Keep or Return and a Lot of Booty

Hi,

I picked up this skirt today at AT. I have been searching for a simple, basic, very dark wash denim skirt for what seems like forever. Many, many times, they are pencil skirt styles. And as a pear shape I avoid, avoid, avoid. You always hear advice to balance the upper half with volume such as a-line and flared skirts.

Then I started re-reading the pear dressing guidelines located here and noticed, pencil skirts were not off the list! And I do love how TX Sarah and MaryK (among others) rock pencil skirts, again and again.

So here's the skirt. The pockets lie flat, the waistband is perfect, and the length is just right. All common fit issues for me with skirts, so this makes me happy because there are none of my usual skirt alterations to have done.

But the booty, too much booty? Warning, if you are sensitive to booty's shield your eyes now.

Yay=Too much booty, return.
Nay=Showing some curves but keep.

As a comparison, I have photos of my favorite pair of Joe's jeans, with similar poses. Same booty, different bottoms. I show the booty in jeans, is it ok to show it in skirts?

And apparently I am on team rear view, tee hee.

On a side note, I am wearing the Giesswein Ammern Classic in Charcoal slippers Angie recommended here and I just love them. The arch makes them quite comfortable and the wool is not itchy instead it keeps my feet from sweating. Thanks Angie!

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12 years ago

Alecia

Veteran

I voted nay, but not because of the booty. That doesn't bother me. I don't like the patch pockets. You can totally do a pencil skirt, but I'd look for one without the pockets.

Isis

I vote Nay for the skirt. Your booty looks great in the jeans, as do your thighs. But for some reason I don't like the way the skirt cups your booty, and clings to your thighs, although I think it looks nice in the jeans! Another reason is that the tighter skirt also makes horizontal lines across the midriff and across the thighs which, to my eye, are distracting and make the skirt look like its too small.

BUT, I'm a novice! Let's see what the experts say! Glad you posted this as I will find it educational!

Jonesy

Hmmm...I am on the fence about the skirt. Will you wear longer tops with it or would you like to tuck? I tend to think a bit of booty cupping is okay on a slim skirt like this, but maybe not the full booty cup, if that makes any sense :).

Lisa

Alecia-I had not thought about the pockets on the front. Thanks!

Isis-I'm wondering is skirts have different fit requirements than jeans, ie the fit of my jeans will not work for skirts. Thanks!

Jonesy-I like the idea of tucking for skirts, but think for this specific skirt a longer top would be needed for the back to cover at least some booty since it does not hang straight down over the curves, instead hugging them. Does this change your vote?

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

I wasn't sure what it was that was off for me on the skirt until I read Alecia's post. I rarely buy anything with detail on the front of the hip (lower hip) as it draws attention to that area and I prefer not to do that. I think the pencil shape will work for you when you find just the right one. I'm not sure this is it though.

I think skirts do have different fit requirements as you want a skirt to flow down from the waist. I think that's why I find the horizontal lines distracting; the interrupt the flow......but jeans are OK when they hug your body (and these look great on you) .....

Again, novice disclaimer!

krishnidoux

Lisa, it's not your perfect booty the problem... it's the skirt's waistband. It's too wide, and that's what makes it ill fitting in my view. You could have it hemmed and it would change it, if the cut allows it. Otherwise keep looking, there are some that are cut better.

Look for a slightly higher waist, and you will find it eliminates the wide waistband problem (that you interpret as round booty problem).

Anonymous

Lisa, my body is quite similiar to yours - so, from my experience I would echo what krishnidoux said: you need a skrit with a little higher waist. It would instantly make you rise looking shorter and you legs looking longer.
Besides of this I like this skirt on you. You somehow look in it more like hourglass then pear.

Debora

Lisa, I like the jeans, but am on the fence also with the skirt. I've recently heard that NYDJ makes a nice denim pencil skirt and I see that Angie had it in her store last spring. It's still available on Zappos:

http://www.zappos.com/not-your.....lanca-wash

And here it is on Nordstrom's site in what appears to be a darker wash:

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/no.....sultback=0

Just thought I'd throw that out there in case you are looking for another option. It has that higher waist that Marmaga referred to.

Girl X

I think the skirt is cute and you look good in it, though I would probably just go up a size if it was me (especially since there are belt loops).

This was really helpful, thanks everybody!

I have a lot of new information to use with the next round of pencil skirt searching. Until then, I returned the denim skirt and picked up this a-line skirt instead.

Dianthus-Good idea to pay attention to the front details. I'm going to keep that in mind. I often check the pockets for no stitching or embellishments but forget about the front. Thanks!

Isis-You have some great points, I wouldn't consider it novice advice at all, super advice for me, thanks!

Krishnidoux-You have some good insight, the a-line skirt linked above, has a smaller waistband and hits at my natural waist which gives the skirt a much nicer drape. I hope to post pictures tomorrow, thanks for the waistband idea!

Marmaga-Good waistband insight here too. I find in general, if I do a cinching effect around my waist, it lets my top half and bottom half balance out and creates a slim middle effect leaning to an hourglass effect. A neat trick for a pear shape! (I'm actually a pear with rectangle tendencies, no hourglass at all on my shape naturally)

Debora-Thanks for the links, I'll have to check out the darker wash skirt at Nordie's next time I go.

Girl X-We think alike. Going up a size and getting the waistband taken in is a usual trick of mine for all bottoms. However, the denim skirt did not work out for this trick. Maybe the spandex in the skirt, I don't know. But one size up, fit the same, with a gap in the waist. Odd.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

I vote size up on the skirt and tailor the waistband!

You should be the new Joes Jeans model, Lisa. You look so unbelievably killer in those jeans, I can't stand it.

*waving at my slipper twin*

Angie-These slippers, are super! I am just loving them, my feet are quite happy! I am really hoping some Joe's jeans will be on sale during NAS. They are my favorite brand of jean. I'm so glad you suggested them in the past. The skirt, eh, one size up, still hugged everything. I don't think it's a pear shape friendly skirt the material is very soft and just molds to the body.

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