Skirts

UmmLila (Lisa)

I'm always trying to find more ways to comfortably wear dresses and skirts., and of course now that we have transferred from 45 degree weather seemingly straight into 85 degree weather in NH, the hunt is on.

I am a rectangle shape with a wide waist and narrow hips, and I've finally found, after a lot of hit a miss, a couple of brands that work for me with dresses, sometimes. (Madewell and Rebecca Taylor.)

I have such a hard time with skirts though. Anything with a defined waist seems to pinch (I'm never again going to buy anything with one of those narrow little rolled tops thst hook on the side.) Elastic waist skirts often have pleats and look too bunchy. Tube skirts are ok the ten percent of the time they don't showcase upper thigh/hip chunk. And jean skirts can fit but have a tendency to climb upwards when I sit.

Is it just me? Does anyone have any deep skirt wisdom to share?

10 years ago

General

7 replies

Latest reply was from DonnaF

Ledonna N.

Veteran

Try on many different styles and take pictures if you can. What you may like in the front may look totally different in the back. Don't be afraid to have something altered to fit.

10 years ago

Anonymous

I wish I had some deep wisdom but I don't. I'm just happy to see that I'm not the only one. All of the above happen to me too. I default to a pencil shape and tend to size up a bit if necessary in order to keep it comfortable and down on my hips a bit more. I don't know either....sigh.
I don't share your body type though , so that's an interesting aspect. Wonder if skirts in general are just hard to fit. I have a high waist and smaller waist than hip .

10 years ago

Style Fan

Veteran

I have problems with skirts as well. I have a small waist and larger hips. I avoid pencil skirts due to the bombshell factor. I don't know who they make skirts for given the frustration I have heard from women.

I agree with Ledonna that alterations are usually necessary.

10 years ago

Aziraphale

Veteran

I find flat-fronted skirts made from a non-stretchy fabric stay put the best. The zip can be at the side or the back, it doesn't seem to matter. I have a couple of "tube skirts" -- pencil skirts made of a thick, stretchy fabric -- that are comfy but that creep upwards as I walk. Mind you, I don't find that skirts pinch my waist. I've got narrow hips and a wider waist too, and as long as I buy the skirt to fit my waist, it's all OK. A little extra fabric in the hips is normally not a problem, and in fact can improve matters by making it appear as though I have more hip curve than I actually do.

10 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

I am all about the jersey skirt. No waistbands for me! I prefer dresses to skirts for that reason, and shifts above all.

10 years ago

Olivegreen

Active Member

I feel your pain...and decided to never get a pinchy waistband again. I size way up in skirts to fit the waist a touch loosely, and they look much better. Rule of thumb for that, from What Not To Wear, that worked, was fit the biggest part of you, alter the rest to fit as needed.
I seldom need to alter, as not a body con person, like things that skim. Gotta admit I flinch at the size number, but the bliss of being able to breathe after eating makes up for it.

10 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

I have a different body type than you (pear-ish), but I'm learning to size up on stretchy skirts so that they skim vs. hug my thighs. I am normally a P2/4, but I just ordered a Regular M to see if I like the fit better than a Regular S which is more body con than I prefer. By the size charts, I should be an XS, but I don't like the teenage fit! Either way, I'd have to have the waist altered. A looser skirt would be less likely to creep up, too. Finally, I just ordered a couple of slips to see if they make a difference on the creep factor.

Have you tried Nordstrom's Caslon side-ruched tube skirts sized to your waist? http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ca.....n=wishlist The ruching would give you a little curve over your hips and hide any thigh bumps. I used to think ruching added weight, but I now think it hides problems both big and small!

10 years ago

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