Looking Sharp in Pencil Skirts
A
pencil skirt is a somewhat new way to describe the simple
straight skirt, a slim-fitting and straight cut with a hem that may fall just above or below the knee. You'll find no gathers, no
flared skirts here, as these skirts must hug the waist and thighs before they drop freely at the knee. Often worn as part of a
skirt suit or paired with a coordinating
jacket, pencil skirts are your perfect business attire.
Nine West does these very nicely, including pencil skirts as part of classy
seersucker suits or by coupling them with
linen jackets.
Ralph Lauren offers the same options, although many other pencil skirt styles are available separately. While Ralph Lauren's Evanna and Cashmere Pinstripe (a definite favorite) are very professional, the Lori stretch
denim skirt and some of their floral prints are better choices for casual environments.
Metrostyle also offers pencil skirts for all occasions. Pinstripes or
tweed skirts may share your closet with the somewhat more casual cotton sateen or
jean skirts also available. On the other hand,
Dickies is pure fun, offering easygoing double-buttoned twill skirts in a wide range of colors.
The one brand that manages to step around the standard style here is
Mossimo with a slim-look pencil skirt that isn't actually slim-fitting. Possibly the only pleated pencil skirt available, Mossimo's TRS style has a well-fitted yoke with tamped-down pleats which begin to flare at the widest point on your hips, then flow back around to pull close to the knees near the hem. A very clever and lovely design, this is well-suited to curvaceous women who might otherwise avoid pencil skirts.