How to Wear a Mini During Daylight Hours, Part 1: The Skirt (Contains Sequins)

Wearing a miniskirt during the day, and, yes, at night too, requires a bit of thought, forward planning and experimentation in order to avoid looking like a TOWIE extra, and it's probably the item of clothing that causes me the most angst when putting together outfits, and the most likely to be hurled across the room. If in doubt, keep the "legs or cleavage" rule in mind, but proportions, colours, material and style all come into making a leggy look work (or not).

How I Wear
Transitioning into Autumn/Winter: Mergers and Acquisitions
Yes, You Can Wear A Mini Skirt

The Rara
A-line mini skirts, and raras in particular, were the go-to items around which I built about 50% of my outfits in my younger years, teamed with vest tops for summer days, deep-V skinny knits for winter days and, er, corsets for nights out - WAG-alicious!

Blue Hawaiian
This skirt dates back to that time, and I was about to eBay it during my most recent wardrobe weed, when I decided that the shape, colours, pattern, everything, were just too gorgeous, and swore I’d find a way to make it work. Step forward my hero £1 mint ice cream Primark blouse, introduced yesterday – the sheer fabric drapes in such an artlessly heavenly way that I could relax my rule of “either untucked or cinched in at the waist only” to tuck it in loosely at the hips – creating a laid-back, demure silhouette that could carry acres of leg safely. The tonal colour blocking keeps it easy on the eye, with just a little cheeky pop from the mustard courts (a £6 Primark mid-SS12 sale steal!).

Blouse: Primark (Past Season)
Skirt: Freemans (Past Season)
Shoes: Primark (SS12)

Broderie Anglaise
I worked on a similar basis to put this look together – again, I loved the skirt, but put it with the (also gorgeous and waiting to be featured in a later post) matching corset and I might as well have been working at The Playboy Club or rehearsing for a porno version of the "pastoral" segment of the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony. So I stuck to a neutral colour palette, with absolutely no cleavage, a relaxed silhouette, blouse in keeping with the "peasant" feel, not too much detail, and clogs for just a little bit of “Oh!” factor. The blouse is elasticated just under the level at which it tucks into the skirt, which was handy for keeping it in place!

Blouse: Primark (Past Season)
Skirt: Red Herring at Debenhams (Past Season)
Clogs: New Look (Past Season)

Wild West
Another one of my beloved raras... the result of a season-long quest for the perfect denim mini a couple of years ago. I think this look would work well for a festival; it might be a touch too “Cowgirl Barbie” for a walk into town, although a short-haired boyish-framed brunette could work it. A slouchy, artfully-sloppily-tucked-in denim shirt in a slightly mismatching hue might give me a slightly more edgy look.

Vest Top: ASOS (Past Season)
Skirt (with Scarf Belt): Republic (Past Season)
Waistcoat: Primark (Past Season)
Boots: Primark (Past Season)

The Skater
Sports Luxe
For the record, I put this outfit together and wore it to a casting followed by a 9 hour Oxford Street shopping trip weeks before Lana Del Rey (photo: Glam.co.uk) sported the same trainers and SS12 version of my SS11 River Island skater skirt to perform at Lovebox - hmm, I knew I saw a beehive furtively following me that day... Casual, funky co-ordinates balance out the flesh on show (this kind of relaxed cropped tee works well with high-waisted skirts of all descriptions).

My casting brief was “commercial and funky” (I didn’t get the job – a TV ad – but that probably had more to do with my difficulty in fitting off-the-cuff mentions of the alcohol brand in question into a chat in front of a camera crew about my plans for the weekend – which revolved around going to an 80th birthday party - than the outfit).

I hadn’t considered wearing trainers with skirts since the whole Lily Allen/prom dress thing – IMHO, prom dresses demand elegant footwear - but moving into the world of commercial dance had gradually softened me towards high tops, followed by the very convenient steaming in of the sports luxe trend wagon with wedged versions – yess! So, perfect compromise between comfort for dancing/hours of shopping, optimal leg length and looking “funky and commercial”.

Top: River Island (Past Season)
Skirt (including belt): River Island (Past Season)
Trainers: River Island (SS/AW12)

The Tulip
I think somehow this look allows you to get away with a little flash of upper cleavage because the high waist and tulip shape give it a sophisticated vintage edge. Accessories need to be kept minimal when accessorising with legs, arms, abs and décolletage though – the belt and shoes inject an ultra-subtle dash of retro style which I think works with the shape to just push the outfit out of “I just threw on the smallest items of clothing I could find” territory!

Top: New Look (Past Season)
Skirt: New Look (Past Season)
Belt: Primark (Past Season)
Shoes: Primark (Past Season)

The Flippy
Even though there’s quite a lot of skin on show here, I think the lack of cleavage, candy-sweet coral and cream hues and ditzy floral accessories make it more cute cub than cougar – with ballet flats I was comfortable wearing this outfit out shopping in Croydon on a summery-ish day (although I did wish I’d worn bigger knickers when I realised how windy it was!). The hair band (kindly bought for me that day by my BFF) has a wire core and is long enough to twist, tie and bend in almost any manner you can think of – I love the slice of vintage quirk it lends to any oufit.

Hairband: Primark (SS12)
Top: H&M (Past Season)
Skirt: ASOS (Past Season)
Basket: Primark (Past Season)
Ballet-Wrap Cardigan: Topshop (13 years old - surely worth a special mention!)

The Lantern
Graphic Stripes
You may have noticed by now that I’m a teensy bit of a monochrome fan... This skirt makes a hell of a statement, so for an “I just threw this on” effect, you really need to go basic on the upper half – a black tee fits the bill, and a cheeky flash of upper tum gives it just enough of a nonchalantly cheeky edge. Lace-up heeled brogues are a chic-er alternative to wedges, courts or sandals for a statement monochrome daytime look. The lantern gives maximum waist defining, hip concealing and leg lengthening bang for your buck, so it’s great for most body shapes.

Top: Forever 21 (SS12)
Skirt: Primark (Past Season)
Shoes: Primark (Past Season)

The Trans-Seasonal Leopard
Yup, seems there's not much I won't pair a tie-up cropped tee with! Maintaining a neutral coffee-and-cream tonal palette and a neckline which dips no more than an inch beneath the clavicles keep a LOUD skirt relatively subtle and elegant (I wouldn't recommend wearing it to work though).

So, how do you render a leopard print mini skirt, boasting built in concealed tutu, suitable for a coffee date with your grandmother once the temperature drops below 10C? By teaming it with an elegant plum pussybow blouse tonally colour blocked with 100 denier tights, and smart-but-oh-so-sexy platform chocolate wedges. I'd stick to these kinds of darker, similar-hued co-ordinates for winter - all-over coffee-and-cream fluff should probably be left to our four-legged friends.

Skirt: Primark (Past Season)
Outfit 1 - Top: H&M (Past Season); Shoes: New Look (Past Season)
Outfit 2 - Blouse: Primark (Past Season); Shoes: Primark (Past Season); Tights: Primark

The Glam Rocks (Well, Sequins)
Any excuse to wear sequins and sparkles! I do love the challenge of turning evening wear into daywear. It becomes a lot easier to wear “party wear” during the day as Autumn sets in - opaques and tough lace-up boots automatically tone down glitz whilst endowing a new-found edge. I’ve had this stretch grey marl T-shirt for over 4 years and it’s still the most-worn tee in my wardrobe. The silver toned sequins mesh in with the more subtle grey tones of the tee and tights (grey makes a change from the ubiquitous black opaques in AW) so the look isn’t too “in your face”, but the statement necklace adds a funky edge to the neckline and helps to unify the look so it’s not just “T-shirt plonked on with sequinned skirt".

T Shirt: H&M (Past Season)
Skirt: eBay (originally Primark)
Boots: Peacocks (Past Season)
Tights: Sainsbury’s
Necklace: Primark (Past Season)

Transitioning into Autumn/Winter: Mergers and Acquisitions
Many mini skirts can be taken with you from season to season (usually best to store Wimbledon whites and tropical raras once sleet sets in though) with the assistance of classic shirts and blouses, snuggly knits, opaques, elegant flats, funky ankle boots and chunky loafers. I shall be gleefully liberating my velvet rara from vacuum storage, and looking out for new tulip, skater, lantern and peplum styles in faux leather, carpet-print and jacquard.

Yes, You Can Wear A Mini Skirt...

Lantern, skater and tulip styles hit a double whammy: both enhancing curves and concealing hips.

If you want to shrink your thighs and/or lengthen your legs, embrace A-line styles - skater or lantern - but beware of the bodycon and tulip.

Those with slimmer pins can get away with bodycon and tulip styles, but may not like A-line shapes if they feel their legs are too skinny.

Apple-shaped girls can show off their pins in a peplum-enhanced bodycon or tulip style mini, without feeling self-conscious about the tummy area.

High-waisted minis lengthen legs, but shrink torsos, so be aware of your proportions - those with shorter torsos and longer legs might look more proportionate in low-rise numbers.


Tomorrow: How to Wear a Mini During Daylight Hours, Part 2: The Dress

See more recent posts featuring mini skirts here

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How to Wear... Shirts and Blouses

Number 3 on my greater-spotted tops checklist, another goes-with-virtually-anything-whilst-adding-vintage-chic staple. Various styles faithfully follow me from season to season and from statement skinnies to maxi skirts.

How I Wear
Transitioning into Autumn/Winter: Mergers and Acquisitions
Figure-Fixing Shirts and Blouses

Introducing Special Guest Number 2...

My cousin Martina is a 22-year-old postgrad Oxford law student. Her style is very classic, refined and understated – part Ralph Lauren, part Coco Chanel (but carefully sourced from the likes of H&M!) – lots of tailored blouses and blazers in monochrome and tweed, teamed with turned up black/white skinny jeans or pencil/tulip skirts, cute ballet flats and pearl accessories. She also has the most amazing natural hair I have ever seen – so thick, straight and glossy it permanently looks like it could have just swished right out of a GHD ad, despite the fact that she doesn’t own a pair of GHDs.

The Classic Monochrome

The turn ups and monochrome colour blocking give this classic smart-casual look a hit of quirky individuality, whilst the cute bow flats and pearls edge it over the line from androgynous to elegant. The relaxed fit of the tucked-in shirt and blazer balance out the skinny fit of the jeans. Tick, tick, tick. This outfit would be great for evening with some skyscraping pointy-toed patent stiletto court shoes too, but I’m not sure that suggestion will be welcomed!

The Dalmatian Crop

I loved this top so much that the fact that one size wouldn’t button up over my bra but the next size up sagged unflatteringly around my waist didn't remain an obstacle for long. After a night of pining, I raced back to the shops and picked up both the smaller top and a selection of basic stretch bandeaus to pop underneath – problem solved.

I decided to have a bit of fun by mixing 3 sets of spots and using a 1950s inspired silhouette. Sticking to a monochrome palette keeps the print clash subtle and placing the largest print on top draws the eye upwards (good for maximising the bust and drawing attention towards the face; try the opposite to make even more of a statement, or to minimise a larger bust if self-conscious). The flat patent lace-ups keep it quirky and casual – patent courts would inject a bit of grown up glamour. See my previous post for more cropped inspiration.

Blouse: Primark (SS12)
Bandeau: New Look (SS12)
Skirt: Primark (Past Season)
Tights: Primark (Past Season)
Jazz Shoes: Primark (Past Season)

The Printed Peg Leg

A Monroe-inspired sun-is-sort-of-shining shopping outfit. Keeping the top half lighter and the waist bare lets the printed trousers take centre stage without adding too much volume to my lower half. A classic mac fits with the vintage vibe.

Shirt: ASOS (Past Season)
Trousers: Primark (Past Season)
Loafers: Dorothy Perkins (Past Season)
Coat: Primark (Past Season)

The Half-Tuck

Tucking only the centre front section of a shirt or blouse emphasises the waist. I tied a more relaxed “half-bow” to try and match the artlessly (ha!) casual vibe of the “half-tuck”, and played up the curve-enhancement with a semi-structured A-line midi, topping off the undone vintage chic feel with some white laced brogues, colour matched to the blouse.

Blouse: Primark (Past Season)
Skirt: River Island (Past Season)
Shoes: Primark (Past Season)

The Sleeveless Pleat

One of my new favourites, the sleeveless pleated trapeze-style shirt. This looks best buttoned up for a prim vibe, but is equally lovely tucked into high waists or left loose to skim the tops of shorts or skinny trousers/jeans (see below). One of the first things I wanted to try out was teaming it with my nearly-perfectly-matched pleated white maxi skirt, and I loved the result. The gold waist belt adds a bit of drama and conceals any slightly less than perfect blending at the join (great minds think alike eh Lana? I swear I hadn’t seen this photo when I put my version of this look together! Photo: Vogue.co.uk).

Shirt: Primark (SS12)
Skirt: Jane Norman (Past Season)
Belt: Peacocks (Past Season)

The Trapeze

Left loose, a trapeze shaped shirt tones down a pair of short shorts, lending them a more sophisticated air (whilst adding volume to the top half with the added bonus of shrinking hip and thigh circumference). I love the contrast between the proportions and styles of the seemingly disparate separates, but maintaining a fairly muted neutral palette throughout glues the look together.

Shirt: Primark (SS12)
Shorts: River Island (SS12)
Shoes: New Look (Past Season)

The Printed Skinnies

Leaving this blouse loose shows off its beautiful inbuilt curve and waterfall hem, which miraculously allow you to retain great waist definition even when skimming low rise jeans. The slight injection of volume it gives at the hips paradoxically has the effect of shrinking them when teamed with a bodycon bottom half, with knock-on leg lengthening effects - and all for under £10, who knew?! The classic styles of the blouse, cape and shoes, with a slight nod to the retro, along with the neutral tones of the colour palette, make the giraffe print jeans look classy rather than crazy.

The Car Print Midi

The (in)famous car print pleated midi skirt... I invested in the skirt and matching shell top in lemon (which you'll be able to see in my How to Wear the Midi post later this month). Despite the fact that they don’t match exactly (the top is sheer but the skirt is, thankfully, lined!), I do like them together, but I also love to tuck a contrasting pastel-toned pussybow blouse into the skirt to play up its tongue-in-cheek retro-prim feel. Here, I’ve decided to embrace rather than subvert this tone by piling on pearls, pointed T-bar shoes and a cropped boucle jacket, which lets me emphasise my waist and show off the full line of the skirt.

Blouse: Primark (Past Season - £1 in the end of AW11/12 sale!!)
Skirt (with belt): Primark (SS12)
Shoes: Faith (Past Season)
Pearls: Primark (Past Season)

The Cover-Up

Yep, they’re both back again! I’ve recycled both the blouse and skirt for a second look with a less prim, more frivolous feel, whilst still retaining the retro vibe. The cut of the top has a Marilyn-type vibe, and the nude kitten heel slingbacks are one of my favourite items with which to add a subtle vintage feel to an outfit without crippling myself or drawing too much attention away from the rest of the look. Pussybow ties are a convenient way to transform a polished blouse into a carefree cover-up, so you can adjust your modesty level as company and weather dictate.

Blouse: Primark (Past Season)
Top: ASOS (Past Season)
Skirt (with belt): Primark (SS12)
Shoes: Primark (Past Season)

Transitioning into Autumn/Winter: Acquisitions and Mergers

I’m already stocking up on Edwardian and Victoriana inspired shirts and blouses - lots of embellished collars and sheer black chiffon, whoop! I’m looking out for studs, pearls, lace, ruffles and gorgeous high necklines, and also need to get hold of some fierce collar tips in the not-too-distant future.

For the rock chick look, I’ll be digging out my (faux) leather trousers and pencil skirt, and platform shoe boots (I’m also on the lookout for a hot high-waisted leather skater skirt and maybe even a leather maxi this year).

I’ll be working the Edwardian/Victorian trend with my trusty black pleated maxi, and dusting off my high waisted velvet shorts and flippy mini, topping off the look with opaques and lace-up ankle boots. Looking into my crystal ball, I'm also envisaging over-the-knee boots, teamed with a black dropped hem skirt or pulled over high-waisted jeans (my faithful pussybow friends will also work well here).

Figure-Fixing Shirts For...

Pear Shapes: A well fitting shirt looks great teamed with a skirt or trousers flowing gently out from the waist (like an A-line/flippy midi or palazzos), to add a touch of volume to the top half and disguise hips whilst still allowing you to emphasise your waist. Beware of leaving your shirt untucked – it will usually add inches to your hips – and of teaming with low-rise bottoms, which will draw the eyeline to your widest area (furthermore, unless your shirt fits amazingly well, you’re likely to have a less-than-flattering triangular silhouette flaring out from your bust to your hips if you tuck it in here).

Boyish Frames: Teaming a well-fitting shirt with a defined waistline and A-line skirt will emphasise your waist and give the illusion of curvier hips, whilst additional detail on the shirt (ruffles, lace, slightly puffed sleeves etc) can boost your bust. Add a darker waisted belt to really add oomph to your new curves.

Alternatively, enjoy the fact that you can get away with the relaxed, unstructured androgynous look – try tucking a sharp buttoned-to-the-collar shirt into low-rise cropped tailored trousers and gloat over not ending up looking like a sack of potatoes.

Curvy Girls: Having a high bust-waist ratio can really interfere with shirt-buying – I usually have to go up at least one dress size to avoid the dreaded between-button gape, leaving me with the choice of letting the shirt sag around my waist or unbuttoning practically to the navel to avoid gaping.

So, a few shirt-buying tips and tricks:
-Look out for blouses which curve in and out at the waist – Primark’s sheer pussybow blouses tend to have a slightly dropped hem and drape over curves wonderfully
-Try slightly lower necklines and/or front panel details – lots of pussybow blouses fasten lower than normal blouses, below the main gape-culprit area, and anyway, the bow itself usually covers a multitude of sins! Sometimes, ruffles, lace or other details along a concealed-button front panel can disguise gape too.
-If you want to wear the buttoned-up-to-the-chin look, you might just have to bite the bullet and buy a bigger size – make sure you can tuck it in to something which pulls you back in at the waist and/or that its flowing structure is (or at least looks like) a feature anyway (like my pleated sleeveless trapeze shirt – but beware of the maternity look – always try it on!).

Apple shaped girls can embrace the trapeze shirt, team a tucked-in shirt with a tummy-concealing peplum skirt, or tuck a loose masculine-style classic shirt into a mid-rise pencil skirt or trousers. Opt for an open collar style to expose some collarbone for the most flattering look.

Tomorrow: How to Wear a Mini During Daylight Hours, Part 1

See more recent posts featuring shirts and blouses here

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