Don’t forget to submit your reader outfit!! The deadline is Saturday at 5 PM ET. On to the reviews….
Critters have a storied place in preppy style. Growing up in Country Clubville, Connecticut I was used to seeing men wear pants with crabs on them (farcical to anyone else or just me?), sweater vests adorned with critter crests and other examples of animals emblazoned on otherwise classic pieces. I used to laugh at them as a kid but as an adult I’ve grown nostalgically fond of critters. So it was no surprise when the Stilt Striders Skirt ($158) warmed my little heart. In college we used to have flamingos on our lawn because we were cool like that. The chance to wear them on a skirt held similar appeal.
This silk skirt has a poly lining and an elasticized waist band. I didn’t even notice the side zip at first. The pattern’s diagonal placement is fun and I love the soft pleats. I did feel like this skirt poufed out a bit at the hips but I can’t tell if that’s because of my body shape or the skirt design.
I was able to size down to an 8 in this skirt. The waist has a gentle give and the skirt itself flares out, allowing room for my curvacious lower half. The colors of this skirt make it a bit of a styling challenge, but one I’m willing to take on. The price is a bit higher than where I’d like to start so I’ve wishlisted this skirt for sale time.
Anthro’s done it again: it’s another maxi skirt I like! The Pleats Abounding Maxi ($128) drew me in mostly because of its jewel-toned hue. I hope Anthropologie continues down this color story! Rich blues, reds, purples and greens make me happy! There are some smart design choices here too. The pleats are tight and sharp. To keep them accordion-ed in there are smooth silky panels at the top and bottom of the skirt. Unfortunately the skirt itself is polyester, not silk. The bottom panel bumps out a bit and I find this distracting but overall the skirt has a fluid appearance.
I found myself between an 8 and a 10 so I chose to stick with my usual size 10. The 8 was a better fit around the waist but was a close fit over my hips. With a 35″ inseam maxi skirt are often too short on me but this one was alright, hitting about 5 inches off the floor. I noticed that this skirt is unlined. The material and color make the skirt opaque but it’s a cheap move in my opinion. Who doesn’t line a full-length skirt? That gets a star knocked off for sure.
I like this skirt but I’m not in love with it so it’s a pass. Back to the rack!
Anthropologie continues to release this Bailey 44 design in every shape possible. Shirt can’t be far off! The Scully Pencil Skirt ($118) is the skirt version and it’s my favorite so far. (I’ve previously tried the Layered Column Dress in this post and the Tiered Stripes Dress in this post). This skirt is made in a navy spandex-rayon that hugs every curve like its cousins. The navy color makes it versatile and like the other versions I am so happy to see that the pattern lines up at the seams. Hooray!
Out of the three versions of this design I’ve tried the Scully is by far my favorite. Though it does the same “thighs!!!” announcement as the others I find the skirt easier to wear than a whole bodycon dress. I sized up to a large to accommodate my hips, thighs and tush. It seemed to do the trick, especially when paired with a longer top. I love this skirt — I think I’ll buy it! In my shopping cart.
The top is the Catch-A-Glimpse Top ($78) which I reviewed in this post.
This fantastic skirt is Maeve’s Goban Pencil Skirt ($118). It comes in either festive black or green. The dotted brocade pattern lends visual interest to this subtle skirt. With no waistband it’s easy to wear it lower on the hips and on my 5’8″ frame this skirt came to rest right at my knees. There is some slight tapering down the leg and a vent that goes surprisingly high in the back. It made me eep a bit when I caught myself from the back view.
The skirt seems to run large. My usual size 10 was sliding down so I asked for an 8 instead. It fit much better and made my bottom look great! There is some slight whooshing noise when you walk but nothing too bad. I would give this skirt 5 stars but I noticed several skirts on the rack already had pulls. So be sure to inspect the skirt you try closely for any loose threads. Such a pain but this skirt is worth it. Wishlisted!
Ugh, it’s reviews like this I hate sharing. The Firelight Skirt (now $50) succeeded in making me look lumpy and bumpy…never fun. I was surprised by the poor fit given the thick wool-poly material. But the material isn’t structured at all, it’s oddly insignificant for how thick it is. I like the wide waistband at the top which is perfect for tucking blouses in. But the skirt gripped my body in such an unflattering way there’s no chance I’d let the skirt show in full.
At first I thought this was a sizing issue so I swapped my usual size 10 out for a 12. That didn’t help at all — the 12 fell off my hips. I think this is a combination of my body shape and a skirt that wants to hug everything without the structure to help my silhouette. There’s not a full lining in this skirt, so even though I’m very itch-resistant I felt the need to scratch. Let’s just say I wasn’t impressed by this skirt. Promising color and shape; ill fit. Back to the rack.
The top with this skirt is the Twin Tiered Top (now $50) which I reviewed in this post.
I saw the Houndstooth Collage Pencil Skirt ($98) way back at the Color + Print event in August but didn’t have a chance to try it on until recently. By pencil skirt Anthropologie means a-line skirt. (Why Anthro, why?) And by a-line skirt my hips mean straight skirt. I’m OK with that. It’s made from soft textured cotton with just a hint of stretch. A side zip lets you slip in and out of the skirt while front buttons lend some additional interest to this updated lumberjack plaid.
I found my usual size 10 to be a good fit. The skirt is longer than it looks online, making it all the way to my knees. One bummer is that as I walked the skirt slid up my body which would leave me tugging it down all day. A textured slip will help with this issue. Aside from that issue I like this pretty skirt quite a bit. Wishlisted!!
