The skirt rule
May 5th, 2008I see closets full of beautiful skirts and the tags are still attached. These skirts are often closet orphans because their owners don’t have tops to accompany them. As a result I end up doing a lot of “skirt-top-matching” when I shop with my clients.
So I am proposing a new rule: Don’t purchase a skirt unless you purchase the accompanying top at the same time, or you already have a top that will work in your closet.
Retailers are also at fault. They don’t seem to offer sufficient top options alongside their skirts. Unless they are belted and blouson’ed, tops must be shorter and more fitted to work well with skirts. Retailers often cheat on mannequins by pinning, tucking and layering the wrong type of top with skirts to create an attractive ensemble. We’re lured to the outfit, try it on, love the skirt and loath the top because it’s not a “skirt top”, but leave with the skirt and welcome another orphan into our wardrobe. Sound familiar?
Stop this from happening by following the skirt rule. Do not be tempted by gorgeous skirts unless you know how you’re going to complete the ensemble by the time you get home. If you don’t, chances are high you’ve wasted your money.
This top is available in regular and petites and has just gone on sale at Banana Republic for $29.99. It looks pretty good with skirts and is better in the flesh, so don’t judge it too harshly from these pictures. It’s very short and fitted, but not too clingy (look at how short it is on the pant-wearing model). It might be your solution for an orphan skirt.
May 5th, 2008 at 7:49 am
This is excellent advice - I know I have had orphan skirts . I bought the skirt thinking I’ll find the perfect top and it never happened. It is so sad to see the beautiful skirt hanging unworn in the closet!!! I will follow this rule!!
May 5th, 2008 at 8:09 am
Great advice indeed - on my shopping trip yesterday I was very tempted to get two really pretty skirts, but decided against since I have already gotten a couple for this season and am in the middle of the process of “assigning” tops from my closet to each of them. I may need to get a few tops for the skirts anyway.
I love that BR top, but unfortunately it does not come in yellow, a nice knit lemony-yellow top would go really well would a couple of my skirts.
May 5th, 2008 at 8:11 am
THANK YOU for this rule! I will follow it from now on!
I am so happy to have found this great blog!
May 5th, 2008 at 10:00 am
How I wish I had seen this post years ago when I bought all my skirts.
I just got back from skirt-shirt shopping (literally just got back) and I have reached a melting point. I went to BR and tried on those tops, but they only had them in regular sizes and they were too long, and somehow they seemed to make me look big, I think because of the high neckline. They were also not on sale anymore, so it was a rejected for many reasons.
The Gap of all places had some cute scoop neck shirts and pretty camis in a variety of lovely colors, but again, way too long and not fitted enough.
I had to turn the Express top down. I just did not feel comfortable in it. I had to scrunch it up a lot (don’t know if you could tell from the picture) and it just didn’t feel like me (about to post about this on the forum).
May 5th, 2008 at 10:09 am
I wear a lot of fitted knit tops with my skirts. My trick for getting the right length? I often shop for tops in the petites section despite being 5′10. I guess that wouldn’t help gals who are petite, but it works great for me.
May 5th, 2008 at 10:53 am
I called my local BR store and they said the petite ones are online only. I just placed an order and bought one in red and one in fushia. I hope they are not too long for me.
May 5th, 2008 at 11:04 am
But I don’t want to wear a sleeveless or near sleeveless shirt to work. I’m willing to go without panty hose, prefer it actually, but the sleeveless shirt at work just seems revealing.
May 5th, 2008 at 11:17 am
I think I have been applying this rule unconsciously but thank you for bringing it to my attention because I have had some close calls this season, buying skirts and then being lucky enough to find something in my closet to wear with them. Can you comment on two issues:
1. How many tops is a good number to have for one skirt? It seems like if the skirt has a print, one is sufficient but what about for a denim or navy skirt? I think I’d get bored of wearing the same top with them and wouldn’t get as much wear out of the skirt.
2. What about knit tops with a banded bottom? This look doesn’t seem as clean to me but it often seems easier to find tops that are short enough in this style. Or at least you can blouson the top over the band to short a little. Here is an example which is a little plain, but to give you the idea.
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product.jhtml?id=prod85603171&catId=cat302185
May 5th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
CLC, I hear you and I personally have a modest style, especially when it comes to the work place. Wearing sleeveless tops or grown-on sleeves like this style to work is perfectly acceptable. But strappy styles are not. There is a big difference between the two. Strappy styles a lot more naked and in appropriate unless they’re layered with a jacket or cardigan that does not come off.
Well done Patience!
1. That’s a hard one. I’d say 3 to 4 tops at least. Denim skirts you can wear throughout the year and are extremely versatile. I wear loads of tops with my denim skirts – perhaps more like 9 or 10.
2. Welts as I call them are great. This is a really good top for skirts if you are rectangular and small chested, like the model. Thanks for posting a great option.
May 5th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Thank you so much for the information on shorter tops with skirts and longer tops with slacks. I had been wearing the same top for both and always felt like the tops were too short for my slacks. I will definitely not make that mistake again. Now I have most of the tops for my skirts and only have a couple of more orphans to find tops for. I am so glad I found this site. The information is helping me tremendously. Thank you, thank you!
May 6th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Thank you angie. :—) I wish I was at the office, that’s what the skirts were bought for. Luckily I feel they were good purchases and will keep them for future seasons. But still even though you offered the option of where to get the top I can’t help but feel panic.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I love skirts, especially patterned or embellished ones. I have a few regulars that I wear with my skirts. One is a black knit silk v-neck top with elbow length sleeves, another is a short-sleeved ivory cashmere scoopneck , the third is a boatneck black sweater with pointelle detailing. If you have a few basics, it’s easy to go from there.
May 11th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
My usual rule for skirts is to buy (or make!) A-lines in basic, classic colors and fabrics (black, khaki, linen, cotton sateen), and then dress them up with my current selection of tops. If by chance I love a print skirt, I have to think hard about whether or not my current tops go with it. In summation, this new rule is fantastic.
May 12th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Please, more links to tops that can be purchased to go with skirts! Linda
September 25th, 2008 at 8:34 am
i’m fond of skirts and i got a new layered color block skirt just this weekend. anyhow, i just don’t know what kind of top to use for a layered skirt. help please!