The 13 Best Skirts for Work, Weekends, and Celebrations
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Go ahead—take a spin.
InStyle / Kristin Kempa
The bustle skirts of the Victorian era, the crinoline-lined poodle skirts of the 1950s, and the micro-minis of the early aughts prove one thing—there’s always an It skirt driving the trend cycle. These days, with the rise of TikTok OOTDs, no length, silhouette, or material is off-limits. When it comes to the best skirts for women, it’s possible to purchase every single one on this list and have it serve a unique purpose. We’ve tapped a few experts for insight on which skirt styles you should make room for in your closet, whether for work, a wedding, or a weekend getaway. Find these best skirts below.
Best Overall: Reformation Layla Skirt
What We Love: This pull-on skirt is both comfortable and form-flattering.
What We Don't Love: It’s dry-clean only.
Overall, our favorite skirt is Reformation’s Layla skirt due to its unbeatable mix of elegance and versatility. It’s a sleek style that we envision wearing with a blazer to the office and also with a cropped tee for weekend drinks. Currently available in five color or print options, you can find the skirt that best suits your personal style, whether it tends to skew especially bold (bright red) or slightly more subtle (perhaps polka dots). The pull-on silhouette has an elastic waistband which means that whether you wear it low on the hips or high on the waist, it won’t dig in.
Size: 0–12 | Colors: 7 | Material: Viscose
Best Budget: Skims Fits Everybody Maxi Skirt
What We Love: The zipper slit offers adjustability.
What We Don't Love: The tight fit may make walking hard.
It’s possible you’ve never considered lounging in a skirt. However, Skims' butter-soft fabric is a game-changer for comfort, and look-wise, it's made to look effortlessly chic. Its style and affordability are big reasons why stylist Raz Martinez considers it a must-have. We love its practical details, too: Since such a tight skirt can make it impossible to walk in anything but teeny-tiny steps, this skirt has a zipper at the bottom that can be unzipped for easier movement. Wear it with a baby tee to lounge at home and throw on a pair of sneakers when you're headed out for an easy off-duty look.
Size: XXS–4X | Colors: 1 | Material: Polyamide, elastane
Best Splurge: La DoubleJ Santa Monica Skirt
What We Love: This skirt finds a balance between formal and fun.
What We Don't Love: The single front pleat may seem unusual to some.
When recommending a splurge skirt, we want to toe a very specific line. The skirt should be bold enough to make it worth the money, but also timeless enough to bring down the cost per wear. This La DoubleJ skirt checks all of our boxes. It’s elegant, with a fluted midi shape, yet the oversized floral pattern makes it a standout in your closet. It’s easy to imagine dressing this up and down and through every season and skirt outfit. Plus, since it's designed with a slightly stretchy fabric, you can rest assured that you’ll be comfortable in it all day long.
Size: XXS–XXL | Colors: 1 | Material: Viscose, elastane
Best Black: The Frankie Shop Bailey Maxi Skirt
What We Love: An unexpected slit takes this skirt from day to night.
What We Don't Love: The fabric doesn’t stretch, so you’ll want to pay close attention to sizing.
A sleek black skirt is a wardrobe staple that you’ll turn to time and time again. What we love about this take from The Frankie Shop is that it’s slightly longer than your usual pleated skirt giving it an instantly dressy feel. Designed with belt loops (an unusual touch for a skirt), it makes accessorizing easy and adds to the potential styling options. One of our favorite ideas is to layer a pair of colorful tights underneath. When a pop of red or blue peeks out from the skirt’s slit, it will be an instant sartorial hit.
Size: XS–XL | Colors: 1 | Material: Polyester, rayon, wool, polyurethane
Best Denim: Universal Standard Dakota Skirt
What We Love: Elastane gives this skirt some stretch.
What We Don't Love: The raw hem may look unfinished to some.
Skip your usual jeans for a while and try swapping in a denim skirt as an alternative. “The color of the denim is so rich and timeless (and great for all year round),” says stylist Reva Luft. It still fits the dressed-down profile of your usual everyday uniform but offers a fresh crop of cool styling ideas. Since it’s made with 2 percent elastane, the body-skimming fit will still allow for stretch and movement, meaning that you’ll be comfortable all day long. The skirt also comes in blue as well as black for a dressier and more toned-down alternative. Try the blue skirt with your favorite squeaky white sneakers, and for the black, style it with your favorite ankle boots.
Size: 00–40 | Colors: 2 | Material: Cotton, polyester, elastane
Best Maxi: Toteme Jersey Maxi Skirt
What We Love: A comfortable maxi that doesn’t constrict movement.
What We Don't Love: It may be a bit sheer.
“I love this jersey skirt,” says Luft. “It looks so comfortable and easy to wear.” She suggests tall boots and a long, oversized sweater for work, or flip flops and a white tee on vacation. Either way, the soft and stretchy feel makes this skirt one you’ll never want to take off. “Feels casual and easy to wear even if you’re not a skirt person, a great way to add variety to your wardrobe!” One thing to keep in mind: Jersey fabrics can sometimes be a bit sheer, so you’ll want to double-check that it isn’t see-through before wearing it to work.
Size: XXS–XL | Colors: 1 | Material: Viscose, elastane
Best Pleated: Ulla Popken Pleated A-Line Skirt
What We Love: The knee length can be dressed up or down.
What We Don't Love: The material may not be breathable enough.
“This skirt is a little preppy, a little feminine, and a perfect fall and winter staple,” says Heensie Low, a plus-size stylist. “This A-line style is very popular right now and I love how the pleats instantly elevate your outfit.” With the rise of prep school-inspired style from brands ranging from Miu Miu to Sandy Liang, this skirt can help you lean into the current trend cycle, but the skirt’s simple shape means that you’ll be able to style it in more classic ways for years to come. We also love that this skirt is available all the way up to a size 34.
Size: 12–34 | Colors: 1 | Material: Polyester, viscose, elastane
Best Slip: Vince Satin Slip Skirt
What We Love: A simple style that can be dressed up or down.
What We Don't Love: It needs to be steamed or ironed.
A silky slip skirt is one of our favorite skirt styles for its adaptability and silky feel. Vince’s take, made from Japanese satin, is a pull-on design with an elastic waistband, perfect for easy on and off. It’s available in three classic colors, navy, creme, and black, but we’re particularly fond of the navy since it won’t show stains easily, but is soft enough to work with both winter jewel tones and bright summer colors. One thing to keep in mind with this type of skirt is that it can wrinkly easily, so you’ll want to ensure that you make time to iron or steam it before you leave the house.
Size: XXS–XL | Colors: 3 | Material: Acetate
Best Printed: Sotela Linda Mini Skirt
What We Love: You can request custom sizing or customizations since it's made to order.
What We Don't Love: Because it is made to order, it can take up to five weeks to arrive.
“I love this sustainable option! It can be challenging as a plus-sized person to find a mini skirt that works well with your hip, thigh, and bottom area. I appreciate that you can request custom sizing to ensure that you get the perfect length of mini skirt to suit your specific sizing needs,” says Low. The versatility of this skirt, with the multiple deadstock fabric options, to sizing suited just to you, makes it a great choice if you’re on the hunt for a printed pattern to fit in with what’s already sitting in your closet.
Size: 0–10 | Colors: 3 | Material: Deadstock rayon crepe, Deadstock wool gabardine
Best Sequin: Rotate Berger Christensen Sequined Midi Skirt
What We Love: This statement skirt has a comfortable stretch.
What We Don't Love: Sequins can be itchy.
For all of the holiday parties coming up in the weeks ahead, a sequin skirt is one of our favorite ways to stand out. This bold gold design from Rotate Berger Christensen adds a luxe touch to your ensemble, without sacrificing any comfort. Since it’s made with elastic, it has a stretch to it, allowing you to hit the dance floor and bust a move. While sequin fabric is a bit rougher to the touch than something like wool or silk, a skirt doesn’t have the same potential rubbing issues that you might find with a top that’s constantly scratching your arms.
Size: 2–12 | Colors: 1 | Material: Recycled polyester, elastane
Best Bold: Farm Rio Printed Maxi Skirt
What We Love: This skirt will brighten up a winter look or work for a beach vacation.
What We Don't Love: The bold print is trickier to style than more neutral options.
If you’ve already filled your closet with the prerequisite neutral pieces, let loose a little and embrace some fun colors and prints. This ’60s-style paisley and floral print skirt from Brazilian brand Farm Rio is begging for the chance to be worn to a mimosa-filled brunch or a relaxing beach vacation. We love that though it's a maxi silhouette, it’s cropped enough to show off your shoes, whether they be heels, boots, or sandals. The skirt has a loose, drapey fit and we love the way that it flows as you need.
Size: XXS–XL | Colors: 1 | Material: Viscose
Best Quilted: Ganni Shiny Mini Skirt
What We Love: The playful quilted skirt is a perfect wintery style.
What We Don't Love: The style is a bit voluminous for packing.
A mini skirt made for the winter months? We’ve found it! Ganni’s high-volume mini features an elastic waistband and quilted weave that creates some textural interest. As an important added bonus, this skirt also includes handy pockets for carrying your knick-knacks, phone, and keys. We love the soft cushy shape of this skirt, but its quilted silhouette can make it more bulky than other options on this list. It may take up more space in your suitcase, and when it comes to styling, takes some extra thought to make sure your outfit isn’t too voluminous overall.
Size: FR32–FR44 | Colors: 1 | Material: Polyamide
Best Full: Free People Emilia Skirt
What We Love: The elegant shape is perfect for party dressing.
What We Don't Love: Wearers report that the waist runs small.
If you have a flair for the dramatic, don’t rob yourself of the chance to break out an elegant full skirt. This voluminous design has a high rise and hits mid-calf. The shiny skirt material comes in three colors, a subtle black and more head-turning pink and green. As you enter prime party season, this skirt is a style you’ll find yourself reaching for time and again when the occasion requires a little bit of dressing up. The ability to mix up the top and shoe style makes the skirt feel fresh each time you break it out.
Size: XS–XL | Colors: 3 | Material: Nylon, polyester
What to Keep in Mind
Silhouette: Skirts come in a wide variety of silhouettes from body skimming to pencil, to A-line. The good news is that you can experiment with every style and choose what works best for you based on your personal style and what feels right on your body. When it comes to silhouette, that means the chance to explore everything from a full bell skirt to a skin-tight tube skirt.
Length: Skirts tend to come in three main lengths: maxi, midi, and mini. Maxis are dramatic and dressy; minis are short statement-makers; and midi silhouettes are great for everyday outfits whether for work or play. While length is important to consider, the silhouette and material will also play into how casual or formal any given skirt looks when you put it on.
Material: Come winter, odds are you’ll want to skip cotton skirts for rich textures like wool or velvet. For beachy summer excursions, a lightweight, cotton iteration is just what you need to keep cool. Depending on the material you choose, care for your skirt will vary. Always check to see if you need your skirt to be dry cleaned or it can be hand washed.
Your Questions, Answered
How do you style a skirt?
“I believe we're in a chapter where there is more focus than ever on cultivating a sense of authentic personal style beyond trends,” says Low. “This is really exciting for me. I have enjoyed witnessing people really pushing the boundaries of their wardrobes, from skirts and beyond.”
For work, it’s usually best to keep your look a bit more formal, with a blazer or sweater. For nights on the town, don’t be afraid to show a little more leg. “Mini skirts paired with a sock and slingback are definitely having a trendy moment,” says Luft. Other styles she sees as particularly of the moment include tailored maxis as well as sheer midi skirts.
What do you wear with a white skirt?
A white skirt is a versatile option that goes with both colorful and neutral styling options. Luft suggests styling a white skirt with a black sweater and black boots for a monochromatic ensemble. For warmer months, style a lightweight white skirt with red and blue for more classic, preppy looks or with bright colors like green and pink for a more feminine bent.
Which are the best skirts for tall women?
“I think tall or short, all styles look great and it’s all about the right styling,” says Luft. “But a high-waisted skirt with some volume or flare to it is a great way to add some shape to your longer frame.” For shorter hemlines, if you have long legs, it's worth trying a style on before purchasing just to make sure that the length feels like it offers enough coverage to make you feel comfortable.
Why Shop With Us
Aemilia Madden is a writer covering fashion for InStyle. For this article, she researched a wide range of skirt styles and consulted with three experts: stylists Raz Martinez, Heensie Low, and Reva Luft.
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Read the original article on InStyle.
