Scale Of Vibes. For me personally, the sweet spot is a skirt that either (1.) fits in the waist but is otherwise roomy enough to be easy-breezy, or (2.) is made in a fabric that is heavy enough to feel sturdy and not too precious, or (3.) comes in a color that is either punchy OR muted enough to keep the whole thing from feeling too sweet.
WTF are you talking about Yance? Okay, okay, I will show you!
Forgive the camera setting of it all (.5!), but here we have: black concert tee, long black skirt unbuttoned to a midway point, tall black boots. Would’ve still been cool with black jeans, but was a little more oolala and vampy and unexpected—and slightly more formal—with a skirt. This is a good example of something that fits in the waist but otherwise sort of floats and moves with me, putting it squarely in the easy-breezy category.
This is an oldie, but still a goodie. Behold: a skirt with punch that is not too sweet! I wore this to a cocktail party reception for work. It was cold, and I might have worn slacks, but this long skirt in a leopard print was *warm enough* under a coat—with the added bonus of giving much points in terms of fun! Fun-professional meets stick-of-butter dressing.
I just wanted you to know that the chic costume designer complemented this outfit when I wore it this week *hairflip.* Same black concert tee as above (we stan Madison Cunningham!), a great gray-green maxi skirt, and my little white Mary Janes. I topped the whole thing off with a key necklace from my friend Staci (hiya!), my watch (which you cannot see, sorry), and a long denim jacket for the WINDS, also making an appearance in this photo. This look was nice because I had a lot of things to do this day, but I ended it all by seeing a play—and this felt flex enough for the full range of activities. Heavy enough fabric to not feel precious, check. Muted color so not too sweet? Double check.
Errands girl in an errands world! But do you see how this was jeans and now it is skirt? If I squint at this photo, I can almost paint the jeans in, in my mind. I feel that the leather jacket is doing some work to keep this out of sweet territory, but the color of the skirt feels both bold and very HELLO SPRING—without me needing like, a basket of flowers and a bunny. [Also: a pattern is emerging. For shoulder season, it’s looking like it’s longer skirts for me.]
Last but not least, in the sturdy fabric category—the denim skirt. Not much else to say here, except I wore this exact outfit three weeks ago with pants, and it was very fun to revisit her with a skirt. That’s all!
What I like about all of this, from an advice/takeaway perspective (and to circle back to the chic costume designer with the style uniform from my fitting!), is that, if you are like me, in that you enjoy a formula but hate the boredom of wearing the same thing all the time, may I suggest a new variable, re: the skirt? Add it, and change absolutely nothing else. Embrace the sudden *brand new energy* of it all. Have a little skip. Take a big breath. Ease ease ease.
See you next week. Xx.
Costume Change is a styling newsletter (vs. a shopping newsletter). I hope that Costume Change first and foremost provides you with inspiration to shop your own closet. Got styling questions? Reply to this email!