What to Wear With a Skirt

One of your most frequently asked questions is what to wear with a skirt! Let me show you some options and give you a few tips for styling them.

Trying to figure out what to wear with a skirt?

Skirts are an easy outfit for summer, but it can be hard to figure out what to wear with a skirt, which tops look best with which skirts, and how best to style shirts with a skirt.

Let’s talk about it!

Which tops look best with which skirts?

A few weeks ago, I talked about how to create balance in an outfit, and that balance definitely comes into play with skirt outfits.

Let me show you a few examples:

What to wear with a full skirt

For full, flowy skirts that have a lot of volume, like A-line skirts, tiered skirts, or full maxi skirts, try pairing them with more fitted tops to balance the volume. A full, voluminous top will add bulk on top and bottom and make you look larger overall.

1 – a lightweight, slim fit, black tee balances out the skirt that is gathered (adding fullness) and long (lots of fabric)

2 – a skirt like this with pleats is nice and full, and is perfectly balanced with a very fitted black bodysuit

Try a bodysuit as a fitted shirt option with a skirt

A really good option to wear with a full skirt is a bodysuit. Or a lightweight slim fit shirt. I’ve linked my favorite white short sleeve bodysuit and this black slim fit tee below.

Crop tops are also a good option and are very trendy right now.

Of course you can also wear graphic tees, button downs, printed blouses, or really anything, but just keep it slim fit to balance out the fullness of the skirt.

What to wear with fitted skirts

Fitted skirts, like a pencil or mermaid style skirt, should have the same balance of volume. It’ll just be the opposite of the full skirt. Since the bottom is fitted, add a bit of volume to the top with a blouse, a shirt with full sleeves, or a top with ruffles.

1 – this striped blouse isn’t too voluminous, but it’s enough to balance out the very fitted pencil skirt

2 – the ruffles on this sweater add some volume to help balance out my more fitted skirt

Different ways to wear your tops with a skirt

• Tuck it in. This is the best way to create a waistline and give yourself an amazing shape when wearing a skirt.
• Knot your top. For oversized tees, knotting it at the waist is a great option. Just make sure the knot is actually at your natural waist, and then tuck the excess of the shirt up and underneath so it doesn’t bunch around your waist.
• Wear a bodysuit. If you’re afraid of bodysuits, try wearing it unsnapped and just tuck the tails in. It’s way less bulk than a normal tee.
• Half tuck. For super high waisted skirts, this gets tricky because you get bunching in the back. But for lower waisted skirts, a half tuck can definitely work and keeps an oversized top from overtaking your outfit.
• Tie your top. For button down shirts, a tie at the front is a great option.

see some examples below!

How do I avoid bulk at my waist when I tuck?

• Try a bodysuit. I promise they’re amazing for skirts.
• Wear spanx or other shapewear and carefully tuck your top into the shapewear to keep it in place and eliminate bulk and bumps
• Choose slim cut shirts. Oversized shirts will be much harder to tuck nicely without bulk.

Let’s recap.

1. Balance your outfit. Fitted with full, and full with fitted.
2. Get creative with how you style your top. Knotted, tied, tucked, and more. Every skirt and top are different so try a few combinations to see what works best for your body type and your outfit.
3. Skip the bulk and keep it smooth.

IF YOU LIKED THIS POST, YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THESE POSTS:

• The 2020 Summer Style Guide: Skirts

• How to balance an outfit

• 5 ways to style a skirt for spring and summer