SKIRT STORY

Skirt hemlines fell on the Spring 2011 runways to mid-calf and ankle-lengths while proportion played with volume on bottom. And me? I instantly fell in love. The emerging trend of longer, fuller skirts is not something I'll be saving for next spring; this transitional style will work perfect in my fall wardrobe!

One of my favorite Spring 2011 collections was Jil Sander; Raf Simons combined a simple silhouette with explosive shades of magenta, purple, and emerald to redefine modern 'minimalism'. Both Simons and Marc Jacobs in his Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring 2011 collection played with line and balance in both pattern and proportion by sending full skirts blocked with large candy-colored stripes down the catwalks.

Of course I won't be abandoning my love for bright, bold colors and feminine pieces for the fall season, but I plan on embracing a more expected version of the longer, full skirt for autumn; skirts crafted from heavier textured fabrics such as brocades and jacquards and woven with metallic threads (à la Mary Kate Steinmiller, Fashion Market Editor of Teen Vogue, shot by Garance Dore, pictured top right). I may have this dress altered into a skirt.

I think this look works perfectly with a simple, demure top - although the skirt and top separately could be a rather mundane design idea, together they create an extraordinary juxtaposition of accessible luxury. I'd pair one of these full skirts with a shrunken sweater or simple tee for fall.

Inspiration clockwise from top left: Ossie Clark 1970s ensemble, Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and The City 2 Movie, Mary Kate Steinmiller photographed by Garance Dore, Vogue 1953, Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring 2011, Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring 2011, remaining photos Jil Sander Spring 2011 collection.