To those of you traveling today, delayed due to storms and assorted acts of God, I salute you.

Halogen Pencil Skirt in Regular and Petite ($68)

Last year, I convinced a friend who only wore “slacks” to buy a pencil skirt.  She swore that she would never wear it, swore that it wasn’t here style.  Now, she wears skirts more than pants.  And this Halogen pencil, a solid, inexpensive basic, is the skirt that started it all.

Another skirt to look at is this Ann Taylor All-Season skirt in a fabric designed to be worn during all twelve months of the year.  LOFT also has a large selection of pencil skirts, including their new “curvy” fit skirts, which are cut the same width in the waistband, but more generously in the hip area.  And if you are in the market for a $28 ponte skirt that’s slightly better than H&M quality, this Dorothy Perkins skirt comes in camel and black.

Have the basics covered?  Want something with a little zazz?  I like this animal print skirt from Ann Taylor; it’s bold, but not overly so.  This metallic-accented skirt from June & Hudson would look smashing with a mohair sweater for holiday parties.  I also like this faux-leather skirt with a thigh slit for a saucier alternative to wear on the town.

Plus-size: Jones New York Pencil ($75) and Alfani Leopard-print Pencil ($31) Petite: Calvin Klein Petite Pencil ($55) and Loft Curvy Fit Pencil ($65) Tall: LOFT Custom Stretch Pencil ($69) and Topshop Tall Panel Skirt ($90)