How I wear pleated skirts

I love a good pleated midi skirt. I don’t own that many, but I do have a few that I thought I would style up for you. Since these skirts can have a quite retro feel to them, it is a challenge to style them up in a way that brings them into the 2010s just a little bit more. But at times, I also like playing up a more vintage feel and go for more of a 1940s look. Here’s how I like to wear my pleated midi skirts.

Shirt | H&M
Cardigan | Vila
Skirt | Topshop
Shoes | Clarks

This is what I mean by bringing the pleated midi skirt into the 21st century. This shiny looking number makes for a more up to date version of the pleated midi skirt. Since it’s an icy blue, verging on metallic silver, I love pairing it with other cooler tones such as greens, but a red would look great with this as well. Jewel tones probably work best and since I own a pair of green brogues, I can never pass up the opportunity to color coordinate them with a cardigan.

Blouse | Asos
Skirt | Vintage
Shoes | Asos

To play up the retro vibes, I love working with pastel yellows to complement this vintage skirt. It has a very spring like feel to it, with all the yellow flowers plastered all over this. To keep things more neutral and make the skirt do the talking, my favorite shoes to wear this with is a pair of tan brogues. This way, the outfit maintains a feminine yet boyish look that is mix of styles that I happen to love.

Shirt | H&M
Skirt | Vintage
Shoes | H&M

This skirt I decided to style up twice. I think it is the most wearable in the bunch and can be modernized or styled more vintage by adding different pieces from your wardrobe. I found the skirt at a store called Blitz, which is located in London’s East End and quite possibly the best vintage shop I ever set foot in. I added a boxy blouse with an almost silk like quality to play around with textures and to toughen up the look, I went with a pair of fringe booties. The faux suede amps up the look nicely.

Shirt | Pieces
Skirt | Vintage
Shoes | Primark

The second look is more vintage again. I love pairing navy with white and it nicely plays up the polka dots. This is a great summer outfit as the top is made of a breezy cotton material and the shoes are like a sandal because of the laser cut detail. This is another outfit that balances the feminine and masculine, yet the top keeps the look from becoming outdated and too retro. 

Top | H&M
Cardigan | Hema
Skirt | Vintage
Shoes | Dr. Marten’s

The final outfit combines everything into one. The skirt is one of the boldest items in my wardrobe, but I fell in love with that magenta shade. I love pairing this with navy blue as well or a dark denim shirt, to play up the magenta more. But if I want to tone it down than an all black ensemble works well too. I added a cardigan to warm things up and the shoes are also better for the colder weather. Worn with black tights this is a cozy outfit that allows you to show your true colors.

Do you wear pleated skirts?