Skirting the Issue

I've noticed I have problems with certain articles of clothing. Tee shirts I'm totally fine with, jeans I can handle, sweaters I'm all over. But throw a skirt at me and you'll have an emotional breakdown on your hands. I just don't know what to do with them. I went to an all girl's school, so I have issues sitting like a lady (not a skirt-friendly problem), and I have long legs, so skirts are generally short on me. I realize that it's weird to be scared of an entire type of clothing, but I have skirtphobia. I used to love skirts. I shunned pants and lived entirely in a-line Anthropologie goodness. And then I sprouted hips and a booty and suddenly skirts didn't seem so friendly. I may have finally adjusted to my hourglassy shape, but I still retain a trace of that skirtphobia. I own four skirts. In contrast, I have about 10 dress, 5 pairs of shorts, 3 pairs of jeans, and a disgusting amount of tees. In order to try to get over myself, I put together an outfit (or two) for each of the skirts. It was...interesting.

Left: Vintage Chanel skirt, J. Crew tank, vintage necklace. Right: American Apparel skirt, v-neck, and cardigan, Urban Outfitters scarf, vintage necklaces. Maud and I used that outfit on the left for our '80s photoshoot. I like the contrast of the glitzy pencil skirt with the drapey, casual tank. I never wear that skirt. It's vintage freaking Chanel, and I like it, but it's so curve-hugging that I feel awkward wearing it. See, I am awkward! (Hence blog title...). It's the same with the skirt on the right. American Apparel quoted Stella Magazine (my old blog) on the page where they sell that skirt, so I should really just wear it because of that. It's just really short and booty exposing, and I kind of want the longer version instead. This one is a really nice basic to layer under bulkier pieces like that cardigan, though.


Both: Spun Bamboo tee, Erin Fetherston for Target skirt, vintage necklaces. Right: Monrow jacket. I never wear this skirt either. It's cute, but it's a little too cute (it's satin and velvet). I do like it paired with a sleeker top, like that navy blue v-neck, and all the blingtastic necklaces, but it's so hard to wear a jacket with. It really only works with cropped, fitted cardigans because normal length jackets, like on the right, eat my waist when paired with the a-line of the skirt.


Both: American Apparel skirt, vintage necklaces. Left: J. Crew tank, Right: Madewell top. It's hard to see, but this is the American Apparel pocket skirt that everybody has. Which is kind of why I'm over it. It is cute, but I wish the skirt was a little fuller, because on me it's in that awkward semi-fitted but semi-not fitted place. The only upside to that is that I can wear this skirt with a more fitted top, like that tank (I'm actually wearing that outfit now, topped off with this Love Quotes scarf), or with a drapier top, like that Madewell shirt. This is definitely the skirt I wear the most, but I think I want to get another one in a different color and one size bigger, so it's a little fuller. Updates will follow.


I think I've avoided a full on pandemic of skirtphobia for now, but it's a sneaky little thing. We'll see how long the remission lasts. On a totally random note, I look really tan here! I'm usually somewhere between milk-white and pale yellow. Cute, I know.