It's June and summer has arrived in Minnesota! After a very long period of pants-based outfits (since last October?), I've started adding skirt outfits into the mix now that it's truly bare legs season. Here are 5 skirt outfits I've worn so far this month.
This is an outfit that has been sitting around on my planned outfits list for a long time, so I decided it was time to wear it finally. And as soon as I put on the maxi skirt, I was like, Oh yeah, that's why I never want to wear this outfit...I don't actually like wearing maxi skirts. So I rolled up the waistband a few times to transform it into a midaxi skirt that ends just above the ankle, which is a much better length.
I think part of my issue with maxi skirts (on me) is that I associate them with religion-based modest dressing (either the Pentecostal women of my youth or the Muslim women of my present). The other issue is related to that one in that I find maxi skirts too successful at covering up my shape; even though I do not have (and have never had) the recommended delicate ankles, showing the ankles does add structure to an outfit that is otherwise rather blobby on my plus size self. Rolling up the sleeves also helps with that. (I recently learned on Pinterest that the sleeve roll I do is called the "J. Crew sleeve roll"...here is a tutorial and here is an example on the classic jean jacket currently on sale at J. Crew factory.)
My daily bracelet stack has 3 DIY paper bead bracelets (made to coordinate with the bright pink bird/dot scarf from my bird print outfit round-up), a DIY hematite bracelet, and a DIY black glass bead bracelet.
You know it's summer when this thrifted floral skort enters the rotation. I wore it with this thick cotton striped peplum top from Lands End that works very well as a stand-alone top for summer (as long as it's not exceedingly warm because it's one of those Lands End cotton pieces that's surprisingly heavy). I accessorized with a gold layered necklace and ballet flats.
I took the navy + coral + gold color scheme into the bracelet stack consisting of 3 DIY paper bead bracelets, a DIY gold square spacer bead bracelet, and a DIY dull orange-rust stone bead bracelet.
Even though I'm in work from home mode, I do still like to dress in business casual much of the time. How do you make a floral top + pencil skirt + blazer outfit comfortable? Make sure all the pieces are made from nice stretchy knit fabric!
I liked this outfit but adding the DIY necklace with the cool-undertone pink tassel emphasized that the skirt that I somehow think of as "bright pink" is really a much warmer salmon color. These clashing pinks weren't enough to put me off the outfit but I wouldn't wear that skirt and that necklace together again. Does the ponte knit blazer seem awfully warm for summer? Yeah, I did end up removing it a couple hours after I started my day. That's a pretty typical thing for me with warmer outer layers in summer.
My earrings are another of the world's easiest DIY pair using pre-made hoops to which I just added some navy seed beads and a fish charm (which sort of turns the blue beads into water when I look at the finished earring). I was happy to get this pair made because I'd realized a while back that I didn't have any navy earrings, despite navy being my dominant neutral.
My bracelet stack includes a navy/silver bead bracelet from CJ Banks, a silver bracelet from Amazon, and 3 DIY bracelets: two navy/pink paper bead ones made from floral dress images in a Coldwater Creek catalog and a pink one made from glass pearls (to which I'd added the silver flower bead to coordinate with paper bead bracelets).
A couple days later I returned to the navy jacket idea, this time using a lighter weight jacket with elbow length sleeves (a high priority wear item for this summer). This blouse is a great one to wear with skirts because it is cropped shorter in the front than the back, so I don't need to partially tuck, etc., to get a length that I'm happy with. I had actually originally planned to wear the blouse with a pair of striped ankle pants but I found the blouse too short in front for my liking. Luckily it was easy to substitute this striped skirt (which has very thin navy + ivory/white stripes that read as a textured solid at a distance, which makes for a very low-key print mix).
This crystal/faux pearl statement necklace is a great way to accessorize a navy + green outfit with a single piece (rather than my typical layering on of multiple necklaces). Although navy or nude-to-me shoes would be perfectly good options, I like how these bright green flats jazz things up.
Another day, another pair of world's easiest DIY hoop earrings. These have olive glass pearls and gold spacer beads.
You may recognize this bracelet stack from previous OOTD because the navy/green/gold color scheme is one of my favorites. The repeat of the leaf motif from the blouse to the tube paper bracelet is a nice touch.
Finally, this outfit was created around my versatile floral button up shirt (another high priority wear item for the season) worn as a summer jacket. I picked the lightweight olive skirt as a stay-cool option...and I'm glad that I did because the fan on our A/C was giving out and we had to wait a few hours for the maintenance guy to come fix it. It got up to 80+ F in our apartment with the A/C off, which is very warm for me, especially as an indoors temperature. I could have worn an olive tank for a column of color but I really like how this soft yellow pairs with olive. My layered necklace consists of a thick silver-tone curb chain, a 3-layer white swag necklace, and an olive bead/ribbon necklace. I wore my olive leopard flats that were featured in my last 30 Wears post.
I recently made three DIY paper bead sets to match this shirt! This one is the olive/yellow/navy/silver set which I wore with a silver bracelet from Amazon, a DIY olive serpentine bead bracelet, and the navy/silver bead bracelet from CJ Banks.
When the heat is on, do you like to wear skirts/dresses? Do you like to wear shorts/capris/crops? Or do you prefer not to bare your legs?
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They are also going to relaunch the Redcliff, which they stopped making in 2020, link but this Redcliff will have an automatic caliber. Another collaboration is also in the works, also with an English watchmaker. Details will be released link on January 20, and the link watch itself on January 27. I won't say anything more than it is beautiful and I want one.
It's so nice when the weather changes and skirts and bare legs can be an outfit choice again! Although I don't share your dislike of maxi skirt - I love them! I do try wear them year round so it's nice when the warm weather arrives and I can add other skirts to the rotation!
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I am loving these paper diy bracelets! So fun to make them and have more to coordinate with your outfits.
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I love all of these outfits, Sally! The floral skorts are so pretty. I’ve not seen any skorts that weren’t just a solid color. My parents weren’t religious so I don’t have the associations with maxis that you do. I can certainly understand how that would feel distasteful. I do wear maxis, but usually in cold weather when I’m lounging around the house. It’s like wearing a blanket and I don’t have to worry how I sit. LOL! In the summer, I do wear a lot of dresses and skirts. It’s just cooler. And heat is not my friend. I don’t wear shorts. I’ve never felt that they did me any favors, even when I was younger and thinner.
I'm with you on the topic of maxi skirts. They look great on super-tall, skinny, young models. But on me, maxi skirts make me look like a big blob. I really like your floral skirt for summer!
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Carol
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