Ask Belle: Five Skirt Styles for the Office

Belle,

My closet is pretty boring.  The only bottoms I own are the pants and skirts that go with my suits.  Can you help me find some skirts for spring that don’t come with a matching jacket?

Best, Lauren

I love skirts, and there are a wide variety of styles, colors, and textures on the market.  The great thing about skirts is their versatility.  By adding a few new skirts to your wardrobe breathes new life into the blouses and jackets you already own.  Here are some styles that are suitable for the office but go beyond the basic suiting skirt.

From Left, Topshop Premium Wrap Midi Skirt ($95) // Austin Reed Leather Skirt ($375) // Topshop PU Pleated Midi Skirt ($100) // River Island Orange Print Pencil Skirt ($24) // Tillie Fluted Wool Skirt ($160)

Wrap Skirts are a fun way to bring a new style into your wardrobe.  They’re often cut in an a-line or tulip style, so they’re more forgiving than a pencil skirt.  They also add a lot of visual interest to an outfit.

This navy skirt is a great option, I also like this tied skirt in pale blue from Topshop.  For something dramatic, this Bec & Bridge skirt in rich burgundy is lovely.  For something under-$50, Liz Claiborne sells a wrap skirt and Charlotte Russe offers a textured tulip wrap for $12.

Plus-size? This BB Dakota Tula stripe skirt is cool.  Petite? LOFT offers a cool wrap pencil skirt.

Leather Skirts are super chic.  I love the look of one with a soft chiffon or silk blouse.  The interplay of textures is very cool.

This cognac leather skirt is chic, but the price is a bit prohibitive.  So if you’re looking for affordable leather, you’re looking at faux or vegan leather.  I prefer browns and other colors, because black can look a bit biker chick-ish.  This a-line leather skirt from WHBM is super fun.  ASOS offers an affordable navy leather skirt.  And if you’re plus-size, this asymmetric faux-leather grey skirt from Eloquii is very cool.

Pleated Skirts add a bit of flirty fun to your work wardrobe.  I’m not suggesting you twirl down the hallway or anything, but a little swish in your step never hurt anyone.  This blush colored skirt is really pretty.  I also like this plum-colored knife-pleat knit skirt from Talbot’s.  This Lelis black-and-white dot skirt is also cute.

Looking for wider pleats?  This bright Marina skirt expertly mixes red and blue stripes.  For something basic and affordable, try this burgundy Chelsea & Theodore inverted pleat skirt.

Printed Skirts bring a lot of life to an outfit.  This River Island skirt brings in a bold print and a pop of color.  This Milly glow-print skirt brings in a bit of the 1980s.  If you just want a neutral print, this Tahari ASL skirt has an interesting tree print in black and white.

Not looking to get to crazy with your prints?  Vivienne Westwood has a blue-on-blue dot print pencil.  Plus-size?  Eloquii has a black and white abstract dot print that’s worth a look.

Hemlines that are flouncy, fluted are peplum are a nice way to add a little something extra to your outfit.  This Tillie skirt has a subtle wave to the skirt.  This Bethani ocelot-print skirt with a flounce hem is super fun.  And this Kasper stretch-flounce skirt is a great buy at $52.

Plus-size? This berry-colored Nippon boutique skirt is pretty.  Petite?  The Kasper skirt is also available in petite sizes.