Tastefully Trendy

I bought a new skirt last week (for $14 at Dress Up), and I really love it.  Pleats are as feminine as it gets, and they’re very in right now, as is the midi-length.  Unfortunately, my legs and height are not ideally designed for that length – it makes my short frame seem even shorter.  Nevertheless, I soldiered on (remember, do as I say, not as I do; or do whatever you want, because what good is fashion if it’s not fun?!), and found two different ways to wear it.  One of them even prompted a guy to stop on the sidewalk and say, “You are dressed SO CUTE!”  (I’m pretty sure he was gay.  And also in high school.  So, no meet-cute there, but I appreciated the compliment, nevertheless).

And now without further ado, here are two different ways to wear a pleated skirt:

Look 1:

In this outfit (the one that inspired such street-side admiration), I paired the skirt with a sweater. I don’t usually think to tuck in sweaters, but inspiration hit me on this particular morning, and the stars aligned.  I had to try a couple different options with the tights and shoes, as my first pairings looked more funeral than fun.  But, the wedges worked perfectly, and I plan to transition this skirt to spring, too, with some bright espadrilles.

Look 2:

As I mentioned earlier, I really need height with this skirt to give the illusion of longer legs.  But, I wanted to pretend I was one of those cool tall girls who just wears flats with her pretty skirts, so I went for it anyway.  It’s OK…but not my most flattering look.  From the knee up, though, I really loved the styling.  I was grabbing coffee and then dinner with a friend on the day I wore this, and I was trying to go for effortless put-together casual.  Who knows if I achieved all of that, but it was a fun outfit, nevertheless.

What would you pair with this skirt?  Do you like my choices, or would you have taken a different route altogether?  Can’t wait to hear from you!