K/R: a different type of lemming (VC tube skirt) - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Shopping

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

K/R: a different type of lemming (VC tube skirt)

Diana

Veteran

I had decided earlier this year to stop buying jersey skirts (I like more structure in my skirts) and I've never been a huge fan of midis or very body-con skirts... but seeing all the fab VC tube skirts on the forum made me want to try this anyway, especially when I saw that this b/w lace print is on sale. I sized up so the waist is too big, but I'd never, ever wear it tucked so I don't care; I would definitely not want to size down since it's already much more body con than normal for me. This is pretty far out of my comfort zone.

I have to admit I'm not convinced that the shape is good for me. I have a feeling it makes me look like SUPER PEAR, and I'm not sure I can get over that, whether or not it is in my head. I have styled it with a bunch of different tops from my closet. Do you like any of these combos, or is the skirt just not working for me?

Other points:
I like the material. It's much heavier than I expected, so I don't feel very lumpy or bumpy like I do in many jersey skirts. It's also silkier than I expected, which is nice.

shoes - i know the black sandals don't work, but I was too lazy to retry all the outfits with different shoes. Are the gold oxfords better? What shoes do you think would work?

The last photo is another tube-shaped knit skirt I own. It's a thicker, more sweater like material, and is not nearly so fitted, falls straighter from the hip, and I am comfortable wearing it. It's also shorter which might be better for my proportions. How does this skirt compare?

This post has 11 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Shopping

22 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Anonymous

I honestly like your existing skirt better than this one. The VC doesn't look bad on you, but it certainly highlights your hips and tiny waist in comparison. So, I guess the question is, will you have fun playing with a new silhouette, or will you always be a little ehhhhhhh with it?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Well, I feel it's an unfair comparison. You are showing the VC with a fitted T and no jacket in some, and the old skirt is just with a jacket. In the ones with a loose top and/or jacket, I don't think the new one is any more hip-emphasizing than the old one.

And I like them both!

But I am biased, as you know. I like it best with the black drapey tee and the orange one.

DonnaF

Veteran

On a cooler day, I'd like to see this skirt styled with footwear you'd actually wear with it. TBH, I'm not a fan of it with the oxfords; it just looks old lady to my eye, and I'm a big fan of oxfords. Maybe it's the length?

catgirl

Veteran

My fave here is 7 - but I think your old skirt is more flattering too. It's more straight vs the VC hem curving back in at a hard point to style on your leg. Maybe at a shorter length?

Diana

Veteran

Ceit, that is the question, isn't it? I'm not sure I'll ever get over the fact that it just screams "HIPS!" to me. My favorite is #7 and I know it's because the top covers up the hips.

Suz, the VC doesn't work with the jacket I'm wearing with the striped skirt. Lace pattern mixing aside, the jacket is too short and body-con for me to be comfortable pairing it with the skirt. I feel far less self-conscious in the striped skirt for whatever reason. Eta: you are right though, they are not comparable. For one thing, the striped one is a winter skirt. I guess I was asking more about general shape/silhouette.

Donna, the footwear is part of the problem. I honestly don't know what footwear to wear with it. I don't do pumps or low-vamp shoes. I think most of my booties won't work (can't try right now as all my boots are packed away right now) and my mid-calf and tall boots would be too tall. In any case, this is not a deep winter skirt.

Una, I think you're right about the length being hard to style. Perhaps I will try folding it up to see if it's any better that way. I remember reading somewhere (maybe Imogen's site) that if you have longer thighs than calves (which I do, even though both are proportionally long compared to the rest of my body) your proportions are better suited to above-knee skirts, and vice versa, so maybe that's why this midi length is hard for me.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I prefer yours by a lot It may just be me - but if things are this hard to style they end up not being worn. I like it when I buy a piece & it works with all my shoes/jackets etc.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

My thighs are longer than my calves, too, Diana -- and I've always thought I do a bit better in shorter skirts as well - though mid knee or just below the knee seems to be my sweet spot, not too much above the knee (except maybe with opaque tights, at my age, LOL.) I wear the VC midis anyway, tossing figure flattery somewhat to the winds. But I wear them with:

sandals that have a wedge
sandals that are flat but have a V shaped vamp
pointy toed small wedges with low vamp.

I also wear them with white hightop Cons. But those aren't all that high contrast against my skin, and they have a wedge anyway.

I did roll my VC skirts from last year and had them hemmed, eventually. This year's seemed a better length right out of the bag, but I'm still experimenting with it. An inch or two can make quite a significant difference.

Una's theory is interesting. Maybe a straighter cut pencil skirt is better for figure flattery on a pear shaped body. I know for me, it is the reverse -- I do better when they are cut in. But I have a more rectangular shape. This shape skirt looks good on Ceit, too, and she is rectangular shaped. But it also worked great on Sveta (who is an hourglass with pear tendencies) and has worked on some of our other pear shaped Fabbers.

Freckles

Veteran

Both are pretty skirts, I'd like to see the new one shorter but at the moment I much prefer the one you already own.

Is it too much work to check length, find shoes and more than one top you like to maybe be happy with this one?

elpgal

Veteran

I love the first outfit and and 7. Angie suggested shoes with a wedge to elevate the outfit. I think if you shorten the VC skirt, it will look as good as the one you currently own. Have you tried the VC in the bold stripe pattern. The bold stripe is so in your face that it conceals any real/imaginary figure quirks.

Jeanie

Veteran

I like it with the green sweater. I think it has something to with the fact that it hits you higher on the hip and makes for a very flattering line. I also like it with the black drapey shirt that hits pasts the hips. It is definitely more curve accentuating than your old skirt but I don't think that's a bad thing-they are pretty curves!

A side comment is that the jacket in #11 has 3/4 sleeves which seems to help balance out a longer skirt IMO.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Have you tried the petite tube skirt? Or the Leith ones, which are really similar? I think the longer length of these is less flattering because they don't taper enough on you for whatever reason. I can only tolerate my tube skirts because they really hug around my knees. These are creating an artificially wide silhouette all the way down to your shins.

Also, many of these outfits show the tube with high-contrasting, straight and flared hem tops that hit at your widest point. This creates a second widening illusion to deal with.

Deborah

Veteran

Diana, I actually prefer your existing skirt. The fit and length just looks better to my eye. I agree with Rae's comments above. You have quite an arty, edgy style and I just don't see this skirt in your wardrobe.

ManidipaM

Veteran

Rae said in her second para what struck me. If figure flattery is a goal, no go wearing with tops that have a hemline just across the width of your hip. Being body con, it works best when I can see it flare out as well as come in. Meaning a rounded hem higher at the sides, handkerchief hem longer in the middle, a high lo with front hemline higher. You have this in #6-8.

As for length, I agree going up even an inch so that it does not hit just across the width of the calf but across the narrower bit near the knee will save the day.

In both cases, it helps to show you are narrower both above and below those wider points. Length being let down may also work though if height/leg shortening are not issues for you.

Jjsloane

Veteran

I agree with Rae.
The length needs to be shorter for you or you need it snugger around the knees. I like the proportions of 7 best, but love the existing skirt how it's styled. The length MIGHT work with tights and boots, but then you've limited the usefulness.
I ordered (and returned) 2 of these skirts myself. I liked the thickness and they weren't bad, but I didn't even K/R I knew I'd not wear them.

kkards

Veteran

imo, this skirt is ok, but its not even a 9. but if you are going to keep it, i feel like it needs a more tailored shoe. i know you don't wear pumps, but do you have a wedge or more structured flat?

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I think in #7 the new skirt with that floaty tunic style top looks fab! The others I'm not as enthusiastic about. Your existing skirt looks beautiful with the jacket in #11. Do you have another jacket with a similar cut? A striped version of the jacket in #11 would be like the reverse with this new skirt.

Anonymous

I'm reserving judgment until you tape up the hem. Try for just below the knee, or whatever your existing skirt is. I have similar hesitations about knit skirts (and dresses). I tried an ON tube last year, but eventually culled it because it sat too low on my waist and limited my styling choices. Nice to know this one is thick and silky. I'm almost being tempted again. I think they look fine, even great on everyone else--you included, but I feel super-self conscious in them. The rest of my wardrobe is set up to be worn with more structured bottoms too, and I feel like I'd need to buy new things to go with one. FWIW, you have a fanTAStic figure, which I'm not sure I've seem in quite this way before. And maybe that's what you don't like about the skirt, since you're not bombshell, right?

Diana

Veteran

Thank you all for your opinions. They are super helpful, and have really helped clarify a few things. I will try rolling the skirt to see what it looks like shortened, but I am fairly certain I am going to send it back. Yes, it's good with the black drapey top in #7, but I think that may be the only one of these that really works. As Caro mentioned, it's just so much work to get it to work, plus I still don't know if I have the right footwear. Basically, I don't do delicate footwear and I think that may be what this skirt needs.

i suspect it will be better at a shorter length, but the thing is that I'm not sure I want another knee length skirt, KWIM? I like the idea of a long, slinky midi skirt since it's interesting, even if it's not the most figure flattering. Just not this one, I think.

Elpgal, good suggestion to try a different pattern. I do wonder if this particular pattern is widening because of how it's obvious where the pattern is stretching more.

Rae, that makes so much sense about the tapered hem! I wouldn't have thought of it on my own (so thank you!) but it makes perfect sense now that I think about it. Basically, it's like cropped pants, they need to be tapered at the hem to give some shape to the silhouette. And you are right, I think one of the things I don't like about this is that not only does it emphasize my wide hips, it also somehow makes them look really long. I actually wonder if the smaller sizes are more tapered - maybe I should not have sized up after all. If I do try a smaller size, though, I'd probably want a solid so the increased stretch wouldn't be obvious in the pattern. As I mentioned above, what I want is a slinky skirt, and this one is not slinky. I will try the Leith - is that the one you have?

Moni and Rae, I agree that the tops that cut right across the widest point are not working (the polka dot tank and the orange top). These are things I normally wear with shorts or slim pants and they work great there. Apparently a lot of my looser tops hit at this point, so they won't work for skirts I guess.

Claire, I bet this would look great on your body type! You are right though - I think partly it's just too bombshell for me, and with a loose de-bombing top I'd want the bottom to be more tapered.

ETA: Rae, this is the Leith, right? I'm a little worried that the fabric will be thinner than the VC, hence even more self-consciousness-inducing. Also, measurements seem to suggest it is longer than the VC...

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/le.....ersonalize

Also, has anyone seen this Topshop one in person? There is this one (26") and then also a longer (30") version.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/to.....0-1-3-2-Ri

rae

(website)

Veteran

The Leith ones are very similar in weight and thickness to the VC tubes. Might be worth a try since you don't want a knee-length skirt... it's possible the other brand would be more tapered, although now that I hear that you sized up, that may be the culprit as well. I prefer an XS in these, and I am a size 27 jeans.

I actually don't own any of these because I got my draped Olivia Moon one on sale before these went on sale. My favorite are actually the Bobeau ones (I had to purge mine since it was damaged in the robbery), but the brand is mostly doing maxi skirts right now for summer.

Day Vies

Veteran

#11 is my favorite. That's probably because you have had more time to play with the print and proportions of the striped skirt. I love the damask skirt. I think it is a nice tweak to your general style. I love the idea of volume on top of the damask skirt but none of the voluminous tops seem to hit that perfect note.

Slimmer fits have not been your style in the past but I think they're exceedingly flattering on you. I love the green sleeveless sweater with this (but that's me and my style preferences coming through). I really like the black top but I think there is a wee bit too much volume -- oddly I think the black top would work even with the extra volume if it were a sleeveless tank.

Diana

Veteran

Still thinking about this...
I realized that part of what makes this difficult for me to style is that with a skirt this body-con, I am not comfortable wearing any top shorter than, say, #6. Since my hip is so high, this length is already getting dangerously close to that widest point. On a less body-con skirt, the widest part of my hip is not nearly so apparent, so it doesn't matter. #1 is a similar length but the curved sides help, I think.

I don't know if this is a problem that could be solved with a different tube skirt though.

Rae, I love your draped one. Maybe this is what I need to look for, some draping or ruching.

rachylou

Veteran

I actually really love this skirt on you. But there are a couple of things. I think it's a smidgen long; the hem hits where your legs start to widen again - I think it should fall in the "dip" below the knee. Also, in #1, the straight across hem of the top bisects you in half, and in #10, the skirt feels too formal for the top to me.