My word, have I been moody with my poor white denim jacket. When I bought it a few seasons ago, I loved the fit, short length, gorgeous quality denim, and very crisp white shade of denim. It’s easy to launder, soft, a little stretchy, very comfortable, robust, and doesn’t need ironing. The only thing that was slightly off about it was the silver hardware. Since I bat for Team Gold, I would have preferred brass or gold buttons. I thought what the heck, it will be okay. The silver will blend into my outfits.

I wore the white denim jacket for a season, and the silver buttons only bothered me a little. But as time went on they bothered me more and more, to a point where I could barely wear it. More often than not, I would opt for a denim jacket with brass or gold buttons instead.

Fast forward to this Spring and Summer, and my white denim jacket is back to being a wardrobe workhorse, silver buttons and all. I choose it regularly because it works well over dresses, skirts, and high-waisted pants and jeans. The dresses I couldn’t wear with this jacket last year, are complete wins with it this year. They’re the same dresses with the same jacket. Nothing has changed, other than the thoughts in my head. I’m fine with the silver buttons and hardly notice them.

Sometimes it’s not about logic, and emotions rule the day. Good thing I held on to the jacket. Does this type of moody reaction to a wardrobe item happen to you too?

It feels a little odd to report that skirts and dresses with tiers are on-trend because the silhouettes, especially tiered skirts, have been around for centuries. And while trends are less important a component of style than they used to be, certain items, looks, colours and combinations do have their fashionable moment. Right now, tiered skirts and dresses are having theirs. 

Tiered skirts and dresses visually achieve their tiers by combining multiple horizontal layers one on top of the other. Each layer is wider than the layer above it, thereby creating volume. The longer the tiers and length of the skirt and dress, the more dramatic the volume and the swoosh factor. The collection below shows some examples of tiered dresses and skirts.

The tiers are usually gathered, but sometimes they’re ruffled, which adds even more volume to them. Tiered skirts and dresses can be knitted or woven, any length, and made of all sorts of fibres. The colour and pattern options are endless. They can look casual or dressy depending on the fabric. Tiered skirts and dresses in cotton-rich fibres and lightweight fabrics lend themselves well to warm weather, but cold-weather options do exist. A heavier weight tiered skirt can be styled with tall boots, sweater and topper, and be dead right for cool weather. The right long-sleeved tiered dress can be styled with hosiery, boots and coat and take you into Fall and Winter.

Tiered skirts and dresses capture a range of vibes. Bohemian and western to some, and modern and architectural to others. The silhouettes can also look beachy, youthful, romantic and pretty. Generally, they are very comfortable because of the volume. You can cover the contour of your figure in a tiered dress or skirt, or wear a version with waist definition. Take your pick.

The volume of tiered dresses and skirts varies greatly from style to style. Some styles are very voluminous and ruffly, whereas others are a lot more streamlined. The number of tiers varies too. Some styles have only two, and others have up to ten tiers.

I love tiered dresses and skirts in midi lengths and have a few in my wardrobe. I’m very attracted to how they comfortably move and swoosh as I stride, and how ventilating the dresses feel on a hot Summer’s day. I like the drama of the volume, and how the fabric flops around me when I sit down. The volume feels luxurious and cosy. I adore the pretty and romantic integrity of tiers, and simply wear them with fashion sneakers, and very occasionally sandals, mules and booties. Along with shirt dresses, tiered dresses are my favourite. And I don’t think they will look dated any time soon.

Over to you. What’s your take on tiered dresses and skirts? Do gathered tiers create too much volume for your liking, or do you like the way they move?

The rise of the “nap dress”, a new clothing rental platform, and more news from the fashion trenches in August.

• Uniqlo is now selling breathable face masks made from its signature AIRism fabric.
• Have a peek at the Fall 2020 Keds & Kate Spade collection.
• Eloquii has launched a clothing rental platform.
• Danish fashion brand Ganni and American jeans company Levi’s are launching a denim capsule collection that will be exclusively available through Ganni’s fashion rental platform.
• The “nap dress” is the latest pandemic clothing trend, according to The Huffington Post.
• Swiss luxury brand Bally is partnering with environmental activist and mountaineer Dawa Steven Sherpa on a series of conservation expeditions to clean up trash on the world’s highest mountains.
• The Black in Fashion Council, an organisation created to advocate for and secure the advancement of Black people in fashion, has officially launched
• Chanel is expanding its make-up for men collection with new products including nail polish, eyeliner, and concealer.

Fun fashion Quote

At Cup of Jo, 14 women show the fancy dresses they’ve been putting on at home or for a walk around the block. I love what Brianna said about hers:

“Right as we began lockdown in Seattle, I bought the largest dress I’ve ever owned. It has huge puffy sleeves, a skirt big enough to be a picnic blanket, and a print acceptable only on a beach. On a size 16/18 body, it’s difficult to find something with extra fabric, let alone work up the gumption to wear something that might make you look (gasp) even larger. But I’ve been wearing it everywhere — even as ‘everywhere’ shrunk to the grocery store, FaceTime and my neighborhood. It’s a luxury that keeps me afloat.”

The ‘80s tube skirt is a die-hard that works on a range of body types. It’s made of a stretch knitted cotton, blended cotton, or woolly fabric. The texture is smooth, ribbed or jacquard. The waist is elastic. It’s fitted and tapers at the hem. It’s extremely soft and comfortable, provided you like the form-fitting silhouette. Lengths vary from knee and midi, to maxi. Dress it up or down. Showcase your curves, or hide them.

Here are four easy ways to create outfits with tube skirts for Summer, and as we head into Autumn. They’re neutral and solid, but feel free to use any colour palette and throw in some pattern. Pattern mix too.

1. Ruffled Sleeves and Birkies

Combine a tube skirt with a fluid, ruffled or puffed sleeve top in a knit or woven and leave it untucked. Add Birkenstocks or flat sandals in a colour that works with the outfit. A large tote is a practical and casual addition. The tube skirt here is very long, but yours can be shorter.

2. Relaxed Dressy

This is a comfortable look that is structured on the bottom and unstructured up top. Combine a dressier blouse in a silky fabric with a cotton-rich tube skirt. This one has a high-low hemline that creates interesting diagonal lines in the front and on the sides of the outfit. Wedged sandals, a statement necklace, and an animal print clutch kick things up a notch. If you like, you can semi-tuck the top to showcase your curves and add some waist definition.

3. Asymmetrical tunic with Sneakers

This is my favourite of the three because I like the crispness of the white, and the eye-catching hemline of the tunic. The jagged hemline of the tunic lengthens the leg line from the hips upward, while the scrunched sleeves add a little structure. The long pendant necklace creates vertical integrity. Classic white sneakers pick up the white of the top. I can see this working just as beautifully with a navy and white striped or animal print tube skirt.

4. Bomber and Boots

As we head into cooler weather, combine a tube skirt with a white shirt and layer a bomber jacket over the top. Finish off the look with booties or shooties, and a bag that works with the outfit. You can tuck or semi-tuck the shirt. Or wear a tee, blouse or pullover instead of a shirt. Here, the black trim of the bomber effectively picks up the black of the booties. Add jewellery, watch and eyewear as desired.