FIMTSO: The Black Skirt

So I popped into Target the other day to get some orange juice (I don’t like going to grocery stores) and came home with a skirt that can double as a sundress. It was less than $20 and will be perfect in my suitcase–which I’ll blog about tomorrow–but beyond that, it got me thinking…just exactly how many black skirts is too many for one person?

I know you are out there, snickering in guilt. You’ve got a slinky one for date nights, a perfect A-line one (ok maybe 10 of these) for work, a micro one for vacays where no one knows you anyway, a more modest one for funerals, and the list goes on. Since part of rehab is owning up to the crime, I’ll confess I’m so bad I probably have a black skirt for each different type of funeral. And yes, I suppose that purchase from Target should be considered falling off the wagon. Grrr.

But this leads to today’s FIMTSO experiment, which is how to rework a black skirt for various occasions.

Test Item: Prada crinkled silk skirt. I chose a straight, low-rise skirt that hits just below the knee as my all purpose sample.

Business: I’m turning the skirt into a mate for a Chanel jacket worn over a black tank. The patent black Manolos should carry me from day to night in this outfit. I could wear this to a business meeting during the day and to the ballet at night.


Casual: naval stripes are everywhere this Spring so I’m pairing my skirt with a b/w striped Kors pullover. The b/w Chanel mules are low enough (2″) to be casual without looking too sloppy. Though I could also see myself in this skirt with a white t-shirt and patent flip flops. We are a flip flop nation after all. Add a killer slouchy bag and I’m ready for a walk through Soho in the early summer.


Play: This is where it gets fun. Today by Play I mean we get to play around with a bunch of shoes. What you see (thought it’s really difficult to photograph black clothes) is a Miu Miu sleeveless turtleneck in a lightweight high-tech fabric that won’t wrinkle but will stretch and breathe. I think it’s one of the best pieces in my closet as far as functionality. Anyway, with a black outfit, you can make it play day or play night with your accessories. The occasion dictates the shoes, so this outfit is also suitable for work with the right pair of slingbacks. That’s what’s so versatile about black!

2 Comments

  1. larkie

    that’s a great suggestion. i will now go back inside my closet and sort through my 500 white shirts. i love those as much as black shirts. lol.

  2. jelita78

    ohhhhhhhhhh
    i love them all!!
    can i see up close on the chanel mules? the heels? is it looks so chic! love it!

    next FIMTSO, can u do on the perfect white shirt/ blouse? i’m like forever looking for the perfect white and sooo hard to get by..

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