Office wear, like all workwear, is purposely boring; after all, its goal is to promote conformity. Modern office wear is more colorful and newly infused with idiosyncrasy, but there is a point at which you struggle to get excited about a pencil skirt, no matter how brightly-colored and unusually-textured it is.
Sometimes a piece doesn’t even have to deviate much from the standard design to catch your eye. Take this Tie Waist Skirt from J. Crew for example: it is cut like a pencil skirt, except for the defiant flare at the bottom. And this little detail is all I needed to convince myself of its potential. The pretty medium green color and tie-waist detail also helped.
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| Zara Wrap Cardigan in Pink (size S) || J. Crew Factory Scalloped Cami Top (size 00P) || J. Crew Tie Waist Skirt in Italian Stretch Wool (size 00P) || Saint Laurent Sac de Jour Carryall Bag in Fog || Ann Taylor Mila Pumps (size 6.5) |
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| Left: J. Crew Tweed Lady Jacket with Ties (size 000) || Zara Tie-Neck Blouse (past season) || Prada Medium Saffiano Double-Zip Tote || J. Crew Tie Waist Skirt in Italian Stretch Wool (size 00P) || || Ann Taylor Mila Pumps (size 6.5) Right: Burberry Westland Sateen Trench (size 2; past season) || Zara Tie-Neck Blouse (past season) || J. Crew Tie Waist Skirt in Italian Stretch Wool (size 00P) || Prada Saffiano Lux Large Double-Zip Tote || Ann Taylor Mila Pumps (size 6.5) |
The style runs (1-2 sizes) small in the hips, so is perhaps best suited for someone with a straighter shape. Reviews online seem to corroborate my experience. The skirt in 00P measures 12.5″ across the waist, and 22″ in length.
The material is a light three-season wool blend (96% wool and 4% elastane) so it is not wrinkle-prone, but is also not wrinkle-proof. You will want to give it a thorough steam before every wear.
This skirt is currently on sale in four colors online, and is available in regular and petite sizes.
