Pencil Skirt POW: Classic with a Twist Manic Monday

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Outfit Mission Statement: Add a cardigan with a twist and fun shoes to your classic pencil skirt for an on-trend and chic manic Monday look!

Manic Monday outfits are easy career clothes to throw on for manic Mondays. This Monday we look at ways to take classic pieces with on-trend aspects for an easy, stylish office look. The POW (Piece of the Week) is the pencil skirt in general, and the cabi Fall 2016 Sigourney skirt in particular. Since pencil skirts start as chic, professional pieces, they are work-ready. Cardigans are a perfect match, also being classic and work–ready also. They make a really easy outfit to thrown on Mondays when you are not ready to start the week, but want to look like you are. This is such a classic combination that you can play with it and still have a professional work look. Here are a few variations on this with different cardigans and fun prints.

Tips:

  • When going with a classic outfit of a pencil skirt and cardigan, took for ways to shake it up with fun prints and modern twists
  • Mix a bold print pencil skirt with the new neutral navy cardigan for a fun, yet professional look
  • Look for cardigans with modern touches, like longer lengths and chiffon layers
  • Add distinctive shoes for a fun finishing touch
  • Add some feminine flair with ruffles, which complement the straight lines of the pencil skirt
  • A pencil skirt is a great layer under a longer cardigan, as it has the slim lines you get with skinny jeans or leggings

 

Outfit Breakdowns:

Sigourney Skirt Outfit:

  • Skirt: Sigourney Skirt from cabi Fall 2016, which is no longer readily available. See my introductory POW post for ways to get this skirt, turquoise alternatives, or other pencil skirts
  • Blouse: Medallion Reign Blouse from cabi Fall 2016, which is no longer readily available (check out the introductory POW post for ways to get this)
  • Sweater: Sweetheart Sweater, also from cabi Fall 2016, and is no longer readily available (check out the introductory POW post for ways to get this)
  • Shoes: Blue Floral Issy Pump by Ruby Shoo via Zulily (contact me to get an invitation to join!)
  • Earrings: Dolce Charm Earrings from cabi Spring 2016, which is no longer readily available (check out the introductory POW post for ways to get this (they are available via the same ways as the skirt, except they should already be in outlets—go to my introductory POW post for more)

Navy and Yellow Outfit:

 

Related Posts:

  1. Beyond POW: Black, White, and Comfy Manic Monday:  Take knit pieces in white and black for a strong, chic, and comfortable Manic Monday look.
  2. Ponte and Knotted Manic Monday: For a comfortable, professional Monday outfit, dress up your denim shirt with a navy ponte pencil skirt.
  3. Manic Flannel Monday: Outfit Mission Statement: For a cozy yet professional look, take one casual flannel and add lots of professional pieces.

Pencil Skirt POW: Writing a Chic, Comfortable Play Day Saturday

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Outfit Mission Statement: Write your own Saturday style with a pencil skirt, a bright print, and a stylish tee

I have a cute photobomber here

I have a cute photobomber here

Play Day Saturday are clothes for taking your kids to the park, running errands, talking your dog for a walk, shopping, picnicking, traveling, going to a museum or a zoo—out and about or home having fun clothes. These are the clothes you often live the best parts of your life in! The POW (Piece of the Week) is the pencil skirt in general, and the cabi Fall 2016 Sigourney skirt in particular. Once again, I’m offering too version of this outfit, a colder weather one and a warmer weather one. The key to a play day Saturday is mixing comfort and style. The right pencil skirt can be comfortable and stylish. Then just mix that with other comfortable but stylish pieces. This is a great time for a bold print and a fun accessory. I wore a similar top in both outfits, one with short sleeves one with long, to better highlight the seasonal takes. The cooler weather play day outfit far passed its comfort and style test, as I has the perfect play day and wandered around NYC in it (the pictures are taken in Morningside Park)!

Tips:    

  • To add some fun, choose a bold print and mix with neutral basics
  • If you have a busy play day, chose comfortable but enjoyable shoes—like clunky boots with a thick heel or owl flats (whooo doesn’t love owl flats?)
  • Consider adding a striking piece of jewelry, but one in a single metal to keep the focus on your bright print and keep the outfit tone more casual
  • For play days, look for casual and comfortable pencil skirts, like those made from a nice stretchy cotton knit or ponte
  • For a pulled together look, choose a main color and keep most of your pieces in this color
  • For comfort and style, choose a soft tee (long- or short-sleeved) in a stylish cut

Outfit Breakdowns:

Sigourney Skirt Outfit:

 

 

Spring Skirt Outfit:

 

*For all eSBe orders and questions, I recommend my eSBe Stylist, Suzanne Wall Joffrion—her ID is 246131.

hippose.jpg
Win money towards this beatiful jewlery in our April Style Challenge

Win money towards this beatiful jewlery in our April Style Challenge

Getting set up on a buys staircase

Getting set up on a buys staircase

 

Related Posts:

  1. Margherita POW: White Out Over Navy Saturday: Be put together and carefree in your sundress by adding layers and accessories in a variety of whites
  2. Pleated Star POW: Cozy Cabled Rocky Coast Saturday: For a cozy take on a pleated skirt, add comfy pieces like a big cowl-neck sweater and suede boots
  3. Off to the Races Saturday: For an effortless, preppy, horse-race-ready outfit choose modern takes on classic pieces, some mixing of prints, and the sophisticated combination of black and navy—plus a hat!

Pencil Skirt POW: Casual, Chic, and Coxy Tuesday

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Outfit Mission Statement: Mix easy basics and comfortable pieces with your chic pencil skirt for a nice twist on casual

No place like Tuesday outfits are casual, comfy clothes for working from home, working at home, parenting (at home), and anything else where comfort is key and you are home. Although they will work for errands and anything else casual. The POW (Piece of the Week) is the pencil skirt in general, and the cabi Fall 2016 Sigourney skirt in particular. Pencil skirts may give off a certain va va voom, but with a cozy cardigan sweater or plain tee you can dress them down for a fun alternative to a tee shirt (or sweater) and jeans. You can opt for a plain pencil skirt or go fancy and have fun dressing down a lace one, as shown below. Focus on mixing the pencil skirt with comfortable pieces that are forgiving and even loose to balance the pencil skirt, and make sure your feet are comfortable.

I’m showing two outfits here, a cozy winter one for those of you in more northern climes (and may have just gotten snow), and a cooler spring version for those of us getting hotter temperatures. Both follow the same concept, and both can be a fun way of dressing down a pencil skirt.

 

Tips:

  • Choose comfortable tops with a forgiving and even loose cut to balance out the smooth, body hugging pencil skirt 
  • Opt for a fun, but more casual accessory, like an animal print belt or funky necklace 
  • If you have a solid pencil skirt (like the Sigourney skirt), you can mix print for a fun, more whimsical way to dress it down 
  • If you have a fancier pencil skirt, like the blue lace one, go for basics in solid colors to dress down
  • Go for comfortable, practical shoes, such as canvas sneaker or fuzzy boots
  • You can treat the long lean shape of a pencil skirt like leggings or skinny jeans and wear longer, even bulky layers over it, like with leggings and skinny jeans, you’ll end up with a longer, lean line
  • Don’t be afraid to dress the pencil skirt down and take her to the park or running errands—you’ll look great and feel just a bit more sophisticated

 

Outfits:

Sigourney Skirt outfit:

Lace skirt outfit:

 

 

 

 

Related Posts:

  1. Pleated Star POW: Pretty Terrific Geek Chic Thursday Posted September 29, 2016: Mix a pretty skirt with geek pieces for and edgy, feminine geek chic look!
  2. Run Around POW: Muted, Playful Contrasts at Home Tuesday Posted April 26, 2016: Dress down your black skirt in muted tones, with pops of fun and sunshine
  3. Margherita POW: Easy, Breezy Contrasts Tuesday Posted May 10, 2016: For coverage and/or added casualness, wear a contrasting tied tee shirt over your favorite sundres

Or browse the other casual “No Place like Tuesday” outfits and tips!

Pencil Skirt POW: Vintage Flair and Chic Classy Sunday Best

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Outfit Mission Statement: Play off the classic pencil skirt with vintage-inspired pieces for a chic, sophisticated, and fun special occasion outfit

 Sunday Best POW outfits are special occasion clothes for dinning, theater, opera, holiday parties, church, and other such occasions that need something special. The POW (Piece of the Week) is the pencil skirt in general, and the cabi Fall 2016 Sigourney skirt in particular. The pencil skirt easily dresses up for a special occasion. Since the pencil skirt comes with chic sophistication and elegance, it is easy to combine with other pieces for a special look. Look for other pieces with chic sophistication and elegance to mix with the pencil skirt for maximum impact in any a special occasion.  For this outfit, I played off the classic vibe of the pencil skirt with vintage-inspired bold pieces, for a fun, yet classy look.

Tips:

  • To play up the classic style of the skirt, consider other pieces with classic inspirations, like Channel-inspired cardigan
  • Feel free to mix vintage pieces (or vintage-inspired pieces) from different times, just choose a common theme like color or print to tie them together
  • Dress up solid colors with bold accessories and prints to add a pop of interest
  • Choose accessories, like your scarf, shoes, and clutch, that pull out one of your main outfit colors, like the turquoise of the skirt—even if the pieces don’t “match” you will have a sophisticated look
  • Add a small “arm party” of a few pretty bracelets that play off the colors of your outfit for a special pop
  • No room for a pearl necklace with your scarf? Add the classic touch of pearls in a pretty bracelet instead
  • A classic French twist always adds a chic elegance and sophistication

Outfit Breakdown:

*For all eSBe orders and questions, I recommend my eSBe Stylist, Suzanne Wall Joffrion—her ID is 246131. She will be featuring a $50 gift certificate drawing for all orders $50 or more using the new eSBe app made between April 1–5! What a great time to try out eSBe or add to your collection!

Related Posts:

 

  1. Beyond POW: Chic Classy and Faux Fur Sunday Best Posted October 15, 2016: Combine rich colors and textures with an elegant draped top for an elegant and sophisticated special occasion look that will make you feel like a million dollars
  2. Michelle POW: Backwards Lace and Some Flutter Sunday Best Posted March 13, 2016: Don’t throw a cardigan on, choose a special cardigan and plan your special occasion outfit around it!
  3. Plaid POW: Sparkling & Flannel Sunday Best Posted February 28, 2016: Turn flannel elegant by adding a dressy skirt and accessories

 

Or peruse the other Sunday Best special occasion outfits.

Pencil Skirt POW: Trendy, Elegant, and all Choked up Date Night

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Outfit Mission Statement: Look good coming and going in a classic, feminine pencil skirt and a trendy, elegant lace back blouse

Friday Night Drinks POW outfits are for going out on a date, getting drinks, seeing a band play, going to dinner and a movie—something where you want to look good and may wear some sexier clothes and statement pieces. The POW (Piece of the Week) is the pencil skirt in general, and the cabi Fall 2016 Sigourney skirt in particular. The pencil skirt is a perfect date night option. It’s sexy, chic, classic, and feminine all in one. Given the power of the pencil skirt, you have a lot of options to finish the date night look, from a tee shirt to an elegant silk blouse. In fact, you can even wear flannel and look hot! Here I went with a trendy, yet elegant option—lace back blouses. I love this look because it is clean and simple in front, but has the surprise of lace and a bit of skin in back. You look good coming and going! Since it is the transitional time of year where some still have winter and some spring, I am showing a colder weather version and a warmer weather one. They both are a similar look—turquoise or green pencil skirt and a lace back blouse. I went with black, boots, and a choker for the colder weather look and white with green heels for the spring look. Of course, with the right shoes/boots either can work for any time of the year.

for cooler temps

for cooler temps

for warmer temps

for warmer temps

Tips:

  • For a trendy and sexy, yet elegant date night look pair the on-trend lace back tops with a pencil skirt
  • If you want to show some skin, but don’t want to be too revealing, the lace back top is a fabulous choice
  • If you wear a lace back top, think of other ways to draw attention to your back—such as a lovely updo and a statement hair pin
  • Consider a neutral top color when rocking a bold pencil skirt and a lace back to draw attention to the lace and the skirt
  • If you tuck your top into your pencil skirt and blouse it, you’ll draw attention to your waist and create more of an hourglass look
  • If you leave your top untucked, you'll create a longer torso  and hide tummy issues
  • Chokers add a dash of Victorian and a pinch of sex appeal—don’t be afraid of this trend, anyone can rock it:
    • If you have looser neck skin or a larger neck:
      • Go for a wider choker in a lace or something with varying edges, which will hide issues and be more forgiving
      • Wear it looser and lower, almost at collar level for the same look without the feeling of having something tight around your neck or creating bulges; this also works better if you have sagging skin
    • If you have a double chin or a little extra right there, go lower rather than higher to not add to this—I tend to go just under halfway or lower
    • Think about what you want to emphasize—lower will draw eyes to your collar bone, shoulders, and chest, whereas higher will emphasize your face more
    • Layer! Chokers work wonderfully with almost any length necklace, other chokers, or even a scarf
    • For a more cohesive and possibly monochromatic look match the color and material with something in your outfit (like black lace)
    • Not sure? Go for a thin one and wear it at your collar like a very short necklace, then work your way up and bigger as you feel comfortable
    • The more bare skin around the choker the more it will stand out and draw attention to that bare skin, so for greater sex appeal consider deeper cut neck lines, cold shoulder, and off-the-shoulder tops, and even put your hair up (if it is longer). To tone down the sex appeal, have your choker peak out of a button down or other shirt that does not show much skin.
    • A longer neck can rock any width of choker
    • A shorter neck may want to go with narrower chokers worn lower, which will add length—a thicker choker at mid neck will likely make your neck look shorter

Outfits:

Sigourney Skirt Outfit:

  • Skirt: Sigourney Skirt from cabi Fall 2016, which is no longer readily available. See my introductory POW post for ways to get this skirt, turquoise alternatives, or other pencil skirts
  • Blouse: Tempest Blouse from cabi Fall 2016, which is no longer readily available. Check out the same cabi options in my introductory POW post)
  • Boots: Unnati boots from JustFab (use my referral code to save money) 
  • Clutch: Old clutch, unsure of brand
  • Choker: Lace choker from JustFab, that is no longer available—consider the Laser Cut N Strut instead (use my referral code to save money)
  • Hair pin: Starburst hair pin from Lilla Rose, which is not available now, but there are many other options (I worked with Abby McElroy and she was very helpful)
  • Earrings: older gifts
 

White Blouse Outfit:

 

 

 

Related Posts:

  1. Plaid POW: Date Night Flannel Heat Posted February 26, 2016: Don’t rule out a flannel shirt for a sexy date outfit—just add other pieces with plenty of sex appeal
  2. Plume POW: Touch of 70s Date Night Posted April 08, 2016: Reference your favorite style decade to add fun, glamour, and sex appeal to your night out looks
  3. Love POW: Just add Sparkles, Fur, and Beads to make it Sunday Best Posted February 07, 2016: Take a pretty blouse and a neutral pencil skirt and turn it into a sophisticated special occasion outfit with fur, sparkles, beads, and mixing a single metal

Or check out the other date night POWs for more inspiration for a fabulous date (outfit).

POW 13: The Wardrobe Essential Pencil Skirt

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Do you have a pencil skirt? Pencil skirts are a wardrobe essential, especially for office, dates, and special occasions, but can even work for casual and play. I wear them a lot myself, and have made them key parts of many POW outfits. 

Sigourney skirt, Zebra belt, and Bowie Tee from cabi clothing Fall 2016. Fuzzy boots from JustFab.

Sigourney skirt, Zebra belt, and Bowie Tee from cabi clothing Fall 2016. Fuzzy boots from JustFab.

It is past time I featured a pencil skirt as a POW. So, let me introduce you to our next Piece of the Week—the pencil skirt! Pencil skirts are slim, body hugging skirts that tend to end around the knee.  The pencil skirt is a classic, feminine, elegant, polished, and sexy wardrobe workhorse. It is also a rarity in that anyone can rock a pencil skirt—young, old, slim, curvy, athletic, short and tall. These flatter everyone. Part of the reason is that they show off the calf part of the leg, which is one body part that tends to look great on all women regardless of size or age (the shoulders are another). The classic also enhances curves, slims, boost confidence, and gives any outfit the chic, cool elegance of a Parisian woman. Every woman should have at least one. I have… well… a lot. So, if you are new to pencil skirts or want to wear them more, check out all my posts and outfits that include them!

 

Fit and length:

You want a pencil skirt to follow your natural curves and fit at both the waist and hips, which can be harder to find if your waist to hip ratio doesn’t match the “standards” clothes are designed for. My hips are larger than these standards (or waist smaller), and I have a hard time finding something that is smooth across my hips and not too loose across my belly. I recommend if you have fit problems, going for a stretchy fabric such as a knit or ponte, or getting something that fits the bigger body part and getting it altered to fit the smaller part.

While pencil skirts tend to be knee length, you can find or alter them to be different lengths to flatter your height:

  • Shorter: If you are shorter or want your legs to look long, go for a pencil skirt that ends above the knee. Don’t go too far above the knee, maybe one to three inches, if you go too far, you lose the lengthening look of the skirt.
  • Average height: Look for skirts that hit right at knee length. You will get the lengthening of the pencil skirt and can show off lots of leg.
  • Taller: You can rock pencil skirts that go below the knee. They tend to make people look shorter, so keep this in mind (but you can get away with that). I suggest wearing heels if you go with the longer length. You can also wear shorter styles too.

A solid pencil skirt is universally flattering. If your bottom half is a “problem” area for you and you want to hide problems, go for darker solid colors. If you want to show off your bottom half or your curves, consider bright colors and prints.

You can make a pencil skirt work for anybody type. If you want to know how to rock it for your body shape, check out this great post “How to wear the pencil skirt” on How to dress like a Parisian, which goes over how to wear a pencil skirt for any body type.

 

The skirt:

For this POW, I am featuring the cabi Fall 2016 Sigourney skirt. Unfortunately, the cabi Fall 2016 season has closed, which means this fabulous skirt is no longer available via the traditional means. If you must have this piece, here are some ways you may be able to get it:

Sigourney skirt and Tempest Blouse from cabi clothing Fall 2016. Boots and choker from JustFab. Clutch older.

Sigourney skirt and Tempest Blouse from cabi clothing Fall 2016. Boots and choker from JustFab. Clutch older.

  • First, always try your stylist. She may have a sample available, know of another stylist with a sample available, or have other ways to get it. If you do not have one you may reach out to my stylist Joni Allen (via email or phone: 770 502-5243 [call or text]), Leigh Cheatwood-Harris (a friend’s stylist whom I have worked with also and can recommend: email and her site), or find a cabi stylist near you.
  • Second, check out resale, such as ebay or the Facebook groups or apps that allow people to sell their cabi.
  • Third, wait until August, when the outlets will get the Fall 2016 line and to go or call an outlet to see if they have this. Many outlets will allow you to order over the phone and then ship it to you.

 

 

But, pencil skirts are amazingly easy to find, and you have lots of option that are available. If you want a turquoise pencil skirt, check out:

There are so many options in different colors and prints, here are a few that I found:

Sigourney skirt from cabi Fall 2016. Bistro Tee, Dot Jacket, Lock & Key Necklace, and Lock & Key Bracelet from cabi clothing Spring 2017. Shoes are from Stitch Fix.

Sigourney skirt from cabi Fall 2016. Bistro Tee, Dot Jacket, Lock & Key Necklace, and Lock & Key Bracelet from cabi clothing Spring 2017. Shoes are from Stitch Fix.

Do join us for the thirteenth POW and discover seven ways, from the playground, office, home, or even a night on the town, and more to style this laid chic, flattering, and classic wardrobe staple, the pencil skirt!