Blue basque skirt stylings. K/R

Hi, all! I promised to style up the blue basque skirt and see how it works for me. Here are some semi-styled options. I say semi-styled because I didn't really deal with hose, accessories beyond footwear, etc. 

Dee hit the nail on the head when she said this skirt seemed a bit outside my usual style persona. That is true -- the fullness makes it come across as more feminine. But of course, even a garçonne wants to look like a girl sometimes. :) For dressy events, say. 

1-3 First I'm trying it with my very old J. Crew peplum jacquard top. I love this top and it forms a key element of my dressy capsule. I think this works as a two piece dress. Different footwear options available. 

4. Tried it with my oversized denim jacket. 

5. A tucked in shirt. Could do with a plain white shirt for a more classic look. 

6. With my slim cropped denim jacket. 

7-8  With oxfords and my new Everlane shirt. It feels very 20s! 

9-10 With knotted tee and denim. 

11-12  Could be an at home winter holiday look. 

13 - 16.  With my Sandwich knit military jacket.

17. With a sequin camisole under denim. 

Bonus photo bomber at the end....

I have plenty of other footwear options -- tall boots, stompy boots, sneakers, sandals of various kinds. 

You can probably see in the close ups that the fabric is rather like taffeta. It has a stiffness and heft to it. I would not wear it casually in summer at all, though I might in cooler months. 

I was inclined to send it back before trying it on these ways, but I'm inclined to keep it now. It is very comfortable. It is cross-seasonal (spring, fall, winter, with possible evening summer wear). It can be worn at various levels of dressiness. It will not wrinkle (so it could travel, though it's a bit bulky and heavy.) It works with many things in the closet. 

What think you? Keep or Return? 

NOTE: If I keep, I am going to retire two older skirts. 

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36 Comments

  • Jaime replied 6 months ago

    Well it still looks fab to me and very versatile in all the ways you wore it. If I recall correctly you still have the Zara sarong shorts from long, long ago, and they are polyester? I am inclined to say keep. A fresh silhouette with loads of styling possibilities is sometimes just what we need, right?

  • Jenni NZ replied 6 months ago

    Suz I will be true to my usual self and say I love it in the dressy pics and not in the dressed-down pics. So I love 1-3, 13-16 and not the rest. I know this is personal preference and not necessarily what you would do.
    To me it depends on how much wear you will get out of it depending on how many dressy occasions there are.
    I am sorry to be a downer :(

  • cjh replied 6 months ago

    Very good combinations! My favorites are 5 and 7.

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 6 months ago

    I love 1-3 and 13-15. I like the dressed-down possibilities you've shown here, too. You do have lots of ways to wear it! I would consider it a serendipitous find. My impression is that it's not quite what you were looking for--the casual Basque skirt to wear in summer--but it refreshes your occasion capsule beautifully.

  • Brooklyn replied 6 months ago

    Well, I vote keep. I don’t consider my style to be particularly feminine or girlie but I wear this type of skirt. It’s all about the level of fullness. If it feels right for you, then it is.

    I think the colour is perfect for you, the fit is excellent and it looks very versatile. I like both the dressed down versions (fave is no 9) and the dressed up versions (fave is no 13). The shirt versions look a bit Audrey. Very gamine.

    Speaking of which. I was watching the Audrey Hepburn movie Sabrina the other day and I noticed she wore her shirt with 2 front halves crossed over and the tail ends of the shirt wrapped around her waist and tied at the back. No tucking. Looked awesome. I think this might require very long shirt tails and/or a very small waist. But, still, it might be possible for us mere mortals to to do a similar wrap and just tuck in the shirt tails at the back of the skirt. This would avoid any “tuck in lines” at the front.

    Knitwear would be another top option.

    And, if you like belts, this style really accommodates that.

  • anchie replied 6 months ago

    I changed my mind, I think you should keep it. It looks great in all combinations, it seems easy to style and very versatile. It is not casual summer skirt, but it beautifully fulfills different purposes. Especially if it is going to replace 2 skirts. Hope you also find summer skirt that you are looking for.

  • Star replied 6 months ago

    Suz It looks stunning, keep so long as you are going to get to wear it and feel like yourself in it.

  • pirouette replied 6 months ago

    I prefer the dressed up version in pictures 1-3. It’s a lovely skirt and the top is perfect with it.

  • Olive Green replied 6 months ago

    I like all versions. It would be a keeper for me. You have a plaid taffeta skirt that is also perfect. Maybe a signature evening look for you. 

  • Theodora replied 6 months ago

    Omg, I LOVE number 9!  I would wear it that way for sure!  Number 5 too
    All of them look good; you are so talented at styling.

  • Dee replied 6 months ago

    The jacquard top in photos 1-3 creates a perfect evening look with this skirt, love it with the stripe top in #5 too, and I agree that it has a lovely Audrey Hepburn gamine feel about it. However, it does seem like a lot of skirt for your more casual looks but you know your own style best and how you feel wearing it. I’d likely just question what your original intention was for seeking out another skirt and whether this particular skirt fulfills this need for you.

  • Joy replied 6 months ago

    Suz, the skirt looks wonderful on you. It flares out a bit higher than expected, more and higher than Brooklyn’s but in a femine way. I like it on you and the way you have styled it and vote keep. My favorites are 1/2 and 12-17. All the stylings look good and shows versatility.

  • Janet replied 6 months ago

    Hi Suz! I’m traveling and not logging in so much these days, so I have missed the post leading up to this, but I think this looks great! I love the juxtaposition versions with the rugged denim in particular, but I’m all about dressing items like this down because life has become so casual these days. I say if it’s comfortable and versatile, keep!

  • Roberta replied 6 months ago

    Keep, keep, KEEP! I like it every single way you've shown it, and really look forward to seeing it with combat boots.

  • Kyle replied 6 months ago

    Oh, my. Number 9 and 13 unexpectedly jump off the page for me. That t-shirt look is just terrific for you, Suz. Love it! The lesson for me is that it pays to try different stylings before writing something off. 

  • Angie replied 6 months ago

    What Jaime said!

    hello sweet Max! 

    KEEP.

    Suz, love the way you've styled every rendition! Can't pick a fave. Can't go wrong! Works flawlessly with your style, to my eye. It was not a stretch - even if you wear it for dressy only. Bring it to London! :)

  • Bonnie replied 6 months ago

    It looks great in every photo and what luck that it matches your Sandwich jacket. Seeing the color in sunlight really shows how beautiful  that skirt is. I predict that this skirt will become a workhorse. 

  • MsMary replied 6 months ago

    Good grief, it's divine! KEEP!

  • Irina replied 6 months ago

    I think the skirt is versatile enough. You can wear it with a casual top to a dinner out with friends or dress it up like in #1-3 for a special occasion. And it looks fabulous on you! Keep!

  • cat2 replied 6 months ago

    Your cat looks so grumpy! I also vote to keep. It’s pretty timeless and you will be able to do a lot of different things with it.

  • Val replied 6 months ago

    Seems worth keeping if you can retire two other skirts as a result. I especially like the cool-weather stylings in #4, 5, 10, 11, 13 and 17. Some of my best purchases for this coming summer were items that I bought for fall/winter but they turned out not to be warm.

  • Suz replied 6 months ago

    Ok. Thank you all for weighing in, I appreciate your thoughts and opinions! 

    Tags off, skirt kept. And yes, Angie, I will try to bring it to London -- though it will take up a lot of room in the luggage, so it might be a squeeze. 

    I think Sharan called it -- it wasn't exactly what I thought I was looking for (a casual summer skirt) but it does fill a wardrobe hole for occasion wear. I do have the plaid tulle skirt, OliveGreen -- you are right. But this one is actually more versatile (because a plain) and also because of the flat front and dropped gathers (vs. gathers falling from the waist). 

    Helpful to hear the different stylings people prefer -- I always like when there is some variation in preferences. Janet, I'm like you -- I like it a lot with the denim. But I also like it dressed up, as Jenni and Joy and Pirouette prefer it. And Bonnie, I was so pleased when I saw the match with the little Sandwich jacket. That jacket is easy to wear -- very very comfy, since it's a knit, so I always feel at ease in it (despite its being a military style jacket, LOL!) 

    Kyle, yes -- it's super important to try an item in a variety of ways. Of course you'll probably end up wearing it more often one way than the others, but knowing the options are there is helpful. 

    Dee, why am I not surprised you like the looks with the stripes? :) We are stripey sisters in fashion....

    Brooklyn, thanks for those detailed comments. And yes! I know what you mean about that shirt crossover. I think maybe Angie tried it or at least talked about it once early in my time at YLF -- or it was a forum thread. I think maybe Audrey's shirts were actual men's shirts -- and she has a really tiny waist, but you are right -- there must be a way of doing a version of this that would work. I will experiment! These particular shirts do have long tails. 

    Jaime, yes -- I still have those sarong shorts. They work in my current climate. This skirt is heavier weight than those, however. But it will work for 3 seasons here. 

    cat2, you called it. Poor old Max *was* a bit grumpy in that moment...he's almost 17, has advanced kidney disease, but he's still going strong, except when he isn't getting 150% of my attention. 

  • Jonesy replied 6 months ago

    Geez, it looks awesome with everything! My faves are with the oversized denim and the Everlane shirt/oxfords--I agree about the '20s feel, but it also looks very modern too. I love it when I find something that fills a gap and works so seamlessly into my wardrobe--I'm glad you're going to keep it! It would be very glamorous in London!

  • Sal replied 6 months ago

    I am a yes as well!  It would be perfect for an evening event or wedding or cocktail party - but wonderful for the theatre or casual dining with friends too.

    I love it with the shirts, and the matching top to make it a two piece - but I think they all work.

    It's a wild card - but I think a well considered one....

  • lyn67 replied 6 months ago

    Oh, I see now, you didn't meen the navy  skirt for full summer--rather for a transitional weather and for that purpose and a bit more dressy- it just looks FAB, here in all! 

  • unfrumped replied 6 months ago

    It is a great skirt on you. I guess I’m not as impressed with its being super- full- the dropped style helps in that regard.

    I actually had got the plaid tulle skirt in a lemming moment and found it too poufy -puffing out from waist on me, plus the colors overall didn’t work as well for me, and ended up passing it on. So this style plus solid color, but with jacquard making it less start, I do think will be very versatile. I also like it more dressy or “ medium dressy “ and with top volumes reined in, but even that would give you lots of options.

  • RobinF replied 6 months ago

    I love this on you! Seems very versatile. I especially love the ones with the tucked in shirt - very you. And fun to have both casual and dressy options.

  • The Cat replied 6 months ago

    Lots of great styling possibilities. My favourites are 1-3, 5, and 13-15. Could probably also be dressed down with pullovers or other knitwear. Keep!

  • Ket replied 6 months ago

    OH FABULOUS!! I admit, my favorites are the more bold looks on you, styled in photos 4-17. But I do feel the peplum top with the skirt is lovely for a more elegant affair. I just love you in juxtaposition, and you do it so effortlessly and well. I think of whenever I break out a Moto or military jacket...I'm going a tiny bit garçonne... Suz would approve <3 Mwah!

  • Suz replied 6 months ago

    Thank you for all the kind words and thoughts, everyone. I really like this skirt I am musing a bit on it just now...hope to come up with some insights eventually...

  • Suntiger replied 6 months ago

    I like it most in 13 with the military jacket, but the denim jacket and the plaid shirt work well too. Definitely needs structure on top to my eye.
    Also awwww :)

  • Karie replied 6 months ago

    I love it. It’s a gorgeous skirt, and you’ve styled it brilliantly. My favorites are the dressed down versions, because I always love the juxtaposition of dressy/not dressy in an outfit.

  • VioletMyra replied 6 months ago

    KEEP . . . I love all your styling. What a versatile garment. Best wishes to all.

  • Bijou replied 6 months ago

    I love it and how you have styled it - so fun with the plaid shirt!

  • Mary Beth (formerly LBD) replied 5 months ago

    OMG you must keep this!  Some (most) of your stylings have a bit of Vivienne Westwood swagger.  

  • Joy replied 5 months ago

    Keep, and work with stying.  If anyone can you can do it.

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