The midi skirt – by which I mean a loose skirt whose hem hits a little below the knee – arrived in my wardrobe as a seasonal visitor, granted a temporary visa by dint of being on trend. Silver, with a pleasing swishiness, it was meant to represent a short-term, casual kind of hook-up, so I was surprised when this skirt made itself indispensable and moved in on a permanent basis. Our happy relationship has borne fruit: I now have five midi skirts, including a second silver one. (Yes, I do need both, thank you. The new one is pleated, so it’s quite different.)
The midi skirt, which you would imagine to be an almost polar opposite look to black trousers, has unexpectedly edged them out of my wardrobe. Weirdly, despite its vaguely housewifely air, it ticks lots of the same boxes. Looking smart makes me feel more confident up to the point where looking smart crosses into looking dolled-up, when it makes me feel more self-conscious. The midi skirt, like a good pair of black trousers, is relaxed without being scruffy. Also, it works with flat shoes as well as heels, both stylistically (there is something pleasingly modern about a loafer or trainers with a longish skirt) and from a self-image perspective (your legs don’t need to look longer if they are hidden by your skirt). And you can walk fast in it (can’t stand anything I can’t march in), and you don’t need to wear tights unless it is really cold.
But while we skip off into the sunrise together happily of a morning, no relationship is perfect. The midi is more fashionable than the pencil skirts I used to wear to work, but lacks their crisp bossiness. A simple crew neck works with a pencil skirt, but doesn’t cut it with a midi. You need a statement neckline: a ribbed polo neck, for instance, has more drama than a crew neck. The blouse I’m wearing here is supposed to have a pussy bow, but I’ve reworked it as a necktie. Any collar works well, so you can’t go wrong with a white shirt. The midi skirt isn’t going anywhere: the rest of my wardrobe is adjusting to fit.
Read more at: ball dresses 2017
