Skirting the issue

I am, by nature, a creature of habit, and once intrigued by readjustments to the eye, I find that it becomes a favorite topic of choice. Hence, the reason why I’m writing about the maxi skirt, again. If you follow my column, you would know that this is my third time to call it up to mind. First, as an alternative silhouette bubbling under the radar; second, as a very strong trend contender for summer’s revisit to bohemia love, and now, as a dissection of how it can be worn three ways.

But before you go injecting your wardrobe with your favorite high street fix, here’s a few basic tips on shopping for your essential floor-grazing number.

If you are tall, lean and a bit on the preppy slash classic side, editorial assistant Eloise Alba’s take is the way to go. Having the height working for her is a plus, so even in flats, the skirt falls just at the right level. Keen on wearing button-downs closed all the way up, this borrowed-from-the-boys look is juxtaposed with soft femininity: a gray floor-length skirt with stacked bangles. Break the color monotony by adding a horizontal color with a belt on the point where the top meets the waist of the bottom.

One, be sure that the length of the hem is just a half-inch off the floor. You would want the skirt to be long enough to cover the whole of your footwear but you wouldn’t want it to be too long that it collects dust and grime as you go through the day. When trying it on, stand on your tiptoes to gauge if your favorite heel height is enough for the length, or if you need to go a size bigger, (going one up means that the hemline can be longer.)

Second, as with everything else, maxis come in different silhouettes: pleats, A-lines, pencil cuts, circles, and different finishes: solids, prints, sheer, etc. So take the time out to see what shape fits you. A-line works for curvy ladies as it falls away from the body line after the second hip. Pencil cuts, as with the name, hugs everything, so if you’re blessed with the tummy that doesn’t need Spanx, this is definitely the go for gold moment. And along that line, anything that hugs around the midsection will also cling at the back, so make sure the appropriate underwear is used to avoid annoying vpls. (visible panty lines) Third, maxis are tricky in a way that if worn with the wrong top, it just looks too dowdy and matronix. (matronly). So, why not take tutorials from the experts themselves? Scrutinize, take notes, and learn.