Transitional Skirts

It is becoming that wonderful time of year when your skin still has it's lingering summer tan yet the weather is cool enough that you can actually wear some layers without melting. It is time for transitional dressing!

When I used to work at URBN INC. this was actually referred to as it's own season - TRANS, short for transitional. Which doesn't sound particularly chic but the in-between-point of seasons is actually a great time to test out some stylish looks and texture combinations for a totally new look.

I began pinning looks onto a Fall 2016 board (which you can find here), but I found that I was basically pinning transitional looks that I will be wearing until Fall, not actually for Fall. So I decided to pull together some looks that are particularly inspiring to me right now and explain how I plan to get the most out of my summery items before the cold comes.

I decided to focus this post on skirts and how to wear them in the upcoming month or so. I love, love, love the combination of a chiffon skirt with a casual grey sweater, it looks so effortless and cool. I am also really into tee-shirts, both graphic and solid, and pairing them with fancy separates like tailored cream trousers or a black skirt with a high slit, as seen above. Your summery skirts can stay in your wardrobe rotation a bit longer this year if you pair them with ankle boots, a leather jacket and fall accessories like a wool hat.

When recently cleaning out my closet I came to the realization that my skirt game is lacking a bit. I plan to pick up a few more basic options now that I can wear for trans but will be easily re-worked for many seasons to come. On my shopping list: a cream midi skirt with lots of volume & movement; a side-draped pencil skirt; a patterned chiffon midi skirt and a black pleated knee-length. Check out a few of my picks in stores right now below!

Pink & Eyelet

Top : Zara / Skirt : vintage (similar) / Shoes : Loeffler Randall / Bracelet: Madewell / Bracelet : Club Monaco

Spring Skirts

We have gotten a few glimpses of spring here in New York City and even those few warm days have me thinking about the nicer weather to come. I haven’t always been the biggest skirt-wearer and I think the reason is I thought many were just too girly for me. But I am coming around to the skirt idea, because I am starting to see how versatile they really are. You can pair them with a blouse for a more feminine look, but they also look great with a tee shirt & leather jacket or with a chunky sweater half-tucked at the front. A pair of booties keeps the look from becoming too sweet or a simple pointy toe pump works great for the workday.

Sewn Skirt and Necklaces

Sewn skirt, not sure how I feel about the color, it came out a little more sugary-baby-doll-candy colored than I expected. Necklaces are both hand-made shown with it.

Tee is from Express.

Wear Now While You Still Can: Summer Skirts and Jean Shorts

While the calendar states that it is in fact September, this does not yet mean that summer is over. Although as far as many of us are concerned, it ended the day we entered the school store to buy our books, and actually had to use the alarm application on our blackberries again. But fear not, fall has not yet come upon us, we still have some precious time. I know this for a fact because the Autumnal Equinox falls right around a certain special day, called My Birthday, that is still a few weeks away. There is still some summer-ness left to be enjoyed, if not by sitting on the beach, at least in our clothing choices. First off, circle skirts. While this is not a particularly radical trend, the short circle skirt was everywhere this summer in all kinds of patterns, prints and fabrics. It is still current and still just as easy to throw on for class, as it was for a dinner at the beach. While its may be warm enough for sandals, move things forward into fall by adding an embellished flat or open toed bootie. A dark belt weighs things down, and a slouchly off the shoulder top keeps things from looking too dressed up, or stuffy. And great news, even when it does get cold you can still rock your skirt, (if you aren't sick of it by then), with dark tights, in a solid or patterned print for cooler temps. Wouldn't our parents be proud of our multi-tasking? They are paying for college for something.
Now on to the ubiquitous denim shorts of the summer. Whether they were bleached, frayed, rolled or short enough to make your grandma blush, jorts ruled the scene for summer 2009. While some people may be ready to leave this trend in the 90's, I for one am not ready to let go just yet. In my opinion, keep 'em around, perhaps adding a menswear blazer, button down shirt, or chunky cardigan. Toss on some boots; engineer, moccasin, combat, what-have-you, and suddenly the jean short looks a little more scholarly, and a little less Jersey. Or maybe just less Jersey, I guess it's your call.

Images: Chictopia, Whowhatwear.com, coolspotters.com