Skirt + trousers

Clockwise: Dries van Noten A/W 13, Roksanda Ilincic Resort 14, Mulberry A/W 13, Celine S/S 11

All photos from style.com 

I wasn’t sure about skirts and dresses when I saw them on the catwalk again. This was primarily for three reasons;

1. I remember the 00s incarnation of this trend; handkerchief hem dresses and skirts over bootleg jeans. All I have to say is do not want.
2. I’m not a fan of ¾ leggings under dresses and skirts. This look has been floating around for ages and I just can’t get on board.
3. I didn’t want to look like I was wearing ALL THE CLOTHES!

Emma Watson in Dior. 
Images via Marie Claire

Emma Watson started to convince me with her red carpet versions, but I still wasn’t sure that it would really work in real life, you know, when you’re not shimming down the catwalk or posing on the red carpet. Then, a couple of days ago when I was walking past one of the local art colleges (always a good place to see people being different and creative with fashion and trends), I saw a girl who finally made me to give it a try.

This girl was wearing a maxi dress (although it may have been a skirt, I don’t remember) with a leather jacket and some stomp-y boots. The dress had a thigh high split on the front and the fabric was cut so the slit was less ‘peek-a-boo’ and more ‘this is my leg’. This girl was also wearing a hijab. I assume to fit in with the guidelines of her religion under her maxi dress she was wearing some cargo jeans.

The outfit without the jeans would have been pretty ordinary as maxi dresses and skirts with splits and leather jackets have become quite ubiquitous, but the jeans underneath made it look different and fresh. I liked that she didn’t try to make her trousers look more like tights and sort of make her outfit look apologetic that she had to adapt the trend to fit her religious beliefs. I like that she chose a pair that complimented that outfit, fitting in with the tough jacket and boots and that contrasted with her floaty dress.

I wanted to play around with ‘tough’ trousers- leather, denim, cargo trousers, under dresses and skirts of different shapes, styles and lengths, though definitely no handkerchief hems or bootleg jeans. 

Whistles leather moto jacket / Zara snakeskin maxi dress / vintage belt / Blank NYC cargo trousers / Chloe biker boots

 Zara shift dress / Asos White leather bag / Topshop tuxedo trousers / Zara brogues / Topshop bracelet

Topshop tear drop necklace / Topshop ribbed sweatshirt / Vintage Ungaro ribbed skirt with fringe hem / Topshop jeans / Vintage clutch / Lanvin shoes

Asos tortoiseshell print mirrored sunglasses / Tophsop a line wool dress / Zara tie dye bag / Zara trousers / Asos creeper brogues

 Topshop ring as necklace / COS ribbed jumper / Zara flock skirt / Topshop jeans / Vintage Bally bag / Zara suede wedges